Forensic Ecogenomics: The Application of Microbial Ecology Analyses in Forensic Contexts provides intelligence on important topics, including environmental sample provenance, how to indicate the body decomposition timeline to support postmortem interval (PMI) and postmortem submersion interval (PMSI) estimates, and how to enhance identification of clandestine and transit grave locations. A diverse group of international experts have come together to present a clear perspective of forensic ecogenomics that encapsulates cutting-edge, topical and relevant cross-disciplinary approaches vital to the field.

Forensic Pathology of Trauma provides practical advice to pathologists about the conduct and analysis of the forensic autopsy in a case of trauma. This volume reinforces the systematic manner in which the forensic pathologist must approach all medicolegal trauma death investigations in order to avoid common mistakes that may confuse accurate interpretation of a case or compromise a medicolegal investigation. The authors present a step-wise approach to the entire forensic investigation, from the collation of information about the death scene and the background of the deceased, to the external and internal examination of the body, concluding with tests on the evidentiary material collected postmortem. A value-added CD presents color images of the investigative figures in the text.
The introductory chapter covers risk management in the autopsy and is followed by a focused examination of postmortem changes, the "great pretenders" in forensic pathology, and the ways in which they can mimic or obscure trauma. Each of the subsequent eight chapters addresses common medicolegal "syndromes" or trauma patterns, providing comprehensive coverage of both common and uncommon causes of each of these patterns. Trauma patterns addressed include those associated with asphyxia, thermal injury, bodies recovered from water, penetrating trauma, blunt trauma, craniocerebral trauma, vertebrospinal trauma, and sudden neurological death.

An important contribution to the professional work performed in the areas on emerging technologies, this book provides an extensive expansion of the literature base on contemporary theories and investigative techniques used in the forensic sciences. Forensic science, as a relatively new field of research still actively identifying itself in the larger landscape of the sciences, has been sharply criticized for utilizing techniques deemed largely unscientific by subject area experts. This book presents a collective analysis and review of the existing challenges as well as directions for state-of-the-art practices found in diverse forensic settings, enabling the reader to make an informed decision about the scientific validity of forensic techniques, and emphasizes the need for a greater understanding of the use of the most appropriate methodology and procedures. The contributors address cutting-edge, developing, and even hypothetical techniques and technologies in forensics research and practice, especially as it relates to the sphere of criminal justice and law enforcement in contemporary society. A useful work for forensics professionals, and students and scholars working in the fields of politics and technology, criminal justice, forensic psychology, police psychology, law enforcement, and forensic science.

This book is a scholarly work of forensic linguistics that demonstrates how the principles of Gricean pragmatics and their recent elaboration in Information Manipulation Theory (IMT) can be of use to courts faced with deciding cases of allegedly fraudulent disclosure documents. The usual goal of legal rules for disclosure documents is not merely to prevent lying but other forms of deception as well. In particular, the goal of these rules is to force the communicator to reveal information that could cause material harm to certain receivers, harms that the communicator, for various reasons of self-interest, might prefer to keep secret or hidden. Because IMT and the Gricean framework have seldom been used in published studies to investigate legally mandated disclosure documents aimed at laypersons, this book seeks to enrich current explications of the rhetorical "workings" of deceptive disclosures within the broader Gricean tradition of pragmatics. The book questions the fundamental relationships among Grice's maxims as well as the much circulated notion that violation of some maxims is more deceptive and more immoral than violations of others. In addition, the book also attempts to show how various other theories and research in discourse linguistics and reading comprehension can be used to support IMT analyses in addressing the discourse processing issues unique to legally required disclosure texts. In this way the book contributes to the larger dual mission of the field of forensic linguistics, which is both to understand and to improve courts' impact on social justice.

