INDIANAPOLIS -- The demand for DNA evidence in real-life crimes is being driven by what Hoosiers see on television dramas.

It's referred to as the CSI-effect, after the hit forensics show, and workers at the Marion County Crime Lab said it's more than doubled their workload.

"Oh absolutely it's real," Director Mike Medler told 6News' Jack Rinehart. "Police, prosecutors and especially jurors want DNA evidence."

Last year, the lab performed 644 DNA tests, up more than 50 percent from 2008.

But unlike in Hollywood, the real experts said DNA isn't always found at every crime scene, and workers don't have the time their on-screen counterparts do for countless tests.

"There's no way to test everything. That's generally not going to happen in cases where there are hundreds of items," Medler said.

Before the start of every jury trial in his Marion Superior Court courtroom, Judge Mark Stoner said he talks to prospective jurors about the difference between television and reality.

"I go through a fairly lengthy explanation that they're here to make decisions based on what they see and hear in the courtroom, and not what they see on some TV show that's there for entertainment," he said.

Still, the increased testing has produced results. Last year, DNA testing helped identify 10 murder suspects, 10 rape suspects, six suspected robbers and 14 burglary suspects.

The Marion County Crime Lab has a standard of returning results on all cases within six weeks. It's also the only drug lab in the country that can turn out the results of drug tests within 24 hours.