2012 Reprint of 1935 Edition. Exact facsimile of the original edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. This is a classic in the field of identifying firearms and ammunition used in criminal activity. Major Hatcher was a very experienced US Army ordnance officer and a rifle shooter of some distinction. He had also served in a variety of assignments that involved the design, manufacturing and testing of ammunition and firearms. This book by Hatcher received excellent reviews and was quickly adopted by many firearms examiners throughout the United States. Hatcher is also credited with several technical books and articles relating to military firearms, ballistics, and auto loading weapons. His premier works are "Hatcher's Notebook" and "Book of the Garand," along with "Pistols and Revolvers and Their Uses" and "Textbook of Pistols and Revolvers." In the latter work he introduced the Hatcher Scale, probably the first attempt to determine the stopping power of a handgun round by a formula. He was also a pioneer in the forensic identification of firearms and their ammunition. Hatcher retired from the United States Army as a Major General. Afterward, he served as Technical Editor of the National Rifle Association's "American Rifleman" magazine.

The authoritative guide to navigating crime scenes-for professionals and for anyone fascinated by the world of CSI. FBI Handbook of Crime Scene Forensics is the official procedural guide for law enforcement agencies, attorneys, and tribunals submitting evidence to the FBI. This handbook outlines the proper methods for investigating crime scenes, examining evidence (bullets, computers, hairs, inks, lubricants, ropes, shoeprints, tire treads, weapons of mass destruction, and more), packing and shipping evidence to the FBI, and observing safety protocol at hazardous crime scenes. At once a guide for professional forensics experts and an introduction for laymen, FBI Handbook of Crime Scene Forensics makes perfect reading for fans of Cold Case, Silent Witness, and the Law & Order and CSI franchises, and anyone with an interest in investigative police work and the criminal justice system.

After the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, and the anthrax attacks in the fall of 2001, federal and state personnel provided response, recovery and remediation under trying circumstances, including unprecedented demand on their capabilities to analyse environmental samples. In reviewing these events, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identified several areas where the country could better prepare itself in the event of future terrorist incidents. The need to improve the nation's laboratory capacity and capability to analyse environmental samples following a homeland security event was one of the most important areas identified. This book examines the standardised analytical methods and criteria for environmental restoration following homeland security events.

Handbook of Human Rights Investigation, 374 pp. The Handbook of Human Rights Investigation is a comprehensive guide to the investigation and documentation of serious abuses of human rights and violations of international criminal law. Experts in the field have been uniform in their praise for the Handbook of Human Rights Investigation: "Professor Groome has put together an impressive and thoughtful compendium of best practice in the investigation of human rights and humanitarian law violations...I commend this book to all who are or will become engaged in this growing and important field." Justice Richard J. Goldstone "The Handbook is a comprehensive guide for human rights investigators. It is practical, accessible and an invaluable tool for those committed to doing thorough documentation of human rights abuses." Salil Shetty - Secretary General, Amnesty International "This handbook will serve as an essential guide to human right investigators. In this updated volume, Dermot Groome, a highly experienced and regarded international criminal prosecutor, has brought together the practical knowledge necessary for investigating human rights abuses. Just as importantly he has placed this highly useful information in an understandable and clear legal and ethical framework. I am glad to highly recommend the Handbook; it should be by the side of all those involved in human rights investigations in the future." David Tolbert - President, International Center for Transitional Justice "One of the most acclaimed monitoring manuals...." Jonathan Horowitz, One World Research "Considered a cornerstone text by many leading human rights investigators and activists." The Humanitarian Law Centre "The First Edition of Dermot Groome's Handbook of Human Rights Investigation established itself as an indispensable tool for the human rights investigator. The Second Edition surpasses it, and cements Dermot's reputation as an attorney/investigator who can clearly and concisely explain how to conduct these complex and difficult inquiries. The Handbook is an essential guide for human rights investigators worldwide." John Ralston, Institute for International Criminal Investigations "Groome uses his extensive experience in investigating and prosecuting heinous crimes to provide a step-by-step guidebook to anyone investigating and documenting human rights abuses or violent crimes - a 'must have' for anyone interested in the field." Dr. Kelly Askin, Open Society Justice Initiative The Handbook of Human Rights Investigation is a comprehensive guide to best practices in the field of international criminal investigation and includes the following topics: an overview of the relevant law; an overview of the investigative process; the documentation and collection of physical evidence; the documentation and identification of physical injuries; interviewing witnesses; the identification of suspects and the writing of investigative reports. The Handbook has two appendices; Appendix A is a compilation of 20 commonly used investigation forms and Appendix B is a collection of important international instruments and protocols including model procedures for autopsies, investigations into massacres, torture and the disinterment of mass graves.

