arodonfox's Blog

America is addicted to crime dramas. Shows like CSI, Law and Order, and The Closer draw millions of viewers each week. No matter how bizarre the crime or how many intangibles investigators encounter, the guilty party is caught and goes to jail. It's an action packed hour of drama and suspense. Viewers see homicide detectives collect evidence, interview suspects, re-create scenarios with hi-tech equipment, and "put a rush" on lab results. Law and Order even mixes in the trials and tribulations of attorneys. In an hour, the investigation is solved, and the suspect is tried in court.... all in an hour.

 In the real world, we know things don't happen that fast. Or do we? While we're intellegent people, there's a part of brain that sees DNA results come back in 10 minutes, so clearly every department with a crime scene investigation unit must have it's own lab filled with attractive, intellegent, officers with perfect hair and tight fitting clothes. We know better, but real life investigators I've spoken with here in the Piedmont tell me b/c of these shows, people expect instantaneous results. The detectives we don't see on TV call it, "The CSI effect."

It can be heartbreaking. Because of the nature of the industry, I meet people at their worst. They've just had a loved one murdered, or they've been the victims of a crime. I hear their stories, and I hear what investigators have learned.  As investigators try and figure out "who done it," the grieving families are beside themselves. They want answers. They don't understand why things are taking so long. How can the SBI lab in Raleigh be backed up for months on end? Waiting for DNA results can play terrible tricks on the mind. As logical humans, we try and reason why things happen. So the brain creates every possible scenario, suspect, and outcome. It's emotional torture and it happens to every family that loses someone and has seen a "crime drama." 

It's human nature. Even as a reporter, I catch myself trying to play CSI with some of the questions I ask detectives. The answer is always the same, "You know I can't tell you that." No matter what side your on, waiting for answers is always the hard part.