Defense, Prosecution Play to New 'CSI' Savvy

"People would not stay tuned to the show if they had to wait two or three months to figure out if there was even a DNA match, because that's how long it usually takes," he said.

But despite the apparent courtroom frustrations delivered by the shows, they also have triggered enormous interest in college and high school-level forensic programs across the country.

"There's been an explosion," said M. Lee Goff, chairman of the forensic science program at Honolulu's Chaminade University. Four years ago at his university, 15 students were enrolled in the undergraduate program. Now there are 100.

"That is very gratifying, and a lot of them came in because of 'CSI,' " said Goff, who, as one of eight board-certified entomologists in North America, is frequently called to testify in cases across the country. He also serves as a technical adviser to the "CSI" shows filmed in Las Vegas and Miami.

Judge C. Phillip Nichols, who since 1992 has heard cases in Prince George's County Circuit Court, said that so much interest in forensics, be it among students or jurors, leads to a more informed population, more able to understand the often mind-numbing, complex criminal cases.

"Forensic evidence is pretty compelling stuff," he said. "When you're dealing with the rule of science, you don't want to be on autopilot, but there is that degree of comfort."

And criminals are learning new ways to cover their forensic tracks. They watch "CSI," too.

Staff writer David Snyder contributed to this report.