Perhaps worryingly, six in ten Brits are such habitual viewers of TV crime shows that they consider themselves to be amateur experts at solving crime.
That’s the verdict of a new study, conducted by Really to mark the premiere of TV series Cold Justice, which reveals that one in five (20%) of us believe that we could commit the perfect crime thanks to the techniques learned from TV dramas, documentaries and the news.
The research shows that one in six British viewers reveal that they have used crime-solving techniques that they have seen on TV to solve their own mysteries, with social media stalking (52%), spying on the movements of their neighbours (44%) and checking partner’s emails (23%) and text messages (20%) the most common methods deployed.
While nine in ten (89%) assert that they consider themselves to be law-abiding citizens, one in five (20%) believe that thanks to their knowledge of TV crime shows, if they wanted to they could commit the perfect crime, while 13% claim that they could literally get away with murder. Now that’s confidence for you.
Londoners are the most likely to try to solve their own mysteries as a quarter reveal they have attempted it, while only one in ten Scots have given this type of sleuthing a go.
Further findings revealed that the prevalence of crime programming has given rise to a series of widely-held crime-based beliefs which are totally wrong. Here are the top ten crime myths – busted:
1. Everyone gets to make a phone call when they are arrested: Police are required to notify someone of your whereabouts, but you do not have the right to make this phone call yourself.
2: Prison sentences are becoming more lenient and fewer people are being sent to prison: Prison numbers have risen due to courts sentencing more offenders to prison, and because offenders have been staying in prison for longer.
3. Removing a squatter is difficult: Since 2012, squatting has been a criminal offence that can lead to six months in prison and a £5,000 fine. Squatters’ rights no longer exist. The new law speeds up the removal process for homeowners and police are now able to raid buildings and remove squatters.
4. Insanity defence can help you get away with murder: Quite the reverse – defendants who asserted an insanity defence at trial, and who were ultimately found guilty of their charges, served significantly longer sentences than defendants tried on similar charges who did not assert the insanity defense.
5. CSI investigators are directly involved with the investigation, raids and arrest: Despite TV crime dramas showing investigators as ‘jack of all trades,’ each step of the investigation process is handled by separate specialists.
6. You cannot be tried for the same crime twice: In the UK, since 2003 those acquitted of a murder can be re-tried if ‘fresh and viable’ new evidence has come to light.
7. A person’s complete records can be obtained by typing only their name into a police computer: The database holds certain information relating to vehicles and drivers but it only holds large amounts of personal information about those who have been previously convicted, cautioned or recently arrested or for those sought in connection with a crime.
8. Most crime is solved by DNA: Less than 1% of all crimes are solved with DNA evidence.
9. Criminal profiling will always successfully identify a subject: No, there is much debate about criminal profiling – with many experts saying that it is more of an art than a science, and shouldn’t be used as the basis for firm judgements within any criminal investigation.
10. You have to be tall to join the police: The height requirement was removed in 1990 and British forces no longer require their recruits to be of a minimum height.
Cold Justice: Exclusive to Really from Friday, March 28 at 10pm
Image credit: YouTube