The first comprehensive and detailed presentation of techniques for authenticating digital images. Photographs have been doctored since photography was invented. Dictators have erased people from photographs and from history. Politicians have manipulated photos for short-term political gain. Altering photographs in the predigital era required time-consuming darkroom work. Today, powerful and low-cost digital technology makes it relatively easy to alter digital images, and the resulting fakes are difficult to detect. The field of photo forensics-pioneered in Hany Farid's lab at Dartmouth College-restores some trust to photography. In this book, Farid describes techniques that can be used to authenticate photos. He provides the intuition and background as well as the mathematical and algorithmic details needed to understand, implement, and utilize a variety of photo forensic techniques. Farid traces the entire imaging pipeline. He begins with the physics and geometry of the interaction of light with the physical world, proceeds through the way light passes through a camera lens, the conversion of light to pixel values in the electronic sensor, the packaging of the pixel values into a digital image file, and the pixel-level artifacts introduced by photo-editing software. Modeling the path of light during image creation reveals physical, geometric, and statistical regularities that are disrupted during the creation of a fake. Various forensic techniques exploit these irregularities to detect traces of tampering. A chapter of case studies examines the authenticity of viral video and famously questionable photographs including "Golden Eagle Snatches Kid" and the Lee Harvey Oswald backyard photo.

Criminal identification through the use of fingerprints is one of the most valued tools for obtaining the capture of criminal fugitives; determining the prior arrest records of arrested individuals; and identifying amnesia victims, missing persons, and unknown deceased. As a method of identification, fingerprinting has been by far the least fallible and most feasible method developed in the past century. "The Science of Fingerprints: Classification and Uses" was developed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as a concise reference source regarding the analysis, classification, and taking of fingerprints by law enforcement personnel. This profusely illustrated handbook covers: Types of patterns and their interpretation; The classification formula and extensions; Filing, searching, and referencing; The National Crime Information Center Fingerprint Classification System. In addition to this valuable overview of fingerprint theory and analysis, "The Science of Fingerprints" provides detailed explanations of: The techniques for taking a good fingerprint; Problems in taking inked fingerprints; Problems and practices in fingerprinting the dead; Latent impressions; Powdering and lifting latent prints; Preparation of fingerprint charts for court testimony. The science of fingerprints constitutes an eloquent drama of human lives, both good and evil. Federal, state, and local law enforcement professionals who deal with the real-life apprehension of criminals and identification of crime and disaster victims will find "The Science of Fingerprints" an invaluable ally in this ongoing effort.

The "Handbook of Forensic Services" provides guidance and procedures for safe and efficient methods of collecting, preserving, packaging, and shipping evidence and describes the forensic examinations performed by the FBI's Laboratory Division and Operational Technology Division.

Constructing graves is a uniquely human activity. When the grave is hidden it is most likely done so to conceal a murder or the wrongful disposal of a body. Finding these buried bodies is vital for both a successful legal prosecution as well as the emotional closure required for family and friends of the victim. This unique text provides a compact reference for those who find themselves called upon to search for missing persons who have met a tragic fate. Other readers will find a greater understanding of the science and culture that lies behind clandestine graves, so often a key component of both real life and fiction. Hidden bodies deserve to be found and this book outlines techniques that increase the likelihood of success with professional patience, persistence and a knowledge-based approach.

