The role of (un)realistic expectations about forensic science in understanding victim satisfaction with burglary investigations

This thesis explores burglary victims’ perceptions about forensic evidence and specifically whether they hold unrealistic expectations which can influence their satisfaction with the burglary investigation. The public can hold distorted perceptions of forensic science due to the popularity of forensic fiction, according to the CSI effect literature. Although this literature has neglected victims of crime, it has examined the perceptions of the general public (mainly jurors) about forensic evidence in order to determine whether the CSI effect exists, suggesting that jurors hold unrealistic expectations of forensic evidence. This thesis adopts a novel approach, using expectancy disconfirmation theory to explain the impact of such unrealistic expectations on burglary victims’ satisfaction. Based on this theory, it is hypothesized that victims who hold unrealistic expectations of forensic evidence are likely to feel dissatisfied, as the police and crime scene investigators will not be able to meet such expectations. To address this topic, this thesis utilised a mixed method approach. Quantitative data was gathered from a survey of burglary victims (N=100) in order to examine the effect of victims’ unrealistic expectations of forensic evidence on satisfaction. To complement these findings, qualitative data was generated from a two-part study involving interviews (N=6) and an online survey (N=24) with Crime Scene Investigators (CSIs). The results demonstrate that burglary victims can hold unrealistic expectations of forensic evidence in line with the CSI effect literature, which have a negative impact on satisfaction with the crime scene investigation. This thesis makes a unique contribution to victim satisfaction and the CSI effect research, by examining a novel topic using an innovative research design.