Writing for a general audience, Owen (a journalist) looks at 40 infamous crimes and the investigations that followed, outlining the history and current application of forensics in law enforcement. He offers detail on the scientific procedures used in the various cases--from gathering elusive clues to examining weapons and bodies, to DNA testing. Cases include the Lindbergh kidnapping, the crash of PanAm 103, the trial of O.J. Simpson, and the Oklahoma city bombing. The book is attractively designed, every page illustrated with color photographs.
Anyone can summarize a collection of cases, but not everyone can make them read well. With a flair for compressed narrative worthy of a good short story writer, Colin Evans entertains and instructs the reader with 100 cases that exemplify the use of 15 different forensic techniques (ballistics, fingerprinting). Some (like the Lindbergh case) are famous, others are barely known, yet each has some unique twist that sets it apart. Many "firsts" are included, such as the first murder conviction without a body, the first use of psychological profiling, and the first use of DNA typing. Evans also brings out the distinct (often flamboyant) personalities of the pioneering experts of forensics and some of their more notable courtroom theatrics. Each case is labeled by name of criminal, forensic technique, date, location, and significant feature(s), making this a useful reference as well as a fun book to read.
This sequel to the best-selling Chemistry and Crime presents the development of major forensic methods and their basis in academic science. It covers forensic disciplines and techniques such as detection of arsenic, forensic toxicology, dust analysis, examination of arson evidence, and DNA typing. It also illustrates the use of forensic science testimony for courtroom cases and provides a history of DNA applications by one of the leading practitioners, David H. Bing. A review of the field by the late Ralph Turner provides an historical perspective of forensic science. The book also includes an entertaining discussion of forensic science in detective fiction by S.M. Gerber.
Kurland takes armchair detectives step by step through the crime lab to learn how to solve the most complicated crimes on scraps of evidence. From the arrival at the scene to high-tech analyses of fingertips and DNA prints, ballistics, blood samples, and more, Kurland shows how each forensic technique is used to solve a typical murder. Illustrations.
Jon J. Nordby, Ph.D. is a Forensic Science Investigative Consultant for Final Analysis, an independant consulting practice in forensic science and medicine. He specializes in scene reconstruction, evidence recognition, collection and analysis, as well as bloodstain pattern analysis.
A behind-the-scenes look into the world's most sophisticated crime lab reveals the riveting stories of the super-technical crime-solving techniques done in each of the lab's twelve units, from firearms to fibers, toxicology to explosives, and much more.