In the #1 "New York Times" bestseller "Mindhunter," John Douglas, who headed the FBI's elite Investigative Support Unit, told the story of his brilliant and terrifying career tracking down some of the most heinous criminals in history. Using behavioral profiling and criminal investigative analysis to get into the head and psyche of both the criminal and victim -- to feel what they felt at the critical moment -- Douglas helped crack many high profile cases, including the Trailside Killer, the Atlanta child murders, and the Tylenol murders. Now, working again with his co-author Mark Olshaker, Douglas delves further into the criminal mind with a series of chilling new cases in "Journey into Darkness" Follow the FBI's premier investigative profiler as he penetrates the minds and motives of the most terrifying serial killers.

In "Journey into Darkness," Douglas profiles vicious serial killers, rapists, and child molesters. He is straightforward, blunt, often irreverent, and outspoken, but takes pains not to glorify any of these murderers. Some of the unique cases Douglas discusses include:

With "Journey into Darkness, " Douglas provides more than a glimpse into the minds of serial killers; he demonstrates what a powerful weapon behavioral science has become. Profiling criminals helps not only to capture them, but also helps society understand how these predators work and what can be done to prevent them from striking again. Douglas focuses especially on pedophiles and child abductors, fully explaining what drives them, and how to keep children away from them. As he points out, "The best way to protect your children is to know your enemy." He includes eight rules for safety, a list of steps parents can take to prevent child abduction and exploitation, tips on how to detect sexual exploitation, basic rules of safety for children, and a chart, based on age, which details the safety skills children should have to protect themselves.

In his review for "Mindhunter" in "The New York Times Book Review, " Dean Koontz said, "Because of his insights and the power of the material, he leaves us shaken, gripped by a quiet grief for the innocent victims and anguished by the human condition." Journey into Darkness continues this perilous trip into the psyche of the serial killer, but also offers a glimmer of hope that profiling may enable law enforcement to see the indicators of a serial killer's mind and intervene before he kills, or kills again.

Reflecting on a career that spanned twenty-five years and four continents, Special Agent I.C. Smith gives you the inside story of the Bureau's greatest takedowns and biggest screw-ups. This intrepid G-man has seen it all.

From China to the South Pacific, from East Berlin to Arkansas, I.C. Smith is one of the FBI's most storied figures.

In this riveting new book about the Bureau, Smith brings a fresh, insider's perspective on the FBI's most well known triumphs and failures of the past three decades. Robert Hannsen. Morris and Eva childs. Larry Wu-Tai Chin. Aldrich Ames. Smith offers unique insights into how these monumental investigations were handled, or often mishandled, in alarming detail. He also confronts head-on the string of errors inside the FBI―in management and in the field―that directly led to the attacks of September 11th.

Filled with startling new information, including more than seventy never-before-published findings, Smith tracks his incredible rise from street agent in St. Louis to special agent in charge of Arkansas―where he took on the corrupt political system that produced President Bill Clinton.

Unacceptably high murder and crime rates in the Caribbean have captured the attention of the world and Caribbean policymakers, and forensics provides a key tool in prosecuting criminals and reducing crime. Although forensic sciences have been judiciously applied in the Caribbean for decades, the vast majority of forensic publications have focused on North American and Europe. This volume embraces diverse perspectives on forensics within the Caribbean by focusing on disaster victim identification protocols, forensic anthropology, computer forensics, geospatial technologies, shoe-print identification, suicide hangings and forensics linguistics. Desperately needed, this volume provides prescriptive formulas to mitigate the rising crime in the region and is of particular interest to policymakers, lawyers, police officers, anthropologists, computer specialists and interested members of the public.

