Dr Mark Spencer is a forensic botanist - in other words, he helps police with cases where plants can unlock clues to solve crimes, from murder and rape to arson and burglary.

Murder Most Florid is an enthralling, first-person account that follows Mark's unconventional and unique career, one that takes him to woodlands, wasteland and roadsides, as well as police labs, to examine the botanical evidence of serious crimes. From unearthing a decomposing victims from brambles to dissecting the vegetation of a shallow grave, Mark's botanical knowledge can be crucial to securing a conviction.

More widely, this gripping book challenges our attitude to death and response to crime. It picks holes in the sensationalized depictions of policing we see on TV, and asks pertinent questions about public sector funding in the face of rising crime. Most importantly, it shows us how the ancient lessons of botanical science can still be front and centre in our modern, DNA-obsessed world.

As our understanding of genetics increases, its application to criminal justice becomes more significant. This timely book examines the use of genetic information both in criminal investigations and during the trial process. It discusses current scientific understanding and considers some potential legal, ethical and sociological issues with the use of genetic information.The author draws together debates from scientists, ethicists, sociologists and lawyers in order to understand how the criminal justice system currently reacts, and ought to react, to the new challenges presented by genetic evidence. She asks the important question of where priorities should lie: whether with society's desire to be protected from crime, or with an individual's desire to be protected from an unwanted intrusion into his or her genome. Topics include rights of privacy and consent in obtaining DNA samples, evidentiary issues in court, the impact of genetic evidence on punishment theory and sentencing, and genetic discrimination. This book will be of use to criminal and medical law students, along with academics, practitioners and policymakers interested in exploring the various criminal law issues in relation to genetics. It will also be of interest to criminal justice, philosophy, ethics, sociology and psychology students and academics looking explore the legal issues involved in such a topic.

" Includes over 400 black and white photographs and radiographs depicting various views of bones " Presents side-by-side displays of photographs and radiographs of the same bones " Identifies significant comparisons among adult, juvenile, and fetal bones, along with bone contrasts in adults of different ages " Emphasizes visual elements by providing a detailed index and minimal text Human Skeletal Anatomy and Radiology: A Photographic Atlas features over 400 black and white photographs and radiographs revealing views of bones, or collections of bones, from both a distant perspective and a more detailed angle. This atlas of skeletal anatomy covers general and specific anatomic terms, includes side-by-side presentations of photographs and radiographs of the same bones to aid in recognition, and notes important comparisons among adult, juvenile, and fetal bones. Intended as a field guide for investigations and a lab guide in gross anatomy and skeletal specimen studies, this atlas provides easy and rapid identification of bone material.

While it is not possible to predict - or necessarily prevent - terrorist incidents in which chemical warfare agents (CWAs) and toxic industrial chemicals (TICs) are deployed, correctly chosen, fast, and reliable detection equipment will allow prepared rescue workers to respond quickly and minimize potential casualties.

Detection Technologies for Chemical Warfare Agents and Toxic Vapors discusses the principles, instrumentation, and context for applying technologies such as ion mobility spectrometry, infrared spectroscopy, colorimetric chemistry, and flame ionization to the detection of TICs and lethal CWAs. It conveys techniques - some of which have been patented by the authors - developed for generating vapors and closely imitating potential environmental effects in a laboratory setting, specifically for the testing and evaluation of hand-held, portable, and remote devices. This book also provides a comprehensive list of toxic industrial chemicals classified in terms of hazardousness and their physical, chemical, and toxicological properties. Following a brief historical overview, the text also includes a review of federal detection requirements and the government's rationale for preparedness and response.

By providing insight on the behavior of toxic chemicals, the authors hope to minimize the fear and chaotic effect in a potential event involving chemical agents. Well written and accessible to technical and non-technical audiences, no other book focuses on analytical methods and explains current detection devices for chemical warfare agents.

Central to understanding and combating digital crime is the ability to develop new methods for the collection and analysis of electronic evidence. New Technologies for Digital Crime and Forensics: Devices, Applications, and Software provides theories, methods, and studies on digital crime prevention and investigation, which are useful to a broad range of researchers and communities. This field is under constant evolution as the nature of digital crime continues to change and new methods for tracking and preventing digital attacks are developed.

There are numerous criminal laws, criminal procedures, and expert testimony books, but no single one combines these key issues for the forensic science programs in the U.S. This book is a readable textbook for one-semester law or criminal law courses for forensic science students. It will cover criminal law broadly, focusing rather on the topic areas most important and salient to forensic scientists and students within forensic science including: moot court scenarios, 4th amendment search and seizure law, scientific evidence, expert testimony. All FEPAC accredited forensic science programs are required to teach at least 10 contact hours on criminal law.

