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Abstract
The national media and fictional television shows have elevated the field of forensic science to having near supernatural qualities, while sensationalizing the wrongdoings of individual forensic scientists. The purpose of this study was to determine if the CSI Effect, the Daubert Ruling, and a National Academy of Sciences report on the status of forensic science in the United States affect the practice of forensic science. This quantitative study used a survey format to evaluate how forensic practitioners and administrators, belonging to the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD), perceive the influence of these factors in the field of forensic science and the criminal justice system in general. A combination of descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and cross tabular analysis were used in conjunction with Cronbach's alpha test, Mauchly’s test, Wilcoxon signed rank test, and ANOVA to analyze the results of the survey. The results (N=124) indicated that members of ASCLD believe the operation of the crime laboratory, the analysis of evidence within the forensic science community, the testimony of expert witnesses at trial, and the future of the forensic science community are influenced by the CSI Effect, Daubert Ruling, and NAS Report. However, few administrators have implemented policies, procedures, or training programs that address these factors.