The bestselling forensic psychologist examines the true crimes that inspired the television smash hit, C.S.I.
Katherine Ramsland follows the evidence and revisits some of the most absorbing episodes of the phenomenally popular C.S.I. television franchise, and explores the real-life crimes that inspired them. She also looks into the authenticity of the forensic investigations recreated for the dramatizations, and the painstaking real-life forensic process employed in every one of the actual cases?from notorious mass-murderer Richard Speck, to the massacre of Buddhist monks in an Arizona Temple, to a baffling case of apparent spontaneous combustion.

"From his work as part of the prosecution in the 1995 O. J. Simpson murder trial to his star billing on TV's America's Most Wanted, former San Diego prosecutor George "Woody" Clarke has been party to some of the justice system's most visible, controversial, and melodramatic moments. He puts that populist knack to work in this nonfiction page turner that should appeal just as much to true crime buffs as those concerned with the workings of the criminal justice system."-Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Clarke's account of the rise of DNA evidence is engaging and well paced, and the author comes across as likable and genuinely humble-a rarity in a book of war stories."-San Francisco Chronicle "As a former prosecutor who specialized in DNA evidence, Woody Clarke has the ability to make the difficult science that sometimes confuses a jury understandable to his reader."-Dominick Dunne Databases of both convicted offenders and no-suspect cases demonstrate the power of DNA testing to solve the unsolvable. George "Woody" Clarke chronicles his experiences in some of the most disturbing and notorious sexual assault and murder court cases in California. He charts the beginnings of DNA testing in police investigations and the fight for its acceptance by courts and juries and illustrates the power of science in cases he personally prosecuted or in which he assisted, including his work with the prosecution team in the trial of O. J. Simpson. As Clarke tells the story of how he came to understand and use this new form of evidence, readers will develop a new appreciation for the role of science in the legal system. George "Woody" Clarke, a judge of the Superior Court in San Diego County for the past several years, lectures internationally on DNA evidence and has cohosted America's Most Wanted.

A forensics expert follows the historic evolution of CSI through a century of serial killers.
"Katherine Ramsland has brilliantly captured the insights and drama of some fascinating cases" (Dr. Henry Lee) in her previous bestselling books. Now she examines the case histories of twelve of the most notorious serial killers of the last one hundred years, and answers the questions: What clues did they leave behind? How were they eventually caught? How was each twist and turn of their crimes matched by the equally compelling weapons of science and logic?
From exploring the nineteenth century's earliest investigative tools to remarkable twenty-first century CSI advances, "The Devil's Dozen" provides a fascinating window into the world of those who kill-and those who dedicate their lives to bringing them to justice.

How are forensic investigations conducted? What are the latest techniques in forensic methods? This book provides a comprehensive resource for the study of forensic science and its approaches to the investigation of death, disaster, and abuse. Editor Marc Oxenham has drawn together scientists and practitioners from the Asia-Pacific region with a range of specialties who provide a context to understand how their various approaches and processes in forensic investigation contribute to a successful outcome. The book has been structured into four sections comprising: forensic archaeology, techniques of human identification, determining time, manner and cause of death, legal, ethical and procedural issues. As a background to understanding the main issues, problems, solutions, debates, controversies and everyday practical approaches to the practice of forensic science, Forensic Approaches to Death, Disaster and Abuse is an invaluable aid to students, academics and practitioners.

A behind-the-scenes look at death in New York City. For almost a century, New York City's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has presided over the dead. Over the years, the OCME has endured everything- political upheavals, ghastly murders, bloody gang wars, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and non-stop battles for power and influence-and remains the final authority in cases of sudden, unexplained, or violent death. Founded in 1918, the OCME has evolved over decades of technological triumphs and all-too human failure to its modern-day incarnation as the foremost forensics lab in the world, investigating an average caseload of over 15,000 suspicious deaths a year. This is the behind-the-scenes chronicle of public service and private vendettas, of blood in the streets and back-room bloodbaths, and of the criminal cases that made history and headlines.