This introductory volume to a new series on Soil Forensics gives a kaleidoscopic view of a developing forensic expertise. Forensic practitioners and academic researchers demonstrate, by their joint contributions, the extent and complexity of soil forensics. their reports exemplify the broad range of sciences and techniques applied in all stages of forensic soil examinations, from investigations at crime scenes to providing evidence that can be used in court proceedings. Moreover the necessity is depicted of co-operation as a condition for any work in soil forensics between scientists of different disciplines, but no less between scientists and law enforcers.Soils play a role in environmental crimes and liability, as trace evidence in criminal investigations and, when searching for and evaluating, buried human remains. This book shows soil forensics as practiced in this legal context, emerging and solidifying in many countries all over the world, differing in some respects because of differences in legal systems but ultimately sharing common grounds.

The taphonomic approach within paleontology, archaeology, and paleoanthropology continues to produce advances in understanding postmortem biochemical and morphological transformations. Conversely, advances in understanding the early and intermediate postmortem period generated in the forensic realm can and should be brought to the attention of scientists who study the historic and prehistoric past.

Building on the success of Forensic Taphonomy: The Postmortem Fate of Human Remains, Advances in Forensic Taphonomy: Method, Theory, and Archaeological Perspectives presents new and updated techniques. It expands the taphonomic focus on biogeographic context and microenvironments and integrates further the theoretical and methodological links with archaeology and paleontology.

Topics covered include:
o Microenvironmental variation and decomposition in different environments
o Taphonomic interpretation of water deaths
o Mass graves, mass fatalities and war crimes, archaeological and forensic approaches
o Updates in geochemical and entomological analysis
o Interpretation of burned human remains
o Discrimination of trauma from postmortem change
o Taphonomic applications at the scene and in the lab

This comprehensive text takes an interdisciplinary and international approach to understanding taphonomic modifications. Liberally illustrated with photographs, maps, and other images, Advances in Forensic Taphonomy: Method, Theory, and Archaeological Perspectives is a valuable source of information for postmortem death investigation.

The aim of this book is to dissect forensic anthropology and forensic pathology in its various and valuable contributions to contemporary society. It gives answers and approaches key questions to this sciences' growing audience within different countries in the recent years. It aims to provide a practical approach to the investigation of bodies that are not fresh enough to be considered a normal forensic case. The specialists of both areas can have in a single book the useful tools and practical recommendations of these specialities (forensic anthropology and forensic pathology) that are spread among other textbooks.
It proposes original, illustrated, and updated articles on the four parameters of the biological profile; it discusses the factors of individualization; it explains the decay process of a body and the relevance of each step for forensic sciences, providing a useful approach to investigate such corpses; it reviews bone trauma; it facilitate the access to a number of international organizations and protocols related with the subject; it compares the perspectives of expertises from different countries, namely Europe, North America, and Latin America. The majority of the authors found in this volume have quite a lot of experience with the subjects that they discuss. Finally, this book provides a bridge between forensic anthropology and forensic pathology, and brings practical advice from physical anthropology.
Forensic Anthropology and Medicine: Complementary Sciences From Recovery to Cause of Death presents both forensic anthropology and forensic pathology in their various and valuable contributions to contemporary society. Providing original, illustrated, andupdated articles on the four parameters of the biological profile, this text encompasses the factors of individualization; the decay process of a body and the relevance of each step for forensic sciences; bone trauma; access to a number of international organizations; and protocols related with the subject, all with perspectives of expertise from different countries, namely Europe, North America, and Latin America.
Forensic Anthropology and Medicine: Complementary Sciences From Recovery to Cause of Death strengthens the contributions of forensic anthropologists in the main stages of forensic work (recovery, identification, and determination of cause of death). Organized in five parts, Part I presents both disciplines-forensic anthropology and forensic medicine focused specially on forensic pathology. Part II contains techniques for age estimation of living individuals for reasons of imputability, one of the growing subfields of forensic anthropology. Part III discusses all the steps of forensic analysis, precisely from recovery to the cause of death. Part IV reviews the state of knowledge on assessing gender, age, stature, and ancestry from skeletal remains, discussing and reviewing the question of personal identity. Part V presents a clear example of the real value of a multidisciplinary investigation, with mass disasters and crimes against humanity highlighted.
Comprehensive and written by experts in the field, Forensic Anthropology and Medicine: Complementary Sciences From Recovery to Cause of Death offers forensic scientists, anthropologists, medical doctors, and police officers a bridge between forensic anthropology and forensic pathology that will grow and develop veryclosely in the future, whenever humanity has the need.

