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Actors David Berman and Jon Wellner from television's CSI came to UNLV to share the similarities and contrasts in the show.
One of the main reasons for the lecture on Saturday was to inform the audience of differences the show has from real life crime scene investigation. On the show, Wellner and Berman play highly skilled investigators who solve 100 percent of their cases in an advanced and well-funded crime laboratory in Las Vegas.
Real life investigators have a different perspective and outcome in cases as they deal with the inadequacies of the local crime lab.
There is only one full-service forensics laboratory in Las Vegas, which is understaffed and overwhelmed with backlogs according to Rick Workman, current criminalistics administrator for the Henderson Police Department and former CSI.
"We need a new lab now," Workman said. "We needed a new lab five years ago."
According to Workman, there is too much work to be done to the point that the staff of the forensics laboratory must send the excess, such as forensic and DNA evidence, to other public and private labs in other states.
The investigators prioritize by murder and rape, leaving things like burglary on the back burner. This could compromise a case's statute of limitations, meaning if an investigator cannot get to that case in time, it would be too late to do anything about it.
Even with rape and murder cases on higher priority, by the time investigators can match evidence to one suspect, the now-identified suspect could possibly have acquired more victims.
Workman, who also helps with research areas on the show CSI, brought Berman and Wellner to not only talk about the fun of working on the set of CSI and the research that goes into an episode, but also to inform on the need for funding in forensics.
A lecture like this could inform students of this need and hopefully inspire them to act, according to Workman.
With more funding, Las Vegas could have another Crime Lab to help solve more crimes, prevent crimes and also to help be more efficient in saving lives.
The cast and crew of the show CSI are active in the pursuit for more forensic funding due to the fact that the show has increased interest in forensic science and has shed a good light on criminalists, according to Berman and Wellner.
Berman even stated how CSI's lead actor William Petersen, who plays Gil Grissom, has approached congress on the lack of funding in the area of forensic science.
It will take an approximately $37 million to construct the 77,000-square-foot Forensic Science Center in Las Vegas which will include a Forensic Laboratory, Crime Scene Investigation Section and an evidence vault.
The lecture was co-sponsored by Friends of CSI and UNLV's Program for older students.
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