Fascinating in-depth forensics from the author of "The Forensic Science of C.S.I."
How do investigators get from crime to conviction?
For the astonishing answer, Ramsland covers the latest cutting-edge techniques in crime scene investigation. Inspired by episodes from the factbased C.S.I. television franchise, she illustrates the use of computers and toxicology in forensics, explores interrogation strategies, and revisits history's most notorious crimes. And in considering the shows' locales-Las Vegas, New York, and Miami-Ramsland divulges ways in which crimes are dependent on location, climate, and population and discloses ways of solving them in the twenty-first century.
"NOTE: This book was not authorized, prepared, approved, licensed, or endorsed by any entity involved in creating or producing the C.S.I. television series."

Most people who work as actual crime scene investigators will tell you two things: Television doesn't always show the truth...and science never lies. But how do DNA experts, trace analysts, medical examiners, forensic pathologists, and cold case detectives work together to produce evidence and solve a case--beyond the shadow of a doubt?
In this fascinating, true-life account, America's leading crime experts share their personal, unforgettable stories. From powder burn to fiber analysis, blood spatter to skeletal remains, "New York Times" bestselling author Connie Fletcher takes you into a world of crime-solving that's even grittier, more bizarre, and more shocking than any TV show. It's a thrilling ride into the dead center of a crime scene.

The FBI that failed on 9/11 is the creation and captive of its spectacular and controversial past. Its original mission -- the investigation and prosecution of only the most serious crimes against the United States -- was forsaken almost from the beginning. This abandonment of purpose has been accompanied by a long history of political pressure, both from within and without. This sorry and scandal-ridden path culminated in a twenty-five-year run-up to 9/11 in which predictable and preventable lapses became hopelessly entrenched.

In "Broken," Richard Gid Powers, one of the country's leading historians of national security and law enforcement, offers a definitive and provocative study of the Bureau from its origins to the present. Combing through the archives, and interviewing more than 100 past and current agents, he unearths stories behind some of the most famous cases and characters in our history. Powers, who attended new-agent training classes at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, was granted access to restricted FBI facilities. His research included visits to the scenes of controversial FBI cases across the country, including Ruby Ridge, Waco, and the Indian reservation at Pine Ridge.

Powers did not set out to write a muckraking attack, and he gives the Bureau its due for many triumphs. Nonetheless, his story features an astonishing range of political abuses, misdirected investigations, skewed priorities, and sheer intelligence failures.

From the Bureau's outrageous participation in the anticommunist Palmer Raids and their successors, to its abuses of civil liberties during the Cold War, to its flagrant acts of domestic political interference during the civil rights era, it has often seemed to be consumed by feuds with such opponents as Harry Truman, Martin Luther King Jr., the Kennedys, and Bill Clinton. With the discovery of turncoat spies within its own ranks, and with the severe intelligence failures of 9/11, the Bureau has finally proven itself incapable of spotting the true enemies of our country within our borders.

Richard Powers's account is a searing indictment of failure, yet it is also strong evidence that the Bureau could be returned to its original mission of detecting the most serious crimes against the United States: terrorism, political corruption, corporate crime, and organized crime. Readers must decide for themselves whether America should mend it or end it.

Forensic science laboratories' reputations have increasingly come under fire. Incidents of tainted evidence, false reports, allegations of negligence, scientifically flawed testimony, or - worse yet - perjury in in-court testimony, have all served to cast a shadow over the forensic sciences. Instances of each are just a few of the quality-related charges made in the last few years.
" Forensic Science Under Siege " is the first book to integrate and explain these problematic trends in forensic science. The issues are timely, and are approached from an investigatory, yet scholarly and research-driven, perspective. Leading experts are consulted and interviewed, including directors of highly visible forensic laboratories, as well as medical examiners and coroners who are commandeering the discussions related to these issues. Interviewees include Henry Lee, Richard Saferstein, Cyril Wecht, and many others.
The ultimate consequences of all these pressures, as well as the future of forensic science, has yet to be determined. This book examines these challenges, while also exploring possible solutions (such as the formation of a forensic science consortium to address specific legislative issues). It is a must-read for all forensic scientists.
* Provides insight on the current state of forensic science, demands, and future direction as provided by leading experts in the field
* Consolidates the current state of standards and best-practices of labs across disciplines
* Discusses a controversial topic that must be addressed for political support and financial funding of forensic science to improve

