 Many stories about the CSI effect assume that there has been an increase in acquittal rates , though this is often based entirely on anecdotal evidence . A 2009 study of conviction statistics in eight states found that , contrary to the opinions of criminal prosecutors , the acquittal rate has decreased in the years since the debut of CSI . The outcome of any given trial is much more strongly dependent on the state in which it took place , rather than whether it occurred before or after the CSI premiere . A 2010 study by the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee suggests that , while there may be a correlation between crime show viewership and a perceived understanding of DNA evidence , there was no evidence that such viewership affected jury decision making . As of August 2010 , no empirical evidence has demonstrated a correlation between CSI viewership and acquittal rates . One researcher suggested that the perception of a CSI effect — and of other courtroom effects , such as Perry Mason syndrome and white coat syndrome — is caused not by the incompetence of jury members , but by a general distrust of the jury system as a whole . 
