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Hello everyone! My name is Victoria Holmes and I would like to thank every one of you
immensely for coming out and supporting my senior project on the CSI Effect! Many of you may
have different views on what exactly the CSI Effect is, however, today we will be focusing on
the phenomenon as the exaggerated portrayal of forensic science on crime television shows and
its ability to influence public perception of our law enforcement in several different ways. My
goal for today is to give you all a better idea of what a real day in the life on an FBI agent is like
and how that idea differs from what we see on crime television. With that being said I will show
you two movies I put together of various different clips of Criminal Minds and describe the
realities and misconceptions to you, you all will complete four stations that FBI Agents have
mastered: DNA Evidence, Deadly Force, Intellectual Knowledge, and Physical Fitness, and we
will listen to Mr. Mike Freeman, a special agent in the FBI, talk about what he goes through on a
daily basis and his views on the CSI Effect phenomenon. Before we get started I want to tell you
four specific things the writers of Criminal Minds want you to know:
-For any of you who watch any kind of law enforcement shows, there are not ANY private jets!
Co-Executive Producer, Breen Frazier stated that on the show, they get treated better than real
life FBI Agents. The agents fly coach on all of their flights
-Presenting a case the way it is seen on Criminal Minds is not an actual thing. On the show the
BAU stand in front of a room full of cops dutifully taking notes. In reality, the process is not
nearly as formal and it would be more of a discussion.
-And the professional timelines of the characters are frankly a little impossible. For example,
Agent Hotchner went to law school, worked as a prosecutor, joined the FBI, worked in Seattle,

and has now worked his way up to a top position in the BAU, and somehow did this while aging
very slowly. Typically, you have to be in the FBI about 10 years before you can join the BAU.
-Cognitive interviews on the shows are not very realistic. Frazier stated that on their show it is
basically hypnosis. Jim Clemete, one of the writers of the show stated that if you hypnotize a
witness, you cannot put them on the stand to testify.
Again, thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to come support me, help
yourselves to the food provided, and we will begin deglamorizing the FBI!

****Start 1st Criminal Minds Video

Opening: the scene we just watched was a totally suspenseful and glamorized scene that we
would expect out of a crime television show. As awesome as that scene was, we have to sit back
and ask ourselves: how often do scenarios like this one successfully play out in real life? Would
law enforcement conveniently drive up behind the person theyre looking for, would they be able
to dive into the water and happen to save the victim right before she dies, while another agent
knows to attack the perpetrator from behind? These are the types of scenes that make us love
these shows and make people aspire to be like the people on these shows. But, unfortunately,
these scenarios rarely ever play out this way.

Reids Memory: I think Spencer Reid is great. He adds the perfect wit and charm that Criminal
Minds needs. However, he has a knack to always know the drastic missing information that the
team needs in order to successfully complete a case and lead their team to either where their
person of interest is, or where they are located. As much as viewers love him, we have to be

cognizant that no federal law enforcement is able to get this lucky because there are simply not
many human geniuses like Spencer Reid as he is portrayed in the show.

When they solve the case all at once: These scenes, where they discover exactly what they are
looking for all at once make the job of a criminal profiler seem so easy. It is true that profilers
analyze a case from various different angles and the team works together to put the pieces
together, but finding a criminal takes more evidence and time. Its not as simple as getting a
sudden epiphany.

Arriving in the niche of time: These are the parts that make us love these shows! The shows
always have a happy ending with just the perfect amount of suspense to make us want to keep
watching the shows. However, law enforcement rarely ever arrives right before someone is
killed, especially when the victim has no way of contacting law enforcement themselves. The
Hannah Graham case is an unfortunate example of this. Law enforcement worked tirelessly to
find her location and save her. But unfortunately, theyre not always able to save the day.

Gun/deadly force/ evidence/ warrants: There are three different things I want to point out in
the clips we just watched. Can any of you guess what they are?

DNA Evidence
Assault of an Agent
And failing to obtain a search warrant

First of all, in our first clip, Agent Morgan picked up a metal rod that he suspected was one of the
weapons the person of interest used to harm his victims. Agent Morgan picked up the rod with
bare hands
Secondly, Agent Morgan intentionally punched the person of interest for no reason other than he
was upset and aggravated at him for the crime he committed. If this happened in real life, this
would be a huge infraction on the agent and he would probably face suspension or other charges.
Lastly, the Agents broke into and entered their person of interests home without a warrant,
despite their Chief Advisor telling them they had to obtain a warrant. In all of the Crime
Television I watch, I have never once seen a warrant obtained. One of these reason is that
obtaining a search warrant takes a few weeks to obtain and in crime television the agents
typically solve the cases within a few days, and in the cases on crime television they do not
necessarily need a warrant because of something called exigent circumstances. Exigent
Circumstances occur when law enforcement is allowed to enter a structure, without a search
warrant if they truly believe that people are in imminent danger, evidence faces imminent
destruction, or a suspect may escape. Once entry is obtained, the plain view doctrine (a doctrine
that allows officers to seize evidence in plain view without a warrant) applies, allowing the
seizure of any evidence or contraband discovered in the course of actions consequent upon the
exigent circumstances.