Since President John F. Kennedy's 1963 murder in Dallas, medical examiner and lawyer Dr. Cyril Wecht was initially inclined to accept the official theory that one person alone was responsible for the crime. But as Wecht delved into the evidence with boundless curiosity and unprecedented access, he came to understand that America had, instead, suffered a coup d'etat at the hands of rogue elements within our own government. Nobody else has Wecht's up-close and personal experience in uncovering the facts behind this assassination-and now he is sharing it with the world. Co-authored by investigative journalist Dawna Kaufmann, this comprehensive book reveals Wecht's analyses of the case's forensic and medical evidence. With his keen eye and sharp tongue, Wecht wields his scalpel on JFK's dubious autopsy report, the inept Warren Commission Report, the mishandling of crucial materials, all of the key players, and the media malpractice that has allowed the truth to remain hidden for nearly six decades.

A myriad of different scenarios await those entering the field of forensic pathology, ranging from gunshot wounds to asphyxiation to explosives to death from addiction. Essential Forensic Pathology: Core Studies and Exercises helps prepare pathologists in training by establishing what they must know about the most common death scenes they will encounter. The book begins by discussing the coaching objectives in medical education and follows with a description of the 15 different rotations of the forensic pathology resident. Using a consistent and concise format, the book describes the facility where the rotation takes place, the necessary skills, the laboratory equipment, and other components of the rotation. The main portion of the book presents forensic pathology essentials in the form of learning objectives-each delineated with a code: "M" for items students must know, and "S" for those they must do. This section begins by discussing the government's role, describes medical examiner and coroner systems, and analyzes the academic discipline of forensic pathology. Next, the book focuses on hands-on elements of forensic pathology, with chapters on scene investigation, identification, and postmortem changes (signs of death). Objectives are also presented for various causes of death, including gunshot wounds, stab wounds, asphyxiation, sex-related death, and death from addiction. Additional chapters cover bombs and explosive devices, mental disease, epidemics, and issues related to forensic entomology. Each chapter contains a list of pertinent vocabulary and references for further study. By mastering the objectives contained in each chapter of this manual, forensic pathology students will be ready to pass certification exams and work confidently in the field.

Law and Evidence: A Primer for Criminal Justice, Criminology, and Legal Studies, Third Edition introduces the complex topic of evidence law in a straightforward and accessible manner. The use and function of evidence in both criminal and civil cases is examined to offer a complete understanding of how evidence principles play out in the real world of litigation and advocacy. This revised Third Edition includes new discussions of rules and case law analysis, forensic cases, and evidentiary software programs. Key Features: Every chapter contains new legal authority that apples to traditional legal principles relevant to evidence law Offers full coverage of evidentiary codes and statutes Provides practical forms, checklists, and additional tools throughout for use by current and future practitioners Course ancillaries including PowerPointTM lecture slides and an Instructor's Manual with Test Bank are available with qualified course adoption.

The book presents the applications of separation methods, manly chromatography, in forensic practice.
The first part, devoted to forensic toxicology, contains reviews on forensic relevant groups of compounds, like: Opiate agonists, cocaine, amphetamines, hallucinogens, cannabinoids, sedatives and hypnotics, antidepressive and antipsychotic drugs, analgesics, antidiabetics, muscle relaxants, and mushroom toxins.
In these parts, the preliminary immunochemical tests were also included, together with separation methods.
Screening procedures used in forensic toxicology were presented in separate chapters on forensic screening with GC, GC-MS, HPLC, LC-MS, CE, and LC-ICP-MS.
In the part on actual and emerging problems of forensic toxicology, following chapters were included: Analytical markers of alcohol abuse, toxicological aspects of herbal remedies, drugs and driving, analysis in alternative matrices, doping analysis, pharmacogenomics in forensic toxicology, and quality assurance.
The second part presents application of separation methods in forensic chemistry, and comprises chapters on: Explosives, chemical warfare agents, arson analysis, and writing media.
Third part on forensic identification contains chapter on forensic genetics.
All chapters are written up-to-date and present specific information up to 2006. The authors of each chapter are known not only from their scientific activity, but are also reputed experts, proven in everyday forensic casework.
- Wide spectrum of topics presented
- Up-to-date presentation of topics
- Data are presented in comparative mode
- Special stress put on screening procedures

Written by a team of internationally renowned experts, this book focuses on the application of gas chromatography to various aspects of forensic chemistry. The authors introduce the basic theory of chromatographic separations before discussing specific forensic issues such as drug analysis and fires and explosives. Problems faced by forensic scientists, including degraded samples and small sample size, are also addressed.

