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How's your crime lab doing?
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DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorSrehtims
Registered: March 13, 2007
United States Posts: 1,796
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My favorite TV show are crime dramas especially with a scientific bases, like 'NCS', the 'CSI' shows,'Fringe' and 'Eleventh Hour'.

I saw on TV news that many of the countries crime lab were complaining that these TV shows were better equipped than they are.

The local station that broadcasts four of these show, a CBS affiliate, did an investigative report on the Phoenix and Arizona labs.
Here is what they found.
Phoenix Crime Lab Understaffed, Overworked?

Sad but true.
We don't need stinkin' IMDB's errors, we make our own.
Ineptocracy, You got to love it.
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." - Abraham Lincoln
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantDoberman
Registered: June 16, 2007
Posts: 3
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Yes, I am shocked, SHOCKED I say, that my local crime lab doesn't have 3D holographic rendering capabilities like the one I see on "Bones" every week.  Geez, what's up with that?  Get outta the stone age!

Next you'll tell me that cops don't get into high-intensity gunfights with regularity.

Or that people don't just travel back in time to 1973 where everyone spouts comments that are only meaningful or humerous if you are actually from 2008.

Or that a crack commando squad, formerly imprisoned for a crime they didn't commit, could roam the country in a very conspicuous van and blazing hundred of thousands of rounds through their Mini-14's while managing to never actually shoot anyone or get caught.  (Well, at least until their horrible, horrible fifth year on the job.)

Or that the new Mustang I've got my eye on won't actually turn into a truck when I need it to.

 


For reals though, if any crime lab folks are complaining that they're not up to par with the TV labs, they're idiots who probably shouldn't be doing forensic science anyways.  Since the vast, vast majority of the equipment & techniques you see on these shows is just made-up BS, I find it hard to imagine that many lab techs are actually complaining.  (The one actual crime lab tech I know loves some of the shows.  But she's always laughing, yelling at the screen & throwing popcorn at all the stuff that's not even remotely plausible or possible.)

Sounds like "TV news" was just trying to generate some ratings by airing a ridiculous story that they could tease during some of those cop shows.

The fact that some labs are so understaffed as to be unable to do the real science that they're actually capable of is a complete shame though.
Doberman

If you can't be a good example, at least try to be a horrible reminder.
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorSrehtims
Registered: March 13, 2007
United States Posts: 1,796
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Quoting Doberman:
Quote:
Yes, I am shocked, SHOCKED I say, that my local crime lab doesn't have 3D holographic rendering capabilities like the one I see on "Bones" every week.  Geez, what's up with that?  Get outta the stone age!

Next you'll tell me that cops don't get into high-intensity gunfights with regularity.

Or that people don't just travel back in time to 1973 where everyone spouts comments that are only meaningful or humerous if you are actually from 2008.

Or that a crack commando squad, formerly imprisoned for a crime they didn't commit, could roam the country in a very conspicuous van and blazing hundred of thousands of rounds through their Mini-14's while managing to never actually shoot anyone or get caught.  (Well, at least until their horrible, horrible fifth year on the job.)

Or that the new Mustang I've got my eye on won't actually turn into a truck when I need it to.

 


For reals though, if any crime lab folks are complaining that they're not up to par with the TV labs, they're idiots who probably shouldn't be doing forensic science anyways.  Since the vast, vast majority of the equipment & techniques you see on these shows is just made-up BS, I find it hard to imagine that many lab techs are actually complaining.  (The one actual crime lab tech I know loves some of the shows.  But she's always laughing, yelling at the screen & throwing popcorn at all the stuff that's not even remotely plausible or possible.)

Sounds like "TV news" was just trying to generate some ratings by airing a ridiculous story that they could tease during some of those cop shows.

The fact that some labs are so understaffed as to be unable to do the real science that they're actually capable of is a complete shame though.


The TV station in question has an excellent reputation for its investigative reporting and all the data they collect is available for review. True the investigations are probably done to promote viewership, but they are done on a weekly basses, and most of the TV stations in area do the same thing.

The 3D holographic rendering capabilities in "Bones" is computer graphics, so stated in one of special features on their DVD series sets.

But, also in CSI series DVD sets they stated in their special features that their equipment is quire real and went through and explained all the equipment.

Whether s crime lab has the latest or beat equipment has nothing to with the technicians capabilities, but politics and politicians. Obviously tests are performed a lot faster and with little effort, they only have 44 minutes.

