Trace Evidence Analysis continues and builds upon the tradition of its successful companion title Mute Witnesses (2000). Written by some of the top practicing forensic scientists, each chapter explains in detail the detective and analytic work that goes into solving complex cases. The book contains nine entirely new cases, each self-contained in its own chapter, covering everything from homicides to accident reconstruction. Leading experts from around the world provide detailed accounts of the process of collection, classification, and analysis of microscopic evidence to draw definitive conclusions that solved actual cases.
The cases not only fascinate but provide students and expert forensic scientists alike with an invaluable tool to examine the roles of trace evidence and microscopy in forensic investigation.
- Contains contributions from some of the premier forensic scientists in the field
- Discusses the role of evidence in solving cases and explores the legal and ethical responsibility of the forensic scientist
- Explores real-world application of scientific methods and analytic principles including evidence gathering, instrumentation, sampling methods, analysis, and interpretation
- Includes over 160 full-color figures that illustrate the relevant case evidence

Hallucinogens: A Forensic Drug Handbook is a comprehensive reference for everyone involved in the identification, investigation, and forensic analysis of hallucinogenic drugs. The text begins with a review of the history of these drugs and their abuse, and then takes an in-depth look at the many different types of hallucinogens, their chemical make-up, how they affect users, how they are manufactured and distributed, and how they can be detected and analyzed.
Hallucinogens covers the most commonly abused drugs such as LSD, MDMA ("Ecstasy"), and PCP ("Angel Dust"), as well as many lesser-known chemical substances that cause similar effects. Chapters have been contributed by leading analysts and investigators around the world, and are highlighted with numerous illustrations. This unique handbook will serve is a cross-disciplinary source of information for forensic toxicologists, law enforcement officers, and others involved in the fight against drugs.
* Brings together comprehensive information on hallucinogenic drugs in one convenient source
* Covers everything from abuse of these drugs to pharmacology, effects, forms, manufacturing methods, distribution, and forensic analysis
* Contains numerous illustrations, chemical structures, and analytic spectra for each drug
* Includes contributions from many of the world's leading investigators and analysts

Due to the rise of digital crime and the pressing need for methods of combating these forms of criminal activities, there is an increasing awareness of the importance of digital forensics and investigation. The Handbook of Research on Computational Forensics, Digital Crime, and Investigation: Methods and Solutions addresses a broad range of electronic devices and software for crime prevention and investigation. This defining body of research covers a wide spectrum of topics useful to a broad cross-sectional and multi-disciplinary readership ranging from academic and professional research communities to industry consultants and practitioners.

Henry Lee's Crime Scene Handbook outlines proven methods to help you collect and process physical evidence correctly, analyze it thoroughly, and understand its relevance to the case involved. It evaluates the newest chemical and instrumental techniques, and covers new areas such as forensic analysis of computers and advanced shooting scene reconstruction methods. This "must-have" guide is enhanced with dozens of color photographs, logic trees, check lists, worksheets, case studies, lists of suppliers, and more.
Henry Lee has consulted on thousands of criminal cases around the world and is highly sought after to help solve difficult cases. Now he and his co-authors share more than 50 years of combined experience in this systematic approach to crime scene processing. It provides the information you need for initial training, to take with you in the field, and to refer to again and again during the course of each investigation.
KEY FEATURES:
* Presents a unique, systematic approach to crime scene processing
* Covers in detail how to manage a crime scene, collect information, search for, collect, and preserve physical evidence, conduct field tests, and reconstruct a sequence of events
* Describes how to use the latest chemical and instrumental techniques for each kind of crime scene
* Outlines common problems and provides clear recommendations for overcoming them
* Includes logic trees, checklists, and worksheets that help investigators evaluate the evidence in specific types of crimes
* Presents a unique, systematic approach to crime scene processing
* Covers in detail how to manage a crime scene, collect information, search for, collect, and preserve physical evidence, conduct field tests, and reconstruct a sequence of events
* Describes how to use the latest chemical and instrumental techniques for each kind of crime scene
* Outlines common problems and provides clear recommendations for overcoming them
* Includes logic trees, checklists, and worksheets that help investigators evaluate the evidence in specific types of crimes

