The Weak Prosecutor's Effect
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Questions and Answers

Which field is portrayed as infallible in forensic crime dramas?

  • CSI (correct)
  • Crime scene investigation
  • Prosecutors
  • Forensic tests

    • According to a survey of forensic experts, how was the general accuracy of CSI rated?

  • Moderate
  • Not rated
  • High
  • Low (correct)

    • What impact has CSI as a cultural phenomenon had?

  • Inspiring youths to consider a career in crime scene investigation (correct)
  • Creating a theoretical divide
  • Only on practitioners
  • No impact at all

    • What is the CSI effect?

    <p>The influence of fictional television programs on jurors' interpretation of evidence</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the text say about the empirical evidence supporting the CSI effect?

    <p>There is virtually no empirical evidence suggesting the CSI effect is a real phenomenon</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one concern raised about the remedies employed by courts to address the CSI effect?

    <p>They may introduce bias into juror decision-making</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a popular forensic drama inspired by CSI?

    <p>Law &amp; Order</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the CSI effect?

    <p>The high expectations about forensic evidence held by regular CSI viewers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the strong prosecutor's effect of the CSI effect?

    <p>The increased evidentiary burden on the prosecution due to high expectations about forensic evidence</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the article caution about the belief in the CSI effect?

    <p>It may create a self-fulfilling prophecy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the weak prosecutor's effect, prosecutors engage in remedial measures because they believe that jurors

    <p>expect sophisticated forensic science</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What percentage of district attorneys surveyed in the state of New York believed that the CSI effect existed in the courtroom?

    <p>50%</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Under the defendant's effect, defense lawyers argue that the positive portrayal of forensic science in CSI leads jurors to

    <p>interpret forensic evidence in a highly persuasive light</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The police chief's version suggests that criminals learn to evade detection by watching shows like CSI. This effect can have a significant impact on

    <p>the criminal justice system</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the text, what is one way in which prosecutors may bring about the CSI effect?

    <p>By explicitly drawing a connection to CSI during the trial</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the definition of stereotype threat?

    <p>Behaving in a way that substantiates a negative stereotype</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the text, what is one way in which prosecutors may prime the concept of CSI and bring about the CSI effect?

    <p>By reminding and informing jurors of CSI</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the strong prosecutor's effect of the CSI effect?

    <p>The effect of prosecutors performing worse due to a lack of forensic evidence</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the text, what is the self-fulfilling prophesy?

    <p>When individuals expect a group to behave a certain way and cause that group to behave in a way consistent with that expectation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Rosenthal and Jacobson's study on grade school teachers demonstrate?

    <p>The mere expectation that certain students would improve caused teachers to act differently, resulting in higher IQ gains for those students</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the text caution about the belief in the CSI effect?

    <p>Psychological science suggests that forms of the CSI effect are plausible, but that does not mean CSI influences jurors in a meaningful way</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the weak prosecutor's effect of the CSI effect?

    <p>Many prosecutors believe the CSI effect is a real problem and take preventative steps to address it</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to psychologists, schemas are mental structures that people use to organize their knowledge around themes or topics and influence the information people notice, think about, and remember. Schemas can direct cognition and influence judgment and decision-making. They are considered an essential part of everyday cognition as they help individuals quickly organize and make sense of new situations. However, schemas can also be inaccurate or socially undesirable. In the context of the CSI effect, schemas have been used to explain both the strong prosecutor's effect and the defendant's effect.

    <p>Mental structures that help people organize their knowledge and influence their thinking and remembering</p> Signup and view all the answers

    1. How do schemas influence judgment and decision-making?

    <p>They make people more likely to attend to and remember schema-consistent information</p> Signup and view all the answers

    1. In what situations can schemas be inaccurate or socially undesirable?

    <p>Racial profiling</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What method has been used to measure the impact of CSI viewership on the way participants evaluate evidence in a trial context?

    <p>Transcript studies</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who performed one of the first empirical tests of the CSI effect?

    <p>Podlas</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the central hypothesis of the CSI effect?

    <p>CSI viewership affects the way juries decide cases</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one limitation of the existing CSI effect research?

    <p>Question order effects</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one proximate effect of CSI viewership?

    <p>Increased weight on forensic evidence</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one potential bias in the Baskin and Sommers study (2010)?

    <p>Excessive face validity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one potential drawback of the trial transcript method in CSI effect research?

    <p>Underpowered studies</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which study found that frequent CSI viewers were no more or less likely to acquit the accused due to a lack of forensic evidence?

    <p>Podlas's study</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the primary dependent measure in Maeder and Corbett's study?

    <p>Verdict measure</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the sample size of participants choosing a not guilty verdict for a lack of forensic evidence in Podlas's study?

    <p>Twenty-five participants</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Schweitzer and Saks's study find regarding the impact of CSI viewing on participants' ultimate decision?

    <p>No statistically significant impact</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Shelton and colleagues find regarding the strong prosecutor's effect in their study?

    <p>CSI watchers were more likely to convict in all types of crimes without scientific evidence.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Kim, Barak, and Shelton find in their study regarding the influence of CSI viewing on juror decision-making?

    <p>CSI viewing raised expectations about evidence and influenced juror decision-making.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Maeder and Corbett's research suggest about the influence of CSI viewership on decision-making?

    <p>CSI viewership had no direct effect on decision-making.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did questionnaire studies reveal about the relationship between CSI viewership and expectations for evidence?

    <p>CSI viewers generally had higher expectations for all types of evidence.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Brewer and Ley's survey on DNA evidence find?

    <p>Time spent watching real and fictional portrayals of criminal investigations positively predicted the belief in the reliability of DNA evidence</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Lieberman and colleagues' study find about the impact of CSI viewing on beliefs about evidence?

