Reply #17: Because without the show people would be unaware

[WatsonT]

that violent crime is real?

I suppose as long as they never turn on their computer or watch the news, or watch anything else ever.

Maybe.

I'm more concerned by their portrayal of the legal system. Real people go in to juries expecting mountains of forensic evidence and some damning and dramatic revelation halfway through a case that absolutely proves the guilt or innocence of the accused.

That's not a good thing for them to expect going in. Will tend to skew their perception of actual evidence and court proceedings.

Jury: "Why ain't you got no DNA evidence proving the accused wasn't at the scene like on TV?"
Defense lawyer: "Well DNA evidence doesn't really work that way and this is a tax evasion case"
Jury: "That means he's guilty! Also I've been here more than an hour, I don't think court cases are supposed to last this long"