Now in its second edition, Nuclear Forensic Analysis provides a multidisciplinary reference for forensic scientists, analytical and nuclear chemists, and nuclear physicists in one convenient source. The authors focus particularly on the chemical, physical, and nuclear aspects associated with the production or interrogation of a radioactive sample. They consolidate fundamental principles of nuclear forensic analysis, all pertinent protocols and procedures, computer modeling development, interpretational insights, and attribution considerations. The principles and techniques detailed are then demonstrated and discussed in their applications to real-world investigations and casework conducted over the past several years. Highlights of the Second Edition include: A new section on sample analysis considerations and interpretation following a post-detonation nuclear forensic collection New case studies, including the most wide-ranging and multidisciplinary nuclear forensic investigation conducted by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to date Expanded treatments of radiologic dispersal devices (RDDs) and statistical analysis methodologies The material is presented with minimal mathematical formality, using consistent terminology with limited jargon, making it a reliable, accessible reference. The broad-based coverage provides important insight into the multifaceted changes facing this recently developed science.

Improve your use of tire imprint evidence with the work of an expert. McDonald discusses methods for examining, capturing, and recording imprints, outlines standard procedures for identification, shows how to prepare expert testimony, and provides detailed technical information helpful in identifying imprints.

Information Security Policies, Procedures, and Standards: A Practitioner's Reference gives you a blueprint on how to develop effective information security policies and procedures. It uses standards such as NIST 800-53, ISO 27001, and COBIT, and regulations such as HIPAA and PCI DSS as the foundation for the content. Highlighting key terminology, policy development concepts and methods, and suggested document structures, it includes examples, checklists, sample policies and procedures, guidelines, and a synopsis of the applicable standards. The author explains how and why procedures are developed and implemented rather than simply provide information and examples. This is an important distinction because no two organizations are exactly alike; therefore, no two sets of policies and procedures are going to be exactly alike. This approach provides the foundation and understanding you need to write effective policies, procedures, and standards clearly and concisely. Developing policies and procedures may seem to be an overwhelming task. However, by relying on the material presented in this book, adopting the policy development techniques, and examining the examples, the task will not seem so daunting. You can use the discussion material to help sell the concepts, which may be the most difficult aspect of the process. Once you have completed a policy or two, you will have the courage to take on even more tasks. Additionally, the skills you acquire will assist you in other areas of your professional and private life, such as expressing an idea clearly and concisely or creating a project plan.

Gait analysis is the systematic study of human walking, using the eye and brain of experienced observers, augmented by instrumentation for measuring body movements, body mechanics, and the activity of the muscles. Since Aristotle's work on gait analysis more than 2000 years ago, it has become an established clinical science used extensively in the healthcare and rehabilitation fields for diagnosis and treatment. Forensic Gait Analysis details the more recent, and rapidly developing, use of gait analysis in the forensic sciences. The book considers the use of observational gait analysis, based on video recordings, to assist in the process of identification or exclusion. With the increase in use of CCTV and surveillance systems over the last 20 to 30 years, there has been a steady and rapid increase in the use of gait as evidence. Currently, gait analysis is widely used in the UK in criminal investigations, with increasing awareness of its potential use in the US, Europe, and globally. The book details the history of the science, current practices, and of the emergent application to establish best-practice standards that conform to those of other forensic science disciplines. Engagement with the Forensic Science Regulator, and the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences in the UK, and the International Association for Identification has helped to ensure and enhance the quality assurance of forensic gait analysis. However, there remains a fundamental lack of standardized training and methodology for use in evidentiary and investigative casework. This book fills that void, serving as one of the first to describe the current state of practice, capabilities and limitations, and to outline methods, standards of practice and expectations of the gait analyst as a forensic practitioner. Forensic Gait Analysis reflects current research and forensic practice and will serve as a state-of-the-art guide to the use of gait analysis in the forensic context-for both education and training purposes. It will be a welcome addition to the libraries of professionals in the areas of podiatry, gait analysis, forensic video analysis, law enforcement, and legal practice.

This book, the second volume of Crime Scene Management in Forensic Sciences, reviews the role and impact of forensic evidence in criminal investigations. It also addresses the importance of post mortem examination in criminal cases. The book investigates the use of insects and arthropods to estimate post mortem intervals during forensic investigations. Further, it discusses the physiological effects of xenobiotics at the time of death, based on their concentration and distribution in the body at autopsy. Importantly, it also discusses digital forensic investigation, which can be used for the analysis of digital evidence produced at a court of law. Lastly, it defines the structure and legal framework of these forensic evidences for the effective administration of the criminal justice system. It is an excellent source of information for forensics scientists and legal professionals.