The dead talk. To the right listener, they tell us all about themselves: where they came from, how they lived, how they died - and who killed them. Forensic scientists can unlock the mysteries of the past and help justice to be done using the messages left by a corpse, a crime scene or the faintest of human traces. Forensics draws on interviews with top-level professionals, ground-breaking research and Val McDermid's own experience to lay bare the secrets of this fascinating science. And, along the way, she wonders at how maggots collected from a corpse can help determine time of death, how a DNA trace a millionth the size of a grain of salt can be used to convict a killer and how a team of young Argentine scientists led by a maverick American anthropologist uncovered the victims of a genocide. In her novels, McDermid has been solving complex crimes and confronting unimaginable evil for years. Now, she's looking at the people who do it for real. It's a journey that will take her to war zones, fire scenes and autopsy suites, and bring her into contact with extraordinary bravery and wickedness, as she traces the history of forensics from its earliest beginnings to the cutting-edge science of the modern day.

This new edition provides both theoretical and practical background of security and forensics for mobile phones. The author discusses confidentiality, integrity, and availability threats in mobile telephones to provide background for the rest of the book. Security and secrets of mobile phones are discussed including software and hardware interception, fraud and other malicious techniques used "against" users. The purpose of this book is to raise user awareness in regards to security and privacy threats present in the use of mobile phones while readers will also learn where forensics data reside in the mobile phone and the network and how to conduct a relevant analysis. The information on denial of service attacks has been thoroughly updated for the new edition. Also, a major addition to this edition is a section discussing software defined radio and open source tools for mobile phones.

From Poe's Dupin and Doyle's Holmes to the television hits Quincy and CSI, the public's fascination with science employed to solve crimes continues and grows. But this understanding of how science works in the forensic laboratory is filtered through the fictional worlds of books and television. How is science really used to fight crime? What techniques are used to catch criminals and free the innocent? Forensic scientists work with police, investigators, medical personnel, attorneys, and others to uphold justice, but their methods are often misunderstood, overestimated, underestimated, revered, or disputed. Here, the author answers many common questions about forensic science: How is the science conducted and by whom? What are the real limits, and real benefits, of forensic science? What new techniques are emerging to catch 21st-century criminals? Readers are treated to an insider's overview of the realties of forensic science. Forensic Science: Modern Methods of Solving Crime covers the basic concepts of forensic science and how it assists in criminal investigations. Starting with a brief history of forensic science, from its early days in Europe to the modern advances of today, the book describes each method and presents cases that highlight the applications of the methods. Houck profiles pioneers in forensic science, offers an overview of such forensic topics as DNA, fibers, fingerprints, and firearms, takes readers through the collection and processing of evidence, and uses frequent examples and anecdotes to illustrate all the major areas of forensic science. This introduction to the field is a useful starting point for anyone wishing to learn more about the real world of forensicscience.

A collection of infrared and Raman spectra of 500 natural and synthetic polymers of industrial importance is presented in this book. A large variety of compounds are included, starting with linear polyolefins and finishing with complex biopolymers and related compounds. The spectra were registered using Infrared Fourier Transform Spectrometers in the laboratory of the All-Russia Institute of Forensic Sciences. The IR and Raman spectra are presented together on the same sheet. The accompanying data include general and structure formulae, CAS register numbers, and sample preparation conditions.

Features of this book:

Continues the long tradition of publishing specific and standard data of new chemical compounds.

For low-molecular weight substances, complementary IR and Raman spectra are featured on the same sample and printed on the same page. This "fingerprint" data allows the substance of the sample to be identified without doubt.

An important feature of this unique collection of data is the increase in the identification precision of unknown substances.

Peak tables are available in digital (ASCII) format, on a diskette delivered with the book. This allows the user to search for unknowns.

All the spectra in the collection are base-line corrected.

This book will be of interest to scientists involved in the synthesis of new polymeric materials, polymer identification, and quality control. Libraries of scientific institutes, research centers, and universities involved in vibrational spectroscopy will also find this collection invaluable."

