Forensic Investigation Handbook

The book outlines the general principles of forensic science including an overview of the history of forensic science, an introduction to ballistics, crime scene investigation techniques as well as evidence gathering, processing and documentation procedures. It presents valuable information on advanced forensic topics as well. These areas include criminal profiling, fingerprints and DNA as identification, the forensic autopsy, pharmacology, toxicology, and biohazard risks for the forensic investigator. The handbook also provides the reader with information on the American criminal justice system and how it relates to forensic science. It also features one of the most detailed and extensive forensic glossaries ever assembled. Included are more than 600 pertinent forensic terms with definitions that will serve as an invaluable desk reference for forensic novices and seasoned veterans alike.

Handbook of Digital Forensics and Investigation builds on the success of the Handbook of Computer Crime Investigation, bringing together renowned experts in all areas of digital forensics and investigation to provide the consummate resource for practitioners in the field. It is also designed as an accompanying text to Digital Evidence and Computer Crime. This unique collection details how to conduct digital investigations in both criminal and civil contexts, and how to locate and utilize digital evidence on computers, networks, and embedded systems. Specifically, the Investigative Methodology section of the Handbook provides expert guidance in the three main areas of practice: Forensic Analysis, Electronic Discovery, and Intrusion Investigation. The Technology section is extended and updated to reflect the state of the art in each area of specialization. The main areas of focus in the Technology section are forensic analysis of Windows, Unix, Macintosh, and embedded systems (including cellular telephones and other mobile devices), and investigations involving networks (including enterprise environments and mobile telecommunications technology). This handbook is an essential technical reference and on-the-job guide that IT professionals, forensic practitioners, law enforcement, and attorneys will rely on when confronted with computer related crime and digital evidence of any kind. *Provides methodologies proven in practice for conducting digital investigations of all kinds *Demonstrates how to locate and interpret a wide variety of digital evidence, and how it can be useful in investigations *Presents tools in the context of the investigative process, including EnCase, FTK, ProDiscover, foremost, XACT, Network Miner, Splunk, flow-tools, and many other specialized utilities and analysis platforms *Case examples in every chapter give readers a practical understanding of the technical, logistical, and legal challenges that arise in real investigations

Crime scene investigators are the foundation for every criminal investigation. The admissibility and persuasiveness of evidence in court, and in turn, the success of a case, is largely dependent upon the evidence being properly collected, recorded, and handled for future analysis by investigators and forensic analysts in the lab. Complete Crime Sce

Originally published in 1982 by Pearson/Prentice-Hall, the Forensic Science Handbook, Third Edition has been fully updated and revised to include the latest developments in scientific testing, analysis, and interpretation of forensic evidence. World-renowned forensic scientist, author, and educator Dr. Richard Saferstein once again brings together a contributor list that is a veritable Who’s Who of the top forensic scientists in the field. This Third Edition, he is joined by co-editor Dr. Adam Hall, a forensic scientist and Assistant Professor within the Biomedical Forensic Sciences Program at Boston University School of Medicine. This two-volume series focuses on the legal, evidentiary, biological, and chemical aspects of forensic science practice. The topics covered in this new edition of Volume I include a broad range of subjects including: • Legal aspects of forensic science • Analytical instrumentation to include: microspectrophotometry, infrared Spectroscopy, gas chromatography, liquid chromatography, capillary electrophoresis, and mass spectrometry • Trace evidence characterization of hairs, dust, paints and inks • Identification of body fluids and human DNA This is an update of a classic reference series and will serve as a must-have desk reference for forensic science practitioners. It will likewise be a welcome resource for professors teaching advanced forensic science techniques and methodologies at universities world-wide, particularly at the graduate level.