"Bloodsworth: The True Story of the First Death Row Inmate Exonerated by DNA" raises provocative questions about the US legal system and the death penalty. It also portrays the plight of Kirk Bloodsworth, who, because of his valiant effort to help make DNA testing available to all prisoners, is now described as a modern-day hero. Since his release in 1993, twelve other inmates on death row have been exonerated by DNA. Bloodsworth was wrongfully convicted in 1984 for the gruesome rape and murder of Dawn Hamilton, a nine-year-old girl in Baltimore County, Maryland. When the Judge sentenced him to death, the courtroom erupted into applause, believing justice had been served. Nine years later, after serving time in one of the harshest prisons in the country, Bloodsworth was set free based on a new procedure called DNA fingerprinting - a procedure he came across while reading a true crime book borrowed from the prison library. For ten years after Bloodsworth's release, Baltimore County refused to run DNA tests on key crime-scene evidence. When they finally did, a match was immediately found. The Identity of the DNA match adds even more irony and a surprising twist to Bloodsworth's amazing story. DC attorney and novelist Tim Junkin masterfully depicts Bloodsworth's traumatic, ultimately inspiring twenty-year journey.

With an Updated Epilogue by the Author
"A compelling portrait of seasoned homicide cops at work. This is L.A.'s darkest side: ironic, heart-breaking, stunningly violent, unfailingly human. Riveting."
-Jonathan Kellerman
The mandate for Los Angeles' unique police unit Homicide Special is to take on the toughest, most controversial, and highest-profile cases. In this "literate, unfailingly interesting work of true crime" ("Kirkus Reviews"), acclaimed writer Miles Corwin uses unprecedented access to narrate six of the unit's cases-and capture its newest generation at work.
When a call girl from Kiev dies in the line of duty, detectives Chuck Knolls and Brian McCartin seek her killer among a circle of Russian women who have been sold into white slavery. When a gangster's daughter takes a bullet, veterans Jerry Stephens and Paul Coulter trace clues scattered across the country to a Manhattan real-estate magnate. A cold case is reopened; a mother-daughter drowning and a baffling rape/murder are solved. And, finally, Corwin re-creates the investigation surrounding the late Bonny Lee Blakley, allegedly murdered by her actor-husband, Robert Blake.
With a revised epilogue updating each of these fascinating cases, "Homicide Special "offers a riveting, behind-the-scenes look at one of the preeminent units of homicide detectives in the country.

When detectives come upon a murder victim, there's one thing they want to know above all else: When did the victim die? The answer can narrow a group of suspects, make or break an alibi, even assign a name to an unidentified body. But outside the fictional world of murder mysteries, time-of-death determinations have remained infamously elusive, bedeviling criminal investigators throughout history. Armed with an array of high-tech devices and tests, the world's best forensic pathologists are doing their best to shift the balance, but as Jessica Snyder Sachs demonstrates so eloquently in Corpse, this is a case in which nature might just trump technology: Plants, chemicals, and insects found near the body are turning out to be the fiercest weapons in our crime-fighting arsenal. In this highly original book, Sachs accompanies an eccentric group of entomologists, anthropologists, biochemists, and botanists--a new kind of biological "Mod Squad"--on some of their grisliest, most intractable cases. She also takes us into the courtroom, where "post-O.J." forensic science as a whole is coming under fire and the new multidisciplinary art of forensic ecology is struggling to establish its credibility. Corpse is the fascinating story of the 2000year search to pinpoint time of death. It is also the terrible and beautiful story of what happens to our bodies when we die.