Forensic Science Handbook

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.

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.

Forensic science has become increasingly important within contemporary criminal justice, from criminal investigation through to courtroom deliberations, and an increasing number of agencies and individuals are having to engage with its contribution to contemporary justice. This Handbook aims to provide an authoritative map of the landscape of forensic science within the criminal justice system of the UK. It sets out the essential features of the subject, covering the disciplinary, technological, organizational and legislative resources that are brought together to make up contemporary forensic science practice. It is the first full-length publication which reviews forensic science in a wider political, economic, social, technological and legal context, identifying emerging themes on the current status and potential future of forensic science as part of the criminal justice system. With contributions from many of the leading authorities in the field it will be essential reading for both students and practitioners.

This comprehensive handbook addresses the sophisticated forensic threats and challenges that have arisen in the modern digital age, and reviews the new computing solutions that have been proposed to tackle them. These include identity-related scenarios which cannot be solved with traditional approaches, such as attacks on security systems and the identification of abnormal/dangerous behaviors from remote cameras. Features: provides an in-depth analysis of the state of the art, together with a broad review of the available technologies and their potential applications; discusses potential future developments in the adoption of advanced technologies for the automated or semi-automated analysis of forensic traces; presents a particular focus on the acquisition and processing of data from real-world forensic cases; offers an holistic perspective, integrating work from different research institutions and combining viewpoints from both biometric technologies and forensic science.

A concise, robust introduction to the various topics covered by the discipline of forensic chemistry The Forensic Chemistry Handbook focuses on topics in each of the major chemistry-related areas of forensic science. With chapter authors that span the forensic chemistry field, this book exposes readers to the state of the art on subjects such as serology (including blood, semen, and saliva), DNA/molecular biology, explosives and ballistics, toxicology, pharmacology, instrumental analysis, arson investigation, and various other types of chemical residue analysis. In addition, the Forensic Chemistry Handbook: Covers forensic chemistry in a clear, concise, and authoritative way Brings together in one volume the key topics in forensics where chemistry plays an important role, such as blood analysis, drug analysis, urine analysis, and DNA analysis Explains how to use analytical instruments to analyze crime scene evidence Contains numerous charts, illustrations, graphs, and tables to give quick access to pertinent information Media focus on high-profile trials like those of Scott Peterson or Kobe Bryant have peaked a growing interest in the fascinating subject of forensic chemistry. For those readers who want to understand the mechanisms of reactions used in laboratories to piece together crime scenes—and to fully grasp the chemistry behind it—this book is a must-have.

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.

The analysis of plants, insects, soil and other particulates from scenes of crime can be vital in proving or excluding contact between a suspect and a scene, targeting search areas, and establishing a time and place of death. Forensic Ecology: A Practitioner’s Guide provides a complete handbook covering all aspects of forensic ecology. Bringing together the forensic applications of anthropology, archaeology, entomology, palynology and sedimentology in one volume, this book provides an essential resource for practitioners in the field of forensic science, whether crime scene investigators, forensic science students or academics involved in the recovery and analysis of evidence from crime scenes. Forensic Ecology: A Practitioner’s Guide includes information not only on the search, location, recovery and analysis of evidence, but includes sampling strategies for diatom analysis, pollen and soils samples and entomology and provides guides for good practice. Each chapter provides background information on each discipline and is structured according to pre-scene attendance (what questions should the scientist ask when receiving a call? What sort of preparation is required?), scene attendance (including protocols at the scene, sampling strategies, recording), scientific examination of analysis of the evidence up to the stages and guidelines for witness statement and presenting evidence in court. The book is written by specialists in all fields with a wealth of experience who are current forensic practitioners around the world. It provides an essential and accessible resource for students, academics, forensic practitioners and police officers everywhere.