In any large operation there wiill be some losers. Two of my friends, both upper level managers in the electronic industry, were discussing employee competence. I bet them that I could go into any large government or private operation and weed out about 30% of the people and there would no loss of productivity. They didn't doubt it a bit.

How many murders do you think have been written off as suicides, before forensic science.
How many people have been falsely convicted of murder because of poor investigation.
We don't need stinkin' IMDB's errors, we make our own.
Ineptocracy, You got to love it.
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." - Abraham Lincoln
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile RegistrantStar ContributorVoltaire53
Missed again!
Registered: March 13, 2007
Reputation: High Rating
United Kingdom Posts: 2,293
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FWIW I suspect a lot of real crime labs are under-equipped even on the stuff in CSI that is fully realistic (to be fair a lot of the unrealistic stuff isn't impossible it just actually takes a lot longer to do so it sped up to keep the episodes moving)... I also dare say it's a good platform on which to ask for more/better equipment and staff, as it's one that people can relate to rather than a dryer, more technical proposal.

The big negative thing I've heard about following the success of CSI etc is that some juries are now acquitting possible felons because they believe the shows more than they should and think that the real labs should be able to produce certain evidence when in fact that is an exaggeration from the programme and not possible.
On the upside the number of people now doing degrees so they can be forensic scientists has increased dramatically so in a few years time hopefully the staff shortage, the real crime in many cases, will not be so much of a problem.
It is dangerous to be right in matters where established men are wrong
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar Contributorwidescreenforever
Under A Double DoubleW
Registered: March 13, 2007
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and don't forget the TV series has young beautiful attactive actress's an actors over the aged overweight real detectives...
It's a TV show for goodness sakes...   

I can't understand how the storys on Boston Legal get to trial as fast as they do,, one or two days isn't it?? 
In the 60's, People took Acid to make the world Weird. Now the World is weird and People take Prozac to make it Normal.

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DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantCaptKirk42
42 - Time is an Illusion.
Registered: October 2, 2008
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Quoting widescreenforever:
Quote:
and don't forget the TV series has young beautiful attactive actress's an actors over the aged overweight real detectives...
It's a TV show for goodness sakes...   

I can't understand how the storys on Boston Legal get to trial as fast as they do,, one or two days isn't it?? 


Yea something like that, it should be named Swift Justice: Boston   

All the CSI shows as others have said may have mostly realistic stuff but the process is sped up so they can get their killer in a day or two. Ditto with NCIS (even though that is my favorite show on TV now)
CaptKiirk42
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DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorLord Of The Sith
Registered: March 17, 2007
United States Posts: 853
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Quoting Doberman:
Quote:
Yes, I am shocked, SHOCKED I say, that my local crime lab doesn't have 3D holographic rendering capabilities like the one I see on "Bones" every week.  Geez, what's up with that?  Get outta the stone age!

Next you'll tell me that cops don't get into high-intensity gunfights with regularity.

Or that people don't just travel back in time to 1973 where everyone spouts comments that are only meaningful or humerous if you are actually from 2008.

Or that a crack commando squad, formerly imprisoned for a crime they didn't commit, could roam the country in a very conspicuous van and blazing hundred of thousands of rounds through their Mini-14's while managing to never actually shoot anyone or get caught.  (Well, at least until their horrible, horrible fifth year on the job.)

Or that the new Mustang I've got my eye on won't actually turn into a truck when I need it to.

 


For reals though, if any crime lab folks are complaining that they're not up to par with the TV labs, they're idiots who probably shouldn't be doing forensic science anyways.  Since the vast, vast majority of the equipment & techniques you see on these shows is just made-up BS, I find it hard to imagine that many lab techs are actually complaining.  (The one actual crime lab tech I know loves some of the shows.  But she's always laughing, yelling at the screen & throwing popcorn at all the stuff that's not even remotely plausible or possible.)

Sounds like "TV news" was just trying to generate some ratings by airing a ridiculous story that they could tease during some of those cop shows.

The fact that some labs are so understaffed as to be unable to do the real science that they're actually capable of is a complete shame though.


Actually, the biggest complaints about the labs are not from the techs but from prosecutors.  Juries come in believing that all of this stuff really does exist.  In AZ jurors are allowed to submit questions for clarification during the trial.  When they ask if test A was done because they saw it on CSI, it clouds their judgment when hearing the case.
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