Alright guys! I hope you enjoyed that little Criminal Minds movie I put together. Now that you
all have first-hand seen the ways Hollywood likes to glamorize our actual heroes are there any

different circumstances that falsely portray the FBI that you have watched in your favorite crime
TV shows?
*engage with audience*
Good! I am happy that you all realize and notice that not everything we watch on TV is real.
Now we are going to focus on you all a little more closely. In the beginning of my presentation I
stated you all will be going through four different stations that FBI agents had to pass and master
in order to become agent. You guys will break up into four groups and spend 6 minutes on a
station for DNA Evidence, Deadly force, Intellectual Knowledge, and Physical Fitness. There are
volunteers at each station to help you when you get to each station, give your volunteer a
moment to explain the activity before starting. Please keep in mind that these are not the exact
simulations FBI Agents go through, however, I have made them a little more fun and easy in
order to make my project fun for you all! Other than that, I need about *** in each station. You
guys can go ahead and meet up with the volunteers at each station!

Alright guys I am happy to have you back in my hands! Do you all feel as if you have a better
idea of what it takes to be in the FBI and do you think you all could handle it?! Great! Does
anyone have any questions about the four stations you guys just went through?
*engage with audience*
Excellent questions guys, now I am going to turn you over just one more time to our special
special guest, a Special Agent: of 18 years: Mr. Mike Freeman! He will be speaking on what he
believes it is like working for the FBI and his beliefs on the CSI Effect! Please give a warm
welcome to Mr. Freeman!

*Mr. Freeman speaks*

Thank you so much for coming and speaking today, Mr. Freeman. I and I am sure my audience
greatly benefitted and appreciated it! **** ASK A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT HE SAID
Alright guys! So right before we close it up I am going to show you one more Criminal Minds
video. This video focuses more on the accurate perception in Crime television, however, there
are a few inaccurate clips scattered throughout and it is your job to try to find them with your
new knowledge of the FBI.
**Begin second movie
Family Life: Okay, so we just saw two separate instances where the agents had to leave their
families causing which caused strife among them. Law enforcement is often depicted as having
dysfunctional family because of their job.All we typically see on TV is the agents in action. We
rarely get an opportunity to meet their families and see what their personal life is like since the
agents have to be able to leave for work related purposes at any time. We have to consider who
would be better suited for the job- Someone who is married with a family, just married, or
single?
Emotional Strain: This is a point I would love to drive home to you all. FBI Agents typically do
go through emotional strain due to the severity and explicitness of what they are seeing. When I
interviewed Mr. Freeman for my research project back in October he stated that sometimes
agents do have to step back because of some of the cruelty and gruesomeness they see. The clip
where Agent Gideon left the FBI because of losing a dear friend was a probably an exaggeration
We would like to believe that the loved ones of FBI Agents stay safe. But, I thought his

circumstance would be a good example of some of the harshness agents visualize. Although the
victims may not be our friends our family, but they are someone elses friends and family.

Talking an Unsub out of Killing: Can any of you guess what was misportrayed in these two
clips?

The agents seemed to be able to talk their suspects out of killing so easily. I asked one of my
classmates who is quite familiar with the FBI about agents being able to coax suspects out killing
and I specifically asked her if those attempts ever work. Her response was on Criminal Minds
they do. This is another example of Crime television making the job of an FBI Agent seem
much easier than it really is. Most of the time predators who are on the track of killing are not
easily swayed out of killing.
Behind the Scenes: Okay so there are three different topics I want to point out for each of these
clips. First, in the beginning clip Agent Morgan stated theres a lot they dont teach us at the
academy. This is, in fact, an accurate statement within reason. As you all learned from
completing station four on physical fitness, the FBI training academy equips you with the
necessary training and intellectual skills. However, despite all of the training that anyone
completes for any job training, there is a lot of tactics that have to be picked up along the way
which can only be acquired through practice in their field. The second point was when Agent
Hotchner said you asked for our help, now let us do our job. Criminal Minds in particular is
very good with following a guideline that states the FBIs Behavioral Analysis Unit is not
allowed to take on a case unless being invited by the police of a district. And even on Criminal

Minds sometimes, this is a rule Criminal Minds bends. Lastly, in the third clip, Agent Hotchner
made Agent Seaver do paperwork. This is something we NEVER see happen on television, but it
takes a large amount of time in real life. The fact that agents are never seen doing paper work
contributes to the corners these shows constantly round.
Closing/ Emily comes back from the dead: Can any of you guess why I chose this clip as our
last clip?
I chose this clip as my last clip because, Agent Prentiss, pretty much came back from the dead! A
couple of episodes before this one, she supposedly died and it sent her team through a ton of
emotional distress. But they eventually grieved and moved on. However, a couple of episodes
later their team was granted the ultimate miracle and all of this while Agent Prentiss was actually
alive and was in hiding since her unit chief, Agent Hotchner believed it would be safest for her.
This scene when I originally watched it was a total feel good scene and it made the viewers of
Criminal Minds feel relieved and happy that one of their favorite agents was back. However, a
situation like this would never happen in real life. As great as this scene was, we need to
remember that unfortunately not all cases have a happy ending the way their often portrayed.
Closing Statements: this about sums up my senior project! Are there any questions about
anything you all have seen or did today?
***Answer questions
I want to thank every one of you so much for being here today. Your support and help has been
amazing. I would also like to give a special thanks to Mr. Freeman for taking time out of his busy
FBI schedule to be here today. I hope my project has been fulfilling to you all, and I hope you all
know if you have what it takes to be in the FBI! Thank you!

Mike freeman do colleagues have difficulties balancing family and work