Serial Killers and the Phenomenon of Serial Murder examines and analyses some of the best known (as well as lesser) cases from English criminal history, ancient and modern. It looks at the lifestyles, backgrounds and activities of those who become serial killers and identifies clear categories of individuals into which most serial killers fall.Led by Professor David Wilson the authors are all experts and teachers concerning the ever-intriguing subject of serial killing: why, when and how it happens and whether it can be predicted. Taking some of the leading cases from English law and abroad they demonstrate the patterns that emerge in the lives and backgrounds of those who kill a number of times over a period. The book is designed for those studying the topic at advanced level, whether as an academic discipline on one of the many courses now run by universities and colleges or as a private quest for understanding. It contains notes on key terms and explanations of topics such as co-activation, Munchausen syndrome, cooling-off period, psychopathy checklist, social construction, case linkage, family annihilation, activity space, rational choice theory, medicalisation and rendezvous discipline. As the first textbook of its kind it will be an invaluable resource for teachers and students of serious crime.

This book offers a comprehensive and integrative introduction to cybercrime. It provides an authoritative synthesis of the disparate literature on the various types of cybercrime, the global investigation and detection of cybercrime and the role of digital information, and the wider role of technology as a facilitator for social relationships between deviants and criminals. It includes coverage of: * key theoretical and methodological perspectives; * computer hacking and malicious software; * digital piracy and intellectual theft; * economic crime and online fraud; * pornography and online sex crime; * cyber-bullying and cyber-stalking; * cyber-terrorism and extremism; * the rise of the Dark Web; * digital forensic investigation and its legal context around the world; * the law enforcement response to cybercrime transnationally; * cybercrime policy and legislation across the globe. The new edition has been revised and updated, featuring two new chapters; the first offering an expanded discussion of cyberwarfare and information operations online, and the second discussing illicit market operations for all sorts of products on both the Open and Dark Web. This book includes lively and engaging features, such as discussion questions, boxed examples of unique events and key figures in offending, quotes from interviews with active offenders, and a full glossary of terms. It is supplemented by a companion website that includes further exercises for students and instructor resources. This text is essential reading for courses on cybercrime, cyber-deviancy, digital forensics, cybercrime investigation, and the sociology of technology.

Investigating Sexual Assault Cases, Second Edition serves as an essential textbook for courses in investigating rape and sexual assault. As with the first edition, this second edition includes the latest research and techniques in coverage of victimology, offender typology, investigative techniques, interviewing, and legal implications. This new, second edition includes chapters on child victims and molestation, sexual homicides as potentially staged events, grooming, interviewing techniques, and same-sex, elder, and special populations as victims of sexual assault. The book fills a current void in the body of literature on the topics of rape and sex crime investigation. Many previous writings, while informative, do not address all the investigative processes necessary for an investigation to be thorough and complete. By providing a fresh approach to the topic, the author aims to augment those writings and, ultimately, improving the reader' awareness by being much more attuned to the needs of-and taking investigative cures from-the victim. Key Features: Outlines the complete investigative process for sexual assault cases, from evidence collection and interviews to court and legal proceedings Addresses victims and victimology, offender typology, the importance of the investigative interviewing process, and working with attorneys Includes new chapters on grooming, sexual homicides, SAFE examinations, and child-specific interviewing techniques Added coverage looks at same-sex crimes, crimes against men, elder victims, and assault of vulnerable populations In addition to being used in coursework in Forensic Science and Criminal justice programs, Investigating Sexual Assault Cases, Second Edition will serve as an essential reference for police detectives, criminal and death investigators, legal professionals, sexual assault nurses, and those who provide health, and mental health, services to populations experiencing sexual assault.

Build a strong foundation on the principles and procedures of modern forensic science. Forensic Science, 4th edition, Global Edition, by Andrew Jackson, Julie Jackson, Harry Mountain, and Daniel Brearley, is a perfect introductory guide for newcomers to the field. Its learner-friendly text guides you through the entire process of conducting forensic science. The book carefully examines each part of the process, teaching you the proper procedure for gathering evidence from a crime scene, how to examine and evaluate that evidence, and the presentation of scientific findings in court. Scientifically rigorous, the text remains engaging, written in a friendly style to ensure you can grasp the points at hand. This new edition incorporates revised text and information reflecting the latest knowledge in the field, as well as additional worked examples and review boxes. Approachable and comprehensive, this book serves as an ideal companion for undergraduate students beginning a forensic science course, as background for MSc students, as a reference for related professions, or for those with a casual interest in forensics. This title also comes with a Companion Website.