Marijuana and the Cannabinoids presents a compendium of research into the botany, chemistry, and pharmacology of cannabis and the medicinal aspects of the cannabinoids. While medicinal use of Cannabis sativa L. has been reported for over 5000 years, interest in its medicinal potential and controversy surrounding its illicit use have grown exponentially since the identification of the chemical structure of the plant's active constituent (D9-THC) in 1964. This volume presents the findings of researchers on the forefront of this emerging and controversial field of study.
Chapter 1 is an overview of Cannabis and natural Cannabis medicines, while Chapter 2 focuses on the chemistry and analysis of phytocannabinoids and other Cannabis constituents. Chapter 3 discusses the potential of chemical fingerprinting of Cannabis as a means for source identification, and Chapters 4 and 5 outline the chemistry and pharmacology of cannabinoids and marijuana smoke condensate. In Chapter 6, the endocannabinoid system and the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids is presented. Chapter 7 provides technologies, development strategies, and multilevel applications for immunoassays for the detection of Cannabis abuse. In Chapter 8, mass spectrometric methods for the analysis of cannabinoids in physiological specimens are described. Chapters 9-12 discuss various consequences and adverse effects of prolonged marijuana use, including medical and health concerns and driving impairments. Chapters 13 and 14 examine postmortem considerations and the effects of cannabinoids on biopsychological, neuropsychiatric, and neurological processes.

When it's all said and done, penetration testing remains the most effective way to identify security vulnerabilities in computer networks. Conducting Network Penetration and Espionage in a Global Environment provides detailed guidance on how to perform effective penetration testing of computer networks-using free, open source, and commercially available tools, including Backtrack, Metasploit, Wireshark, Nmap, Netcat, and Nessus. It also considers exploits and other programs using Python, PERL, BASH, PHP, Ruby, and Windows PowerShell. The book taps into Bruce Middleton's decades of experience with computer security, including penetration testing of military networks, the White House, utilities, manufacturing facilities, CIA headquarters, the Defense Information Systems Agency, and NASA. Mr. Middleton begins with a chapter on defensive measures/privacy issues and then moves on to describe a cyber-attack on one of his labs and how he responded to the attack. Next, the book explains how to research a target without directly "touching" that target. Once you've learned all you can, the text describes how to gather even more information using a more direct approach. From there, it covers mathematical analysis, considers target exploitation, and discusses Chinese and Syrian cyber-attacks. Providing authoritative guidance on cyberforensics, reverse engineering, and penetration testing, the book categorizes testing tools according to their use within the standard penetration testing framework. For each of the above-mentioned categories, you will find basic and advanced tools and procedures to help you identify security vulnerabilities in today's networks. After reading this book, you will understand how to perform an organized and efficient penetration test. You will also learn techniques used to bypass anti-virus software and capture keystrokes of remote systems. Explaining how to put together your own penetration testing lab, the text concludes by describing how to utilize various iPhone apps to perform reconnaissance activities on wireless networks.

The Advanced Forensic Science Series grew out of the recommendations from the 2009 NAS Report: Strengthening Forensic Science: A Path Forward. This volume, Digital and Document Examination, will serve as a graduate level text for those studying and teaching digital forensics and forensic document examination, as well as an excellent reference for forensic scientist's libraries or use in their casework. Coverage includes digital devices, transportation, types of documents, forensic accounting and professional issues. Edited by a world-renowned leading forensic expert, the Advanced Forensic Science Series is a long overdue solution for the forensic science community.

Frequently a substance found at a port of entry, waste site, laboratory triage facility, or even in a hazardous materials emergency will be labeled and purportedly identified. But law enforcement and other first responders cannot take this claim at face value, as the accuracy is not confirmed and must be verified. A comprehensive handbook for on-the-spot investigations, Field Confirmation Testing for Suspicious Substances provides those who confront suspicious substances with the tools to confirm or deny a labeled identity. A Complete Range of Testing Protocols Divided into three sections, the book begins by exploring physical confirmation tests which use methods that involve measurement of temperature, vapor density, radioactivity, and other factors. The author then examines chemical confirmation tests suitable for field use, providing over 400 different analyses, most of which provide a colorimetric result. The book also includes a section on instrumentation. It offers an overview of the technologies used to analyze materials and presents the strengths and weaknesses of the technology so that the corresponding weak or strong result can be used in the overall analysis. The appendix provides two detailed sections on drug and explosives tests. The tests in this book can immediately generate valuable information in the field which can be used to save lives, conserve property, provide environmental protection, and assist law enforcement in apprehending those responsible for disseminating hazardous substances.

