Why do the CSI investigators ALWAYS use their flashlights at a crim scene?

Question

Since they're wearing gloves, why not just flip the light switch or better yet, why not bring in handheld halogen lamps?
Flashlights will never be bright enough to see the entire crime scene or pick up details that bright lights could.

Answer 1

I'm pretty positive that it's just for the drama of television.

A real crime scene investigator will definitely take all the light they can get. They might check the light switch for fingerprints before they use it, but trust me, they're gonna turn the lights on!

Answer 2

They use the flashlights in order to look at whatever evidence that they find much closer up. With bright lights everywhere, the human eye might miss that. But, if you turned off all the lights and put a flashlight on or around the same area, you will end up spoting more with in that way then if you had all the light on. That is why CSI usually always have the lights off and the flashlights on. once they see it that way, THEN they turn on the lights.
It is their way of doing things.

Answer 3

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation...preferably Las Vegas Unit.. :)

Answer 4

The flashlights are more directional than other light sources. Also, they want to look at the scene 'as it is' before anything is processed, to get a feel for what happened.

Answer 5

it is just one of those quirks that we r going to have to live with i guess. hubby and i have asked ourselves that ? a few times our selves and feel the same as u do. so until one of us runs into a real csi agent and ask, we will just have to ignore it and love the show anyway..

Answer 6

ive wonderd tht too maybe they just want to see a certain area??

Answer 7

that's what I was wondering, But I think it's cause there may be a bomb or something..I dunno..