How Accurate Are CSI Crime Shows To Real Life?
The CSI franchise has entertained audiences for nearly two decades, and while much of what people see on TV seem exhilarating, the accuracy of these shows is called into question. The binge-worthy crime dramas seem to be always on TV and have gained popularity amongst true crime fans and those just looking for procedural entertainment. But television crime dramas, like the CSI franchise, often take creative liberties to make a crime scene seem more glamourous. In reality, it is anything but that.
The CSI world is comprised of three separate shows, all with a similar premise, but different cast and location, so the atmosphere of each show lends a touch of uniqueness. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, or just CSI, is the original show in the franchise airing in 2000 and follows crime-scene investigators employed by the Las Vegas Police Department. The first spin-off came in 2002 with CSI:Miami, which kept the same template of gory crimes and a procedural plot just transplanted to Miami. After the success of these two shows, it was only a matter of time before one hit “The Big Apple” and CSI:NY aired in 2004, bringing another level of crime and suspense to New York City.
While these shows are entertaining and have gained great popularity over the years, the portrayal of real crime scenes and the process involved is flawed. With that television creative license, they took full advantage of raising the stakes to bring fans what they want to see. They can’t be blamed for this, for that’s part of the business, but in reality, they just aren’t as accurate as fans may think.
Processed Evidence Speed
When watching a CSI show, the analyst extracts the DNA from whatever evidence is in front of them, places it in some machine no one’s ever seen before, and the results are instant. Within minutes they are on the hunt to track down the suspect. But to get results in real life takes a long time and the backlog can be immense. Processing DNA at a crime scene takes an incredible amount of time and when it comes back, much of the time the result is inconclusive. While DNA is a sure and accurate way to close a case, the challenge is getting an accurate positive result, which is not as common as one may think.
Partial Print?
The term “partial print” has come to mean added suspense, for investigators in the show find a print, just not enough to identify a suspect, leaving fans on the edge of their seats. But a partial print is what is found most often in real life and it actually means the analyst can process the print faster because there are fewer lines. So, a partial print is not this dramatic end-all to a case but is actually a good thing. The challenge comes if not enough lines are present to make complete identifying features where analysts would then have to discard and move on.
Detective Vs. Analyst
Many of the cast members for these shows are both detectives and analysts, which just does not happen. Another creative license was taken by those involved, real-life investigators and crime scene analysts are two different lines of work. While it is true that technicians spend time both on-site and in the lab, they do not hunt down perpetrators as the detectives do. The schooling and experience for each respective job are different and working together is part of what makes an investigative team successful. Their transition from lab coat to badge and gun just does not happen the way TV wants to make it seem.
Harsh Environment
Each and every crime is different, and while these shows mix up the cases for diversity and excitement, they always look neat and organized, even when a victim is present. The idea would be to not make something so terrifyingly gory that viewers get turned off, but in real-life cases, you never know what you might walk up on. A case may take place in the snow or in blistering heat where evidence acts and behaves differently. These harsh conditions can be awkward and challenging for investigators to efficiently do their jobs.
Final Verdict
The CSI franchise was obviously not made for total accuracy. It is not designed to be a how-to for crime scene investigators or detectives. Watching these shows should be fun and entertaining and fans should marvel at the creativity poured into each episode. Whether the show comes off as slightly cheesy or overly dramatic, that is the intended effect, and judging by the reaction over the last two decades, people really respond to this franchise. It may not be close to real-life, but CSI has succeeded in remaining on television for so many years.
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