Believing that CSI copycat shows were inevitable, CSI producers and CBS agreed to create this spin-off series in the hopes of being the first to copy the original CSI series.
Real-life prosecutors have complained about something known as the "CSI Effect", where juries have unrealistic expectations about forensic science, either expecting copious amounts of forensic evidence, in even routine cases, or expecting an unrealistic level of accuracy and specificity from the tests presented.
Much like the other CSI series, many of the cases portrayed were based on real-life crimes. The writers make certain changes, such as names, location, and other details for obvious reasons, but some details, such as manner of death and how the crime was committed closely echo the real crime.
On the flip side of the "CSI Effect", kidnap and rape victims are now known to leave their own DNA behind at crime scenes to give police forensic evidence to find. An example of this is how British serial sex attacker Jonathan Haynes was eventually caught. Haynes, who had avoided capture by forcing his victims to destroy forensic evidence was finally apprehended after the "CSI Effect" was used against him when one of his victims ensured her DNA could be traced back to her attacker by spitting in his car and pulling out strands of her own hair. Her inspiration for this act? The CSI franchise.
In season nine, Emily Procter (Calleigh Duquesne) was pregnant in real life. As a result, they had her behind desks, filmed her from the back and sides, and did close-ups of her.