How do TV crime shows and authentic forensic analysis compare and contrast?
What’s the first word that comes to mind when you think of a TV crime show? If I had to choose, it would be clue gathering, or even problem solving. TV crime shows are generally known for the murders and cases behind solving who committed the crime; because who would want to watch a show about a robbery. In these shows, the producers attempt to exaggerate and speed up the process of forensic analysis. As a result, this would contrast to the authentic, or real life process of crime scene investigations. Although I do believe that there are many great TV crime shows, I’d have to pick two specific episodes that would clearly identify a realistic and unrealistic visualization of what a forensic analysis looks like; an episode of CSI New York, as most realistic, and an episode of Bones, as the most unrealistic. First, I would like to identify a realistic visualization of forensic analysis by using the episode of CSI New York, Clue SI. To begin, the CSI’s collected evidence and examined it in a way that exemplified how authentic forensic analyzers would collect/analyze evidence. For example, they placed some of the evidence in plastic bag in an effort to protect the evidence from possible damage, trace evidence was used, and they took pictures of evidence that was uncollectable, or easier to analyze with a photograph. This showed that they were taking into consideration the inherent problem with crime scene investigation; they knew that evidence would need to be carefully collected, to ensure the smallest amount of modification. Subsequently, the investigators used bits and pieces of forensic psychology to determine patterns in the crimes committed. To illustrate, they established connections, and reviewed potential motives of the killer. Specific to this episode, the board game “Clue” plays a part to the story; as investigators dig deeper into the crime, they notice that a specific drug was ingested by the two victims, Ellen White, the original