The two-volume World of Forensic Science is a convenient, comprehensive guide to the scientific processes and the legal, social and ethical issues involved in the forensic sciences. Approximately 600 entries cover the individuals, techniques and principles of biology, chemistry, law, medicine, physics, computer science, geology and psychology involved in the multidisciplinary approach of examining crime scenes and evidence to be used in legal proceedings. Topics range from types of evidence (fingerprints, hair, weapons) to specific techniques and methods of analysis (ballistics, DNA identification), organizations (Federal Crime Lab), individuals (Alphonse Bertillon) and famous trials (O.J. Simpson case).
Bodies of Evidence is an informative examination of the science of criminal investigation. It is packed with intriguing case histories involving a variety of forensic evidence and chronicles the most significant contributions to the fields of toxicology, serology, fingerprinting, forensic ballistics and psychological profiling.
This Second Edition of the best-selling Introduction to Forensic Science and Criminalistics presents the practice of forensic science from a broad viewpoint. The book has been developed to serve as an introductory textbook for courses at the undergraduate level—for both majors and non-majors—to provide students with a working understanding of forensic science. The Second Edition is fully updated to cover the latest scientific methods of evidence collection, evidence analytic techniques, and the application of the analysis results to an investigation and use in court. This includes coverage of physical evidence, evidence collection, crime scene processing, pattern evidence, fingerprint evidence, questioned documents, DNA and biological evidence, drug evidence, toolmarks and fireams, arson and explosives, chemical testing, and a new chapter of computer and digital forensic evidence. Chapters address crime scene evidence, laboratory procedures, emergency technologies, as well as an adjudication of both criminal and civil cases utilizing the evidence. All coverage has been fully updated in all areas that have advanced since the publication of the last edition. Features include: Progresses from introductory concepts—of the legal system and crime scene concepts—to DNA, forensic biology, chemistry, and laboratory principles Introduces students to the scientific method and the application of it to the analysis to various types, and classifications, of forensic evidence The authors’ 90-plus years of real-world police, investigative, and forensic science laboratory experience is brought to bear on the application of forensic science to the investigation and prosecution of cases Addresses the latest developments and advances in forensic sciences, particularly in evidence collection Offers a full complement of instructor's resources to qualifying professors Includes full pedagogy—including learning objectives, key terms, end-of-chapter questions, and boxed case examples—to encourage classroom learning and retention Introduction to Forensic Science and Criminalistics, Second Edition, will serve as an invaluable resource for students in their quest to understand the application of science, and the scientific method, to various forensic disciplines in the pursuit of law and justice through the court system. An Instructor’s Manual with Test Bank and Chapter PowerPoint® slides are available upon qualified course adoption.
Prominent forensic experts, scientists, and forensic science educators contribute to this textbook that covers many of the diverse aspects of forensic science. This edition includes an instructor's CD-ROM.
Covering a range of fundamental topics essential to modern forensic investigation, the fourth edition of the landmark text Forensic Science: An Introduction to Scientific and Investigative Techniques presents contributions from experts in the field who discuss case studies from their own personal files. This edition has been thoroughly updated to r
Shows how the latest methods of scientific detection are used to uncover the truth about a crime scene, and to reveal how crimes were committed, explaining the techniques and equipment used by forensic investigators.
In the wake of the phenomenal success of crime shows like CSI, forensic science has never been so popular. The obsessive attention that Grissom and his crew afford seemingly insignificant details, such as particles of dirt in a bullet wound and the presence of pollen in tyre tracks, have left audiences eager to know more about this field of study. In this fully revised and updated edition, real-life examples come under the scalpel as forensic scientist Jay Siegel follows the course of evidence all the way from the crime scene to the court judgement. In Forensic Science: A Beginner’s Guide, all major areas are covered, including drugs, trace evidence, pathology, entomology, odontology, anthropology, crime scene investigation and the law.
Scores of talented and dedicated people serve the forensic science community, performing vitally important work. However, they are often constrained by lack of adequate resources, sound policies, and national support. It is clear that change and advancements, both systematic and scientific, are needed in a number of forensic science disciplines to ensure the reliability of work, establish enforceable standards, and promote best practices with consistent application. Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward provides a detailed plan for addressing these needs and suggests the creation of a new government entity, the National Institute of Forensic Science, to establish and enforce standards within the forensic science community. The benefits of improving and regulating the forensic science disciplines are clear: assisting law enforcement officials, enhancing homeland security, and reducing the risk of wrongful conviction and exoneration. Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States gives a full account of what is needed to advance the forensic science disciplines, including upgrading of systems and organizational structures, better training, widespread adoption of uniform and enforceable best practices, and mandatory certification and accreditation programs. While this book provides an essential call-to-action for congress and policy makers, it also serves as a vital tool for law enforcement agencies, criminal prosecutors and attorneys, and forensic science educators.
A rare behind-the-scenes look at the work of forensic scientists The findings of forensic science—from DNA profiles and chemical identifications of illegal drugs to comparisons of bullets, fingerprints, and shoeprints—are widely used in police investigations and courtroom proceedings. While we recognize the significance of this evidence for criminal justice, the actual work of forensic scientists is rarely examined and largely misunderstood. Blood, Powder, and Residue goes inside a metropolitan crime laboratory to shed light on the complex social forces that underlie the analysis of forensic evidence. Drawing on eighteen months of rigorous fieldwork in a crime lab of a major metro area, Beth Bechky tells the stories of the forensic scientists who struggle to deliver unbiased science while under intense pressure from adversarial lawyers, escalating standards of evidence, and critical public scrutiny. Bechky brings to life the daily challenges these scientists face, from the painstaking screening and testing of evidence to making communal decisions about writing up the lab report, all while worrying about attorneys asking them uninformed questions in court. She shows how the work of forensic scientists is fraught with the tensions of serving justice—constantly having to anticipate the expectations of the world of law and the assumptions of the public—while also staying true to their scientific ideals. Blood, Powder, and Residue offers a vivid and sometimes harrowing picture of the lives of highly trained experts tasked with translating their knowledge for others who depend on it to deliver justice.
