I have to confess, one of the reasons why I decided to become a criminal justice major is because of all of the crime/cop shows that I have watched over the years. While I knew that the real criminal justice system is different to the one portrayed in these TV shows I always dreamed with being so strong and helping people, just like many characters do in these shows. These are only a small portion of the best crime/cop shows that I have watched over the years.
1. "Criminal Minds"
http://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Criminal-Minds/70153390
Two words: serial killers. "Criminal Minds" revolves around a team of FBI agents as they fight to catch serial killers and save lives. Each episode will keep you on the edge of your seat and keep you guessing with what will happen next. This show is addicting, interesting, and has an amazing cast.
2. "Blue Bloods"
http://www.cbs.com/shows/blue_bloods/
What does a Police commissioner, detective, ADA, and a police officer have in common? Blood and family. "Blue Bloods" shows us what happens when an entire family dedicates themselves to stopping or prosecuting crime. Set in New York City, this show touches upon real life issues that have occurred, ranging from terrorism to police brutality.
3. "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit"
http://www.cbs.com/shows/blue_bloods/
From the oh so famous "Law & Order" franchise, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" makes justice to the series from which it originated. Focused on sexually based crimes, this show gives an insight of detectives who have to deal with the toll of dealing with victims and criminals who commit horrific sexual crimes.
4. "Chicago P.D."
http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/chicago-pd/556344/
A spin-off from the Firefighter drama "Chicago Fire," "Chicago P.D." follows the every day work and personal lives of the Chicago P.D. Intelligence team. We follow them as they deal with emotional cases and push the boundaries of the law, often times breaking many of them to be able to save innocent victims.
5. "Bones"
http://www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/bones/253272/bones-to-return-for-12th-and-final-season-on-fox
A very awkward match, an anthropologist and FBI agent work together to solve murders based solely on bones. Interesting, funny, and quirky are only a few words to describe this partnership that somehow manages to function perfectly.
6. "Blindspot"
A strange woman with no memory of her past appears in the middle of time square in a duffle bag with her entire body tattooed. We follow this woman, Jane doe, and the FBI as they struggle to figure out her identity and figure out the meaning behind her tattoos. Jane’s tattoos unravel a world of corruption, hurt, death, and conspiracy.
7. "Hawaii Five-0"
http://www.cbs.com/shows/hawaii_five_0/
A new version of the classic, "Hawaii Five-0,", follows a task force with all types of immunity as they tackle crime in the state of Hawaii. More than a team, they are a family that fight crime together and have incredibly dysfunctional relationships that are hilarious to watch.
8. "NCIS: Los Angeles"
http://www.artistsaddiction.com/soundtracks/NCIS-LA/
"NCIS: Los Angeles" is a part of the renown NCIS franchise. Taking place in Los Angeles, this team works undercover as they protect national security and solve Naval crimes. You will love this show because of how dysfunctional the partnerships are and yet they perfectly solve crime together.
9. "Numb3rs"
https://mathstrategies.wordpress.com/numb3rs-activities/
What does a math genius have to do with the FBI? Math genius, Charlie Epps uses his math skills to help his brother solve crimes and help people. Charlie uses his math knowledge to solve questions that couldn’t have other wise been solved. While this show came to an end in 2010, you can watch all six seasons on Netflix and Amazon Prime.
10. "Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders"
http://www.cox-ondemand.com/criminal-minds-beyond-borders/
A fairly new show and spin-off to the long running "Criminal Minds," "Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders"profiles criminals and work against the clock to save American citizens across the world.
11. "CSI: Miami"
http://www.tv.com/shows/csi-miami/photos/publicity/image-26/#26
Available on Netflix, "CIS Miami" follows the team Horatio Caine of the Miami Dade P.D. as they solve murders and various types of crime. Through the use of forensic and physical evidence, this team is able to solve even the most difficult crime.
12. "Flashpoint"
http://deadline.com/2012/01/ion-renews-flashpoint-for-fifth-season-208837/
Focused on a Canadian tactical team, "Flashpoint" focuses on situations of high risk such as hostage situations and terrorism. While this show came to an end back in 2012, the action and plots make it worth a watch.
While all these shows do not realistically portray the criminal justice system, the plots and characters make it extremely hard to detach yourself from your computer screen.