Juvenile homicide and fatal maltreatment remain serious and pervasive problems in the developed world and especially in the United States, where in 2005 some 1,500 children died from neglect and physical abuse. Alarming statistics such as this, as well as an upsurge in the media attention paid to all things forensic, underscore the pressing need for the utmost rigor in the scientific investigation of child abuse cases. This well timed volume is a response to the climate of public and press interest in such inquiries, where the forensic aspects of the casework generate an enormous amount of attention. The contributions cover a wide range of topics and explore many of the finer details of investigations into juvenile fatalities suspected of being abuse-related. The chapters reflect both the multi-disciplinary nature of such investigations, and also the need for law enforcement professionals to take a rounded, holistic approach to the casework involved. The motivational factors that lead many professionals enter this arena of investigation are, of course, personal and individual. However, at the core of their commitment and their work is a shared need for justice, plain and simple. Victim advocacy and protecting the rights of children, both living and deceased, remains a key impetus for those professionals who specialize in child abuse research. At the heart of this book is the aim of providing both a vital resource for investigators, and a purposeful voice for the young victims of abuse, unable as they are to stand up and speak for themselves.

What causes people to commit violent crimes? The case studies in this book enable readers to evaluate the motivations behind crimes ranging from arson to rape to gang violence. Violent crime remains a major problem in America: in 2011, there were more than 1.2 million violent crimes committed in the United States. To better grasp the complex reasons behind this disturbing statistic, author David J. Thomas-a police officer and forensic psychologist-conducted an in-depth examination of violent crime to pinpoint why some individuals intentionally inflict pain and suffering upon others. In this book, readers are given access to excerpts from police interviews for each spotlighted crime in the case studies, offering a unique inside look at the true motivations of the criminal. The case studies include examples of arson, crimes against children, gang violence, human trafficking, murder, rape, and robbery. The work also explores the psychology associated with each crime, addresses evidence of corresponding personality types, and delves into victimology. Provides compelling insight into criminals who commit the acts of robbery, rape, murder, crimes against children, human trafficking, gang violence, and arson Presents case studies and unpublished studies to discuss issues such as victim selection, belief systems, motivations, and decision making Brings to light the psychological trauma that the victims of crimes experience and the impact that these experiences have on their personal and professional lives Allows readers to compare and contrast the typologies of each of the criminals discussed in the text as well as the associated theories in order to identify any commonalities Ideally suited for criminal justice students, police officers and investigators, private investigators, criminal justice professors, forensic psychologists, criminologists, and anyone with an interest in criminal behavior

The work of a crime scene investigator requires stellar organizational skills and razor-sharp attention to detail. Developing these skills is best achieved through hands-on training simulating actual case events. Crime Scene Processing and Investigation Workbook takes students from the classroom to the field and into the lab to explore a range of scenarios they will likely encounter on the job. Exercises presented in this practical handbook include assessing the scene, crime scene photography and mapping, fingerprint evidence, documentation, impression-casting, bloodstain pattern recognition, and advanced techniques for scene processing. The book also examines the actions of the initial responding officer, highlights special scene considerations, and describes the role of crime scene analysis and reconstruction. Designed to complement Gardner's Practical Crime Scene Processing and Investigation, this manual uses a consistent format throughout to ensure assimilation. Each chapter begins with a list of key terms and provides learning outcomes that describe the goal of the chapter. Tasks are then broken down into specific segments, with objectives, necessary materials, and a concept overview provided to promote heightened focus on salient points in the chapter. Post-lab questions enable students to test their grasp of the material and sample worksheets are provided that can be duplicated and used in actual case scenarios. By practicing the techniques described in this manual, students will be ready when they encounter them for the first time on the job.

Utilising sources that range from 16th century parish registers to the 21st century supermarket loyalty card, this collection examines the history and development of identification documents and surveillance techniques over the past 500 years. Combining the knowledge of several experts from a variety of disciplines, this volume successfully demonstrates how identification and registration can enable and empower a population, particularly if the interests of the state and population coincide. It also reveals the weakness of states or corporations when dealing with issues such as popular resistance and fraud, despite great leaps forward in the scientific methods of identifying individuals. This important book offers a vital contribution to the literature on a variety of topical subject areas such as biometric identification, immigration control and personal data use, as such it is of interest to students and scholars of civil and human rights amongst other disciplines.

