CSI -are they for real?

  • Hi,

    My partner is a real CSI fan. I find it hard to watch simply because of all the technology they seen to have at their disposal.

    Is it OK in USA to get so much info on people from different sources? What about privacy and Data Protection? Also, all that 3d cad stuff, it just seems to far removed from my experiences!!!

    Does anyone work in an environment like that for real?

    Anyway, they still get it wrong first time! They should always move straight to suspect no 2 or 3!!!

  • Its TV.

    It depicts the work of a crime scene investigator about as accurately as Boston Legal does Lawyers.

  • NPR did a report on it several weeks ago. According to the report the show has a pretty firm basis in reality, but instead of a few people in one lab, it sort of shows what goes on nationally with hundreds of people in lots of labs. Very few labs in the country can do half of what those guys do (not counting when they break the laws of physics). Funny thing was, a lot of the CSI guys they investigated were fans of the show (I've never watched it).

    "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
    - Theodore Roosevelt

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  • I know it's based in reality, they have real CSI people consulting on things, but it's exaggerated. Each person has many more cases, less space, and less equipment. Tests take longer, and while I think we could do most of that given enough resources, it's a constant battle to decide which cases are worth which resources.

    It is a cool show.

  • I think, as with most shows, if you are a professional in the field, you can find shows frustrating. Don't get me going on shows/movies that have anything to do with aviation....

  • and cracking passwords are so much easier on TV and in real life.. ZOMG! i got the first letter of the 20char password, only 19 more to go!

    ~46*20 != 46^20

  • I still entertain myself counting the number of times people can fire a standard revolver without reloading. It's when you break 10 that things get really irritating.

    "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
    - Theodore Roosevelt

    Author of:
    SQL Server Execution Plans
    SQL Server Query Performance Tuning

  • My sister took a forensics class in college. For one of her assignments, she had to come up with 50 mistakes in a single CSI episode (something that was wrong, not feasible to do in the time allowed, not possible, etc). She said it took 15 minutes. Love to watch TV, but I prefer StarGate. Nothing like traveling instantaneously between galaxies to give you a good dose of reality. 🙂

    Chad

  • I know of a .22 revolver that holds 10 or 12 shots, but since most of these guys are toting Police Specials, etc., I don't think so.

    "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
    - Theodore Roosevelt

    Author of:
    SQL Server Execution Plans
    SQL Server Query Performance Tuning

  • Well here's one hint: There is no computer program in the world that can take a grainy .1 megapixel bank camera photo and turn it into a stunning 20 megapixel picture. You just cannot manufacture legally (or physically) meaningful information after the fact.

    Also the CSI's they show on TV are some kind of "Super-Science Cop" that does not exist in any police department in the U.S. Real CSI's do not interview suspects, do field investigations of their own or even normally carry a gun. In fact the only time that a real CSI has any contact with a suspect is to take samples of blood, hair, etc., and this is always with an officer present or under the mediation of attorneys. Real CSI's process crime scenes and process evidence in the lab, and that's about it.

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  • rbarryyoung (10/9/2008)


    Well here's one hint: There is no computer program in the world that can take a grainy .1 megapixel bank camera photo and turn it into a stunning 20 megapixel picture. You just cannot manufacture legally (or physically) meaningful information after the fact.

    Also the CSI's they show on TV are some kind of "Super-Science Cop" that does not exist in any police department in the U.S. Real CSI's do not interview suspects, do field investigations of their own or even normally carry a gun. In fact the only time that a real CSI has any contact with a suspect is to take samples of blood, hair, etc., and this is always with an officer present or under the mediation of attorneys. Real CSI's process crime scenes and process evidence in the lab, and that's about it.

    Besides - how many of the specialists happen to be a weapons specialist AND a ocmputer forensics person AND a finger-print, DNA, and trace specialist (all while looking like a million bucks AND carrying a gun in the process)?

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  • The problems of raised expectations by jurors who have watched CSI and similar shows are recognised as in the legal world - the CSI Effect

    The shows also give criminals hints on how to leave less incriminating evidence

  • rbarryyoung (10/9/2008)

    Also the CSI's they show on TV are some kind of "Super-Science Cop" that does not exist in any police department in the U.S. Real CSI's do not interview suspects, do field investigations of their own or even normally carry a gun. In fact the only time that a real CSI has any contact with a suspect is to take samples of blood, hair, etc., and this is always with an officer present or under the mediation of attorneys. Real CSI's process crime scenes and process evidence in the lab, and that's about it.

    Pretty much this, you do not get CSI scientists kicking down doors and roughing up suspects like on tv, It is still a fun show though..

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