‘I want to be like the Police on CSI’: Does Crime-related Television Impact Perceptions of Police and Investigative Procedures?
Abstract
This study examined the impact of crime-related television viewing on a number of criminal justice issues including attitudes/perceptions of police, perceptions of forensic evidence, perceptions of clearance rates, and perceptions of crime. Using cultivation theory as a guide, the study tried to ascertain the impact of crime-related television and criminal justice courses on the aforementioned criminal justice issues. In brief, the study found that crime-related television viewing was statistically significant in influencing perceptions of police and the prevalence of forensic evidence. Moreover, non-crime related television watching as statistically significant in influencing perceptions of clearance rates. No television watching variables were determined to be statistically significant in affecting perceptions of crime rates.