With contributions from 70 experienced practitioners from around the world, this second edition of the authoritative Handbook of Forensic Archaeology and Anthropology provides a solid foundation in both the practical and ethical components of forensic work. The book weaves together the discipline's historical development; current field methods for analyzing crime, natural disasters, and human atrocities; an array of laboratory techniques; key case studies involving legal, professional, and ethical issues; and ideas about the future of forensic work--all from a global perspective. This fully revised second edition expands the geographic representation of the first edition by including chapters from practitioners in South Africa and Colombia, and adds exciting new chapters on the International Commission on Missing Persons and on forensic work being done to identify victims of the Battle of Fromelles during World War I. The Handbook of Forensic Anthropology and Archaeology provides an updated perspective of the disciplines of forensic archaeology and anthropology.

Crime Scene Basics and Beyond offers unique perspective regarding not only the technical aspects of crime scene investigation, but the mental skillsets-the reasoning, thought process, and habits of the mind-that support mastery of the craft. The text presents a holistic approach to crime scene investigation, encouraging readers to better understand all that is required to effectively process, assess, and analyze a crime scene. Drawing upon the author's extensive experience, the text frames critical concepts and procedures with invaluable insight from the field. It challenges future crime scene investigators to develop and employ critical thinking skills to better analyze their work and devise the best solution or approach for any given situation. Readers learn the importance not only of recognizing evidence in all forms but interpreting it within the context of a case. The book includes coverage of investigations, evidence, and crime scene search, photography, diagrams, measurements, and documentation. Fingerprint techniques, DNA, blood, firearms, and the packing of materials are also addressed. Offering astute perspective and practical knowledge, Crime Scene Basics and Beyond is well suited for foundational courses in crime scene investigation and forensics.

For courses in crime scene investigation A Straightforward, Student-Friendly Primer on Forensics Forensic Science: From the Crime Scene to the Crime Lab presents forensic science in a straightforward, student-friendly format that's ideal for students with limited backgrounds in the sciences. Topics are arranged to integrate scientific methodology with actual forensic applications, and discussions are focused on explaining state-of-the-art technology without delving into extraneous theories that may bore or overwhelm non-science students. Only the most relevant scientific and technological concepts are presented, keeping students focused on the practical knowledge they'll need in the field. The Third Edition is updated to include a brand-new chapter on mobile device forensics, and new revisions to the text reflect the now nearly exclusive use of digital photography at crime scenes.

Forensic Document Examination: Principles and Practice is the first textbook written specifically for the study of questioned document analysis. The text comprehensively reviews document examination, with specific attention to handwriting identification and forgery detection. Fundamental principles and techniques of document examination are presented throughout in a concise, straightforward manner. Specific concepts attended to include the factors that affect handwriting; the characteristics of handwriting; the guidelines for determining the authenticity or spuriousness of handwriting; and the proper methods for examining a case from start to finish. For the first time, criminal justice students and others requiring an introduction to document analysis will have a resource to consult that outlines the proper method for analyzing handwriting and a detailed procedure for preparing a document case.

In addition to its utility as a textbook for document analysis, Forensic Document Examination: Principles and Practice will be an invaluable resource for professionals in fields where interaction with document examiners is commonplace. Police officers, private investigators, and attorneys will all benefit from a basic understanding of document examination and what is required for a document examiner to complete an assignment.