False Allegations: Investigative and Forensic Issues in Fraudulent Reports of Crime provides investigators and forensic examiners with a reference manual comprised of objective protocols for managing cases. It helps them understand the nature and extent of false allegations to more accurately identify false allegations should they present in casework. It also prepares users on how to confront and explain false allegations, including instances where colleagues and supervisors may be steeped in bias, denial or self-interest. Responding law enforcement agencies have a duty of care to investigate all reported crime, to recognize and uncover false allegations, and prevent them from causing harm to the innocent. Failure to do so can result in miscarriages of justice. When law enforcement fails in their duty of care, they are also exposed to civil liability from those that have been falsely accused.

Key Features: • Discusses the clinical and applied aspects of forensic medicine through illustrative case scenarios and reports. • Addresses the needs of clinicians and forensic medicine specialists in writing medico-legal reports for specific cases. • Provides evidence-based solutions to medicolegal and ethical dilemma faced during routine practice.

Forensic Engineering, the latest edition in the Advanced Forensic Science series that grew out of recommendations from the 2009 NAS Report: Strengthening Forensic Science: A Path Forward, serves as a graduate level text for those studying and teaching digital forensic engineering, as well as an excellent reference for a forensic scientist's library or for their use in casework. Coverage includes investigations, transportation investigations, fire investigations, other methods and professional issues. Edited by a world-renowned leading forensic expert, this series is a long overdue solution for the forensic science community.

This volume, the result of an International Conference on Wet Site Archaeology funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, explores the rewards and responsibilities of recovering unique assemblages from water-saturated deposits. Characteristics common to all archaeological wet sites are identified from Newfoundland to Chile, Polynesia to Florida, and from the Late Pleistocene to the Twentieth Century. Topics include innovative excavation and preservation methods; the need for adequate funding to preserve and analyze the abundant biological and cultural remains recovered only at archaeological wet sites; expanded knowledge of past environments, subsistence, technologies, artistic expressions, skeletal structure, and pathologies; the urgency to inform developers and governmental bodies about the invisible heritage entombed in wetlands that is often destroyed before it can be investigated; a formula for establishing priorities for excavating wet sites; and how to determine when enough of a wet site has been sampled.Many famous sites and discoveries are described in this volume, including Herculaneum, Hoko River, Hontoon Island, Key Marco, Monte Verde, Ozette, Somerset Levels, Windover, bog bodies of Northern Europe, and lake dwellers of Switzerland. Professional and amateur archaeologists, as well as anyone interested in archaeology or the significance of wet site archaeology will find this book fascinating.

This book exposes the dangerously imperfect forensic evidence that we rely on for criminal convictions. "That's not my fingerprint, your honor," said the defendant, after FBI experts reported a "100-percent identification." The FBI was wrong. It is shocking how often they are. Autopsy of a Crime Lab is the first book to catalog the sources of error and the faulty science behind a range of well-known forensic evidence, from fingerprints and firearms to forensic algorithms. In this devastating forensic takedown, noted legal expert Brandon L. Garrett poses the questions that should be asked in courtrooms every day: Where are the studies that validate the basic premises of widely accepted techniques such as fingerprinting? How can experts testify with 100-percent certainty about a fingerprint, when there is no such thing as a 100 percent match? Where is the quality control at the crime scenes and in the laboratories? Should we so readily adopt powerful new technologies like facial recognition software and rapid DNA machines? And why have judges been so reluctant to consider the weaknesses of so many long-accepted methods? Taking us into the lives of the wrongfully convicted or nearly convicted, into crime labs rocked by scandal, and onto the front lines of promising reform efforts driven by professionals and researchers alike, Autopsy of a Crime Lab illustrates the persistence and perniciousness of shaky science and its well-meaning practitioners.

Defines the term "cognitive evidence" and describes the process for retrieving reliable evidence in a way that maintains integrity throughout the interviewing process Outlines guidance on developing a mindful—rather than prescriptive or rote—approaches to conducting eyewitness interviews Provides guidance for analyzing interviews and improving the interview process Presents specific procedures to interview an eyewitness for a criminal event for both victims and witnesses

Forensic Toxicology, the latest release in the Advanced Forensic Science Series that grew out of recommendations from the 2009 NAS Report, Strengthening Forensic Science: A Path Forward will serve as a graduate level text for those studying and teaching forensic toxicology. It is also an excellent reference for the forensic practitioner's library or for use in their casework. Coverage includes a wide variety of methods used, along with pharmacology and drugs and professional issues they may encounter. Edited by a world-renowned, leading forensic expert, this updated edition is a long overdue solution for the forensic science community.

