Making Better Offenders? Exploring the Perception of the CSI Effect among College Students

Abstract

While studies have shown little to no support for the CSI effect, researchers have found that the perception of its existence among the public and criminal justice actors is the opposite. The current study uses a sample of undergraduates, who are currently enrolled in criminology courses, to examine perceptions of a CSI effect on courtroom verdicts, offender behavior, and the police chief’s effect. Additionally, this research explores whether these beliefs are mediated by education in criminology and crime show viewing habits. Results showed that education and crime show consumption influenced certain aspects of the CSI effect differently. The findings demonstrate the need for educators and researchers to continue to unravel the disconnect between empirical reality and perceptions that the CSI effect exists.

Keywords:

• CSI effect
• perceptions
• jury verdicts
• offender behavior
• multinomial regression

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 To better understand the factors correlated with beliefs in a CSI effect and due to low cell counts, responses of I’m not sure were recoded as No.

2 To better understand the factors correlated with beliefs in a CSI effect and due to low cell counts, responses of I’m not sure were recoded as No.

3 Due to due to a low cell counts, responses were recoded into a three-point scale: “Disagree” (Disagree and slightly disagree), “Neither agree or disagree,” and “Agree” (Agree and slightly agree).

4 For the purposes of this study, the variable gender refers to biological sex and not as a social construct.

5 Respondents were first asked if they have ever heard of the CSI effect, and then, they were provided with a definition on the CSI effect. Afterwards, participants were asked about their perceptions of the CSI effect on jury verdicts, offender behavior and whether they agreed crime shows like CSI and other crime-based entertainment media help people commit crime and avoid getting caught by the police (i.e., the police chief’s effect).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Bailey K. Davis

Bailey Davis, M.P.S., is currently a Criminalist for a city police department and recently graduated with her Master of Professional Studies in Forensic Science from the Pennsylvania State University. She also holds a B.S. in Chemistry and a B.A. in Criminology from the University of Florida.

Erika J. Brooke

Erika J. Brooke, PhD, is a Lecturer in Criminology in the Department of Sociology and Criminology & Law at the University of Florida. Her research interests revolve around the courts to corrections pipeline with special emphasis on the military service and crime relationship, problem solving courts, and substance use and abuse. Some of her recent work has been published in Crime & Delinquency, Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, Corrections: Policy, Practice, and Research, and The Journal of Drug Issues.