    <p>There was no relationship between exposure to CSI programming and beliefs about the accuracy and persuasiveness of forensic evidence</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Baskin and Sommers' telephone survey find about the impact of crime television viewing on the likelihood to convict without scientific evidence?

    <p>Participants who watched three or more hours of crime television a week were less likely to convict without scientific evidence</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Cole and Dioso-Villa's analysis of archival acquittal rate data find about the CSI effect?

    <p>There was a slight rise in acquittal rates after the debut and rise of CSI programming</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following courts have adopted anti-CSI effect instructions?

    <p>Connecticut v. Collins</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of anti-CSI effect instructions?

    <p>To remind jurors that the prosecution's case does not necessarily require forensic evidence</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What insight do judges provide regarding the CSI effect?

    <p>They are skeptical about the existence of the CSI effect</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which state has a more permissive attitude toward the defense drawing attention to the prosecution's failure to present forensic evidence?

    <p>Massachusetts</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the defensive tactic known as when the defense requests an instruction stating that a reasonable doubt may arise from law enforcement's failure to adequately investigate the crime?

    <p>Bowden defense</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which case represents an anomaly with regard to Massachusetts's permission of Bowden defenses?

    <p>Commonwealth v. Seng (2010)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did the court of appeals in Commonwealth v. Seng (2010) remark about instructions given by the trial judge?

    <p>They are typically problematic and unnecessary</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one commonly used remedial measure to combat the CSI effect during jury selection?

    <p>Removing jurors who bring the CSI effect into the courtroom</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did the court in Massachusetts v. Gray decide regarding questions about the absence of DNA or fingerprint evidence during jury selection?

    <p>The questions were permissible</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do courts generally view measures designed to counter the CSI effect?

    <p>Courts are generally skeptical of such measures</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do attorneys sometimes do during closing arguments to address the CSI effect?

    <p>Explain the divergence between real life and CSI</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes the courts' stance on the CSI effect?

    <p>Courts tend to be skeptical of the CSI effect and restrict the use of anti-CSI effect measures.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the impact of the CSI effect on prosecutors?

    <p>The CSI effect makes it more difficult for prosecutors to convict guilty parties.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one potential drawback of the CSI effect research?

    <p>The research is underpowered to find small effects.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one potential impact of the CSI effect on prosecutors' behavior?

    <p>Prosecutors lose confidence in the quality of their case.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of anti-CSI effect instructions given to the jury?

    <p>To inform the jury that the prosecution need not produce forensic evidence</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary factor considered when deciding to use anti-CSI effect instructions?

    <p>Whether the instructions clearly state that the standard is still guilt beyond a reasonable doubt</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Judge Harrell, what is the real issue in anti-CSI effect instruction cases?

    <p>The defense's undue insinuation that law enforcement's failure to perform a specific technique bears on the state's burden of proof</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In which situation are anti-CSI effect instructions considered permissible?

    <p>When the defense overreaches and implies that the State had some obligation to use some forensic technique</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is an example of scientific physical evidence mentioned in the text?

    <p>Ballistics analysis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    When was forensic evidence first documented?

    <p>7th century</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In what types of criminal cases is forensic evidence particularly important?

    <p>Murder and mayhem</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a potential material that qualifies as forensic evidence?

    <p>DNA</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the text, what is the term used to describe the phenomenon where jurors expect irrefutable forensic evidence, such as DNA and fingerprint analysis, to be present in cases that go to trial?

    <p>The CSI Effect</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main impact of the 'CSI Effect' on defense attorneys?

    <p>It makes their job more difficult</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary factor considered when deciding to use anti-CSI effect instructions?

    <p>The preferences of the judge</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is an example of scientific physical evidence discussed in the text?

    <p>Fingerprints</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of the book 'Xi Yuan Ji Lu' in the field of forensic science?

    <p>It was the first record of applying medical knowledge to solve crimes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In what types of criminal cases is forensic evidence particularly important?

    <p>Murder</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a potential material that qualifies as forensic evidence?

    <p>Eyewitness testimony</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In cases that involve forensic evidence, why are judges or juries more likely to find favor with the side that presents the most compelling forensic argument?

    <p>Because forensic evidence is more objective and based on science</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the impact of the 'CSI Effect' on defense attorneys?

    <p>It makes their job more difficult</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary reason jurors increasingly expect irrefutable forensic evidence in cases that go to trial?

    <p>Because of the influence of television shows like 'CSI'</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a reason why it is difficult to prove or disprove an alibi where the subject was alone or at a function where no one would remember them?

    <p>The subject may not have anyone who can verify their alibi.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the basic principle of breaking an alibi?

    <p>Getting the subject to change their story.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one reason why it is harder for a truthful person to change their story when challenged?

    <p>They have no other story to tell.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which one of these is NOT a way to present challenging information to a subject?

    <p>Present fictitious information about the crime scene</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the most important element when presenting evidence to break the subject's alibi?

    <p>The subject's acceptance that our story is true</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one example of evidence from the crime scene that can put the subject at the scene?

    <p>Video camera footage</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one example of evidence from the alibi location that can challenge the subject's claim?

    <p>An emergency broadcast during a movie</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a method used to help eliminate possible suspects in an investigation?

    <p>Ascertaining their alibi</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main goal when breaking an alibi?

    <p>To get the subject to change their story</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is it difficult for a person with a false alibi to construct a story?

    <p>It is hard to consider every possible element</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a strategy for presenting challenging information to a subject?

    <p>Present information about their alibi location</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one example of evidence that can put a person at the crime scene?

    <p>Surveillance camera footage</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one example of false information that can be introduced at the subject's alibi location?

    <p>A fabricated incident at a movie theater</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does it mean if a person changes their story to accommodate new and fictitious evidence?

    <p>They are guilty</p> Signup and view all the answers

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