All boils down to usage (Score 1)

Forensics is a useful tool to aide an investigation; it's not the investigation itself. I don't see much wrong with the way those dedicated forensics CSI staff members are shown doing their work in the most meticulous way - good role models for any individual/establishment. The accuracy and other detail is, to a large extent, is flawed - like extraction of more information from an image than actually exists - a sheer violation of the laws of image processing (refer the book Digital Image Processing by Gonzalez). Most crime-solving depends on the ingenuinity and intelligence of the cops carrying out the investigation rather than techniques used by forensic experts. Gut feeling, relience on past experience and sheer instincts have no substitute. Crimes are committed by humans after all, not machines, so a huge human factor is involved every step of the way. It's upto the investigators to get into the heads of the criminals whom they do not see or know about. It's upto them to decide where forensic analysis should be used and decipher what it is telling them - effective use the forensic reports is an art as much as forensics itself. Most of the time eyewitness accounts and interviews with the victim's friends and foes prove to provide more conclusive insights into a case. Though forensics is an important tool, using it as conclusive evidence should be done with great wariness. Because many times, what seems to be isn't how it actually is in reality. Reality can be as contorted as it is straightforward. For instance, a forensic investigation may stumble across evidence which is totally unrelated to the case in focus. It's not always easy to tell what's in place and what's out of place, especially when you never have the complete picture. What CSI misses out big time is the Lawyers. It is upto the lawyers to prove the investigative team's conclusions in front of the judiciary. The judiciary itself has an important role to play. Their sophistication, intelligence and ability to decide what to believe and what to throw out of the window is ging to decide the fate of the case. Again, a huge human factor is invloved. The final verdict will depend, after all, on human judgement. Lastly, an important factor which influences the result of any investigation is plain Luck! Getting the right leads, information, the right judge/jury, etc. Shows like CSI are entertainers for the general public - they're not for serious viewers. If you want real accuracy, try Discovery Channel. Fools are confident; the intelligent always doubt.