Forensic Odontology: Principles and Practice details the aspects necessary to become an accomplished forensic odontologist, including an illustration of the skills necessary to become an expert witness. The book is ideal for both the experienced and novice forensic odontologist, covering many fields of expertise, including civil and criminal matters. The civil side involves standard of care and personal injury matters, while the criminal side involves not only dental identification, but management of mass fatality incidents, age assessment, child and elder abuse, and bitemark analysis.

Cell Phone Location Evidence for Legal Professionals: Understanding Cell Phone Location Evidence from the Warrant to the Courtroom is a guide, in plain language, for digital forensics professionals, attorneys, law enforcement professionals and students interested in the sources, methods and evidence used to perform forensic data analysis of cell phones, call detail records, real time ping records and geo-location data obtained from cellular carriers and cell phones. Users will gain knowledge on how to identify evidence and how to properly address it for specific cases, including challenges to the methods of analysis and to the qualifications of persons who would testify about this evidence. This book is intended to provide digital forensics professionals, legal professionals and others with an interest in this field the information needed to understand what each type of evidence means, where it comes from, how it is analyzed and presented, and how it is used in various types of civil and criminal litigation. Relevant case law are included, or referred to, as appropriate throughout this book to give the reader an understanding of the legal history of this type of evidence and how it is being addressed by various state and federal courts.

Forensic Textile Science provides an introduction to textile science, emphasizing the terminology of the discipline and offering detailed coverage of the ways textile damage analysis can be used in forensics. Part One introduces textiles and their role in forensics, including chapters on fibers, yarns and fabrics, garment types and construction, and household textiles. Part Two covers analysis of textile damage in a forensic context. Key topics include textile degradation and natural damage, weapon and impact damage, textile ripping, and ballistic damage. This book is an important reference point for all those interested in textile damage and the role of textiles in forensics, including academics, post-graduate students, and forensic scientists.

Forensic DNA Technology examines the legal and scientific issues relating to the implementation of DNA print technology in both the crime laboratory and the courtroom. Chapters have been written by many of the country's leading experts and trace the underlying theory and historical development of this technology, as well as the methodology utilized in the Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) techniques. The effect of environmental contaminants on the evidence and the statistical analysis of population genetics data as it relates to the potential of this technology for individualizing the donor of the questioned sample are also addressed. Other topics include the proposed guidelines for using this technology in the crime laboratory, the perspective of the prosecution and the defense, the legal standards for determining the admissibility and weight of such evidence at trial. Finally, the issues of validation and the standards for interpretation of autoradiograms are brought into focus in a detailed study of actual case work. Forensic scientists, prosecuting attorneys, defense attorneys, libraries, and all scientists working with DNA technology should consider this a "must have" book.

New Perspectives in Forensic Human Skeletal Identification provides a comprehensive and up-to-date perspective on human identification methods in forensic anthropology. Divided into four distinct sections, the chapters will reflect recent advances in human skeletal identification, including statistical and morphometric methods for assessing the biological profile (sex, age, ancestry, stature), biochemical methods of identification (DNA analysis, stable isotope analysis, bomb curve analysis), and use of comparative radiography. The final section of this book highlights advances in human identification techniques that are being applied to international populations and disaster victims. The contributing authors represent established experts in forensic anthropology and closely related fields. New Perspectives in Forensic Human Skeletal Identification will be an essential resource for researchers, practitioners, and advanced students interested in state-of-the-art methods for human identification.