Water quality is important to everyone, but professionals in many disciplines need an understanding of this subject. Although water quality is complex, its general aspects can be grasped readily and with little background - only introductory chemistry and biology and a little algebra are needed. Unfortunately, the teaching of water quality is not well organized. In most colleges and universities, water quality instruction is given in certain engineering curricula and in aquatic ecology or fisheries curricula. There also is brief attention to selected topics on water quality in numerous classes in other curricula. Water quality training in engineering is highly specialized and directed by necessity towards water supply and water treatment, while the focus in aquatic ecology and fisheries is on biological water quality and pollution. Few students venture into specialized classes outside of their curricula, and as a result, their formal training in water quality is greatly restricted. Self-education by reading texts and reference books on water quality is difficult. Authors of water quality books seem to be more interested in presenting a rigorous, detailed treatment than in focusing on simplicity and clarity. Chemical aspects of water quality often are presented at a level requiring fairly advanced mathematics and physical chemistry, and biological discussions may be quite advanced and theoretical. I have taught water quality to seniors and graduate students in agriculture, wildlife and fisheries, environmental sciences, economics, and similar disciplines for many years.

Chemical Analysis for Forensic Evidence provides readers with the fundamental framework of forensic analytical chemistry, describing the entire process, from crime scene investigation to evidence sampling, laboratory analysis, quality aspects, and reporting and testifying in court. In doing so, important principles and aspects are demonstrated through the various forensic expertise areas in which analytical chemistry plays a key role, including illicit drugs, explosives, toxicology, fire debris analysis and microtraces such as gunshot residues, glass and fibers. This book illuminates the underlying practical framework that governs how analytical chemistry is used in practice by forensic experts to solve crime. Arian van Asten utilizes a hands-on approach with numerous questions, examples, exercises and illustrations to help solidify key concepts and teach them in an engaging way.

Criminology and Criminal Justice describes and discusses criminology and criminal justice as social foci and as academic disciplines. Its comparative and contrasting nature allows readers to gain a better understanding of both topics as separate entities, but also how they are more intertwined than most might recognize. The book covers the most important aspects of these disciplines, beginning with laying the groundwork of nature and content and ending with a look into the future. At the book's conclusion, the reader should better understand the similarities and differences of the two, as well as recognize their singularly distinctive traits. Discussion questions are included at the end of each chapter to facilitate critical thinking.
M.L. Dantzker is an associate professor of Political Science at Georgia Southern University teaching in the Justice Studies Program. He received his Ph.D. in Administration from the University of Texas-Arlington. Prior to entering academia full-time, Dr. Dantzker was a police officer in Indiana and in Texas. He has researched, consulted, and published in the areas of police stress, police job satisfaction, educational issues, criminal justice statistics, and police chief requirements.
Unique approach to understanding how the disciplines of criminology and criminal justice are related
Discussion questions facilitate critical thinking

Medical responsibility lawsuits have become a fact of life in every physician s medical practice. However, there is evidence that physicians are increasingly practising defensive medicine, ordering more tests than may be necessary and avoiding patients with complicated conditions. The modern practice of medicine is increasingly complicated by factors beyond the traditional realm of patient care, including novel technologies, loss of physician autonomy, and economic pressures. A continuing and significant issue affecting physicians and the healthcare system is malpractice. In the latter half of the 20th century, there was a major change in the attitude of the public towards the medical profession. People were made aware of the huge advances in medical technology, because health problems increasingly tended to attract media interest and wide publicity. Medicine is a victim of its own success in this respect, and people are now led to expect the latest techniques and perfect outcomes on all occasions. This burst of technology and hyper-specialization in many fields of medicine means that each malpractice claim is transformed into a scientific challenge, requiring specific preparation in analysis and judgment of the clinical case in question. The role of legal medicine becomes more and more peculiar in this judicial setting, often giving rise to erroneous interpretations and hasty scientific verdicts, but guidelines on the methodology of ascertainments and criteria of evaluation are lacking all over the world.The aim of this volume is to clarify the steps required for sequential in-depth analysis of events and consequences of medical actions, in order to verify whether, in the presence of damage, errors or non-observance of rules of conduct by health personnel exist, and which causal values and links of their hypothetical misconduct are involved. "

Practically every crime now involves some aspect of digital evidence. This is the most recent volume in the Advances in Digital Forensics series. It describes original research results and innovative applications in the emerging discipline of digital forensics. In addition, it highlights some of the major technical and legal issues related to digital evidence and electronic crime investigations.