Written for the forensic science student and professional practitioner, The Scientific Method in Forensic Science provides an experience-based learning opportunity for understanding the scientific method and evidence-based analysis as they relate to forensic science in a Canadian context. Underscoring the importance of these concepts, this handbook features real-world case and court examples that depict how scientific rigor has been incorporated into practice and the consequences when it has not. The authors explore the paradigm shift in the discipline, examining important events and reports like the Kaufman Commission and the Goudge Report; review scientific concepts and reasoning; and outline steps to critically review a journal article and conduct a literature review. They also highlight the importance of critical thinking, ethics and impartiality, the role of statistics in casework, and effective communication. Blending theory with experience-based examples and featuring thought-provoking questions, exercises, and suggestions for further reading, The Scientific Method in Forensic Science is an essential resource for students in forensic science, criminology, police studies, and anthropology.

Following on the success of his introductory text, Digital Evidence and Computer Crime, Eoghan Casey brings together a few top experts to create the first detailed guide for professionals who are already familiar with digital evidence. The Handbook of Computer Crime Investigation helps readers master the forensic analysis of computer systems with a three-part approach covering tools, technology, and case studies. The Tools section provides the details on leading software programs, with each chapter written by that product's creator. The section ends with an objective comparison of the strengths and limitations of each tool. The main Technology section provides the technical "how to" information for collecting and analyzing digital evidence in common situations, starting with computers, moving on to networks, and culminating with embedded systems. The Case Examples section gives readers a sense of the technical, legal, and practical challenges that arise in real computer investigations. The Tools section provides details of leading hardware and software The main Technology section provides the technical "how to" information for collecting and analysing digital evidence in common situations Case Examples give readers a sense of the technical, legal, and practical challenges that arise in real computer investigations

The terms forensic investigator and forensic investigation are part of our cultural identity. They can be found in the news, on television, and in film. They are invoked, generally, to imply that highly trained personnel will be collecting some form of physical evidence with eventual scientific results that cannot be questioned or bargained with. In other words, they are invoked to imply the reliability, certainty, and authority of a scientific inquiry. Using cases from the authors’ extensive files, Forensic Investigations: An Introduction provides an overview of major subjects related to forensic inquiry and evidence examination. It will prepare Criminal Justice and Criminology students in forensic programs for more specialized courses and provide a valuable resource to newly employed forensic practitioners. Written by practicing and testifying forensic professionals from law enforcement, academia, mental health and the forensic sciences, this work offers a balanced scientific approach, based on the established literature, for broad appeal. The purpose of this book is to help students and professionals rid themselves of the myths and misconceptions they have accumulated regarding forensic investigators and the subsequent forensic investigations they help to conduct. It will help the reader understand the role of the forensic investigator; the nature and variety of forensic investigations that take place in the justice system; and the mechanisms by which such investigations become worthy as evidence in court. Its goals are no loftier than that. However, they could not be more necessary to our understanding of what justice is, how it is most reliably achieved, and how it can be corrupted by those who are burdened with apathy and alternative motives. A primary text for instructors teaching forensic courses related to criminal and forensic investigation Written by forensic professionals, currently in practice and testifying in court Offers applied protocols for a broad range of forensic investigations Augments theoretical constructs with recent, and relevant case studies and forensic reports Based on the most recent scientific research, practice, and protocols related to forensic inquiry

The second in a three-volume series, this popular and widely circulated professional handbook describes the theories and practices of today's criminalistics, and covers a wide range of subject areas relevant to the services rendered by crime laboratories and related facilities. Presents authoritative reviews from recognized forensic criminologists and forensic scientists well-versed in their chosen areas of expertise. Considers a specific examination technique for a wide-range of evidence prevalent in the modern crime laboratory, e.g., DNA, hair, paint, soil, glass, petroleum products, explosives, alcohol in blood and breath, and questioned documents. Describes the theory, operation, and forensic utilization of such modern analytical instruments as mass spectrometry, capillary electrophoresis, high-performance liquid chromatography, and the visible microspectrophotometer. Emphasizes the symbiotic relationship between forensic science and criminal law as it examines the role and conduct of the expert witness, rules of evidence, and the legal requirements governing the admissibility of scientifically evaluated evidence. For professionals in forensic science and criminology.