Seeking the Truth from Mobile Evidence: Basic Fundamentals, Intermediate and Advanced Overview of Current Mobile Forensic Investigations will assist those who have never collected mobile evidence and augment the work of professionals who are not currently performing advanced destructive techniques. This book is intended for any professional that is interested in pursuing work that involves mobile forensics, and is designed around the outcomes of criminal investigations that involve mobile digital evidence. Author John Bair brings to life the techniques and concepts that can assist those in the private or corporate sector. Mobile devices have always been very dynamic in nature. They have also become an integral part of our lives, and often times, a digital representation of where we are, who we communicate with and what we document around us. Because they constantly change features, allow user enabled security, and or encryption, those employed with extracting user data are often overwhelmed with the process. This book presents a complete guide to mobile device forensics, written in an easy to understand format.

A Guide to Cancer: Origins and Revelations unfolds the complex and fascinating topic of cancer in two ways: firstly, no specialist knowledge is assumed on the part of the reader, and secondly, despite the serious nature of the topics, the book aims to stimulate interest, provoke thought, and paradoxically entertain. It takes an array of complex topics and breaks them down in clear, concise terms, so that anyone with a basic knowledge of science can understand. The book is aimed at the general public as well as students of biological subjects, first and second year university students, and researchers in the nascent field of cancer genomics.

Death Investigation: Systems and Procedures is the first book dedicated to the topic of death investigation from a legal standpoint as well as the administrative and operational procedures that pertain to the medical examiner and the coroner system in the United States. Unique in its perspective, this book is the only one not concerned with instructing on investigatory conduct, autopsy procedure, pathology, or the solving of crimes. Instead, it explains the concepts and principles of death investigation established by governments, and outlines the legal and administrative steps that must be taken throughout the case. Beginning with an introduction to the basic types of death investigation, the text explains the circumstances and statutory basis for death investigation systems. The author provides specific details about the role of coroners, medical examiners, and other forensic scientists and personnel who may officially be a part of the investigation. The overall goals of the investigations are included along with case studies and examples illustrating the procedures used in each type. The author also adds a brief summary of the specific system employed by each state. A considerable portion of the book is devoted to practical considerations such as the contents of the autopsy report, the death certificate, principles and issues related to evidence and expert witnesses, as well as a description of a typical day at a medical examiner's or coroner's office. Well referenced with websites and sources of further information, Death Investigation: Systems and Procedures provides a comprehensive, concise procedural reference to students and professionals including lawyers, crime scene technicians, and anyone who works with death investigation data, or within the death investigation systems in the United States.

Handbook for Death Scene Investigators provides concise information in a handy, pocket-sized (3 1/2" x 6") format - perfect for on-the-scene reference. Details about sudden natural deaths by disease and accidents are emphasized in this guidebook, complemented with practical information on: reviewing a medical chart collecting evidence obtaining a medical history interacting with other law enforcement personnel, witnesses, and relatives Anyone responsible for investigating natural deaths - from police investigators to medical examiners - can go direct to the information they need at a moment's notice with the Handbook for Death Scene Investigators Features

It has been said that scammers and swindlers often display characteristics commonly attributed to good leadership. These include setting a vision, communicating it clearly, and motivating others to follow their lead. But when these skills are used by unconscionable people to satisfy greed, how can the average person recognize that foul play is afoot? Providing a unique account of frauds throughout modern history, Handbook of Frauds, Scams, and Swindles: Failures of Ethics in Leadership compiles narratives from around the world, including a number of highly-publicized cases. Leading financial and investigative experts have authored the individual chapters, yet the book maintains a reader-friendly style. The result is a text that is highly engaging and most importantly, provides regulators and investigators with an understanding of the motivations and behavior common to the individuals behind these life-damaging crimes. The book includes a wealth of stories, including famous cases such as Ponzi, ZZZZ Best, Enron, Parmalat, and Vivendi, along with lesser-known scandals involving both corporations and individuals. There is also a section on frauds perpetrated for motives other than financial rewards, including instances when the government performed experiments on humans without their knowledge or consent, as well as stories on frauds involving science and religion. A section detailing the Arthur Anderson debacle discusses the compounding of a fraud when the supposed watchdog plays a complicit role. And recognizing that not every issue is black or white, the book also explores whether a hoax perpetrated in the name of a noble cause can ever be justified. By reviewing the tactics used by swindlers and the motivations that turned good people crooked, investigators and others will come to recognize the red flags that accompany unscrupulous behavior. In doing so, they may well learn how to head off potential