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Elsevier

Books in Forensics

Our Forensic Science titles are essential reading for students and professionals, and cover a range of foundational and advanced topics across forensic pathology, forensic chemistry, forensic serology, forensic victimology, forensic toxicology, forensic anthropology, and forensic testing, among others

  • Methodological and Technological Advances in Death Investigations

    Application and Case Studies
    • 1st Edition
    • Ann H Ross + 1 more
    • English
    Methodological and Technological Advances in Death Investigations: Application and Case Studies focuses on advancements in both methods and technology in death investigations. Specifically, in the areas of latent fingerprints, facial recognition, wildlife forensics, using aerial vehicles and 3D-ID. The combination of national and international authors and a discussion of the state of forensic science over a decade after the National Academies 2009 Report, Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward, further highlights the boundaries, limitations and context in which these newer technologies and applications act synergistically to enhance forensic science.

  • A Blueprint for Implementing Best Practice Procedures in a Digital Forensic Laboratory

    Meeting the Requirements of ISO Standards and Other Best Practices
    • 2nd Edition
    • David Lilburn Watson + 1 more
    • English
    Digital Forensic Processing and Procedures: Meeting the Requirements of ISO 17020, ISO 17025, ISO 27001 and Best Practice Requirements, Second Edition provides a one-stop shop for a set of procedures that meet international best practices and standards for handling digital evidence during its complete lifecycle. The book includes procedures, forms and software, providing anyone who handles digital evidence with a guide to proper procedures throughout chain of custody--from incident response straight through to analysis in the lab. This book addresses the whole lifecycle of digital evidence.

  • Chemical Analysis for Forensic Evidence

    • 1st Edition
    • Arian van Asten
    • English
    Chemical Analysis for Forensic Evidence provides readers with the fundamental framework of forensic analytical chemistry, describing the entire process, from crime scene investigation to evidence sampling, laboratory analysis, quality aspects, and reporting and testifying in court. In doing so, important principles and aspects are demonstrated through the various forensic expertise areas in which analytical chemistry plays a key role, including illicit drugs, explosives, toxicology, fire debris analysis and microtraces such as gunshot residues, glass and fibers. This book illuminates the underlying practical framework that governs how analytical chemistry is used in practice by forensic experts to solve crime. Arian van Asten utilizes a hands-on approach with numerous questions, examples, exercises and illustrations to help solidify key concepts and teach them in an engaging way.

  • Criminal Psychology

    Forensic Examination Protocols
    • 1st Edition
    • Brent E. Turvey + 1 more
    • English
    Criminal Psychology: Forensic Examination Protocols is a compact practitioner’s guide to essential forensic concepts and protocols related to the evaluation and assessment of crime and criminals. The sections cover: Fundamentals, Understanding Criminal Behavior and Criminal Assessments. Written for forensic criminologists and psychologists, this reference provides genuine insight into real criminal behaviors using real life casework to bridge theory and practice. This guide can also be used in the classroom.

  • Psychopathy and Criminal Behavior

    Current Trends and Challenges
    • 1st Edition
    • Paulo Barbosa Marques + 2 more
    • English
    Psychopathy and Criminal Behavior: Current Trends and Challenges fills a gap in the market by covering new topics and angles not addressed in other literature. The book's authors approach the interaction of psychopathy with different types of crime, reflecting on comorbidity with other disorders, symptoms and emotional function. In addition to examining questions of prevention and treatment, they present new developments with solid theory and scientific evidence, also addressing forensic realities. This is a must-have guide for practitioners, students or anyone interested in psychopathy, criminal behavior and the various avenues of treatment.

  • Police Psychology

    New Trends in Forensic Psychological Science
    • 1st Edition
    • Paulo Barbosa Marques + 1 more
    • English
    Police Psychology: New Trends in Forensic Psychological Science is a relatively new specialty that can be broadly defined as the application of psychological principles and methods to assist law enforcement. This publication aims to bring together the contributions of some of the most prolific authors in the field to bridge the gap between the knowledge base of researchers, practitioners, and policymakers regarding the interface of psychological sciences and law enforcement.

  • Pedigree Analysis in R

    • 1st Edition
    • Magnus Dehli Vigeland
    • English
    Pedigree Analysis in R gives an introduction to the theory of relatedness and covers a range of applications in forensic and medical genetics. The book's material was developed through teaching courses on genetic relatedness, pedigree analysis and R, and offers insights from a decade of research activities in forensic and medical genetics. The R code in the book uses the ped suite, a unified collection of packages for pedigree analysis, developed by the author. All code examples are given in full, allowing accurate reproduction of figures and results. At the end of each chapter, a selection of exercises encourages the reader to explore further and perform their own analyses.

  • Mass Identifications

    Statistical Methods in Forensic Genetics
    • 1st Edition
    • Daniel Kling + 3 more
    • English
    Mass Identifications: Statistical Methods in Forensic Genetics summarizes the state-of-the-art in the field, including methods and recent development in genetics (sequencing). The book's authors focus on practical applications and implementation, helping readers determine how to approach the problem to identify individuals using DNA and statistically summarize evidence. Written by leading experts in the field for forensic scientists, geneticists, forensic anthropologists, and pathologists working with identifications, the book is ideal for scientists and practitioners in many areas.

  • EMS in Crime Scene

    Role of Medical Emergency Teams in Forensic Cases
    • 1st Edition
    • Albino Manuel Gomes
    • English
    EMS in Crime Scene: Role of Medical Emergency Teams in Forensic Cases addresses the different settings that occur in pre-hospital environments, along with the medical-forensic relevance surrounding evidence preservation. The book identifies the main difficulties in this subject to promote proper intervention. The main role of EMS will always be medical assistance, but it is also their job to ensure their safety, the safety of the victim and the protection of the local scene. This means of preserving evidence, even though it is an ancillary activity and is not meant to compromise care of the victim, is an important role of EMS. The objective of preserving where a crime has occurred is, from the outset, to keep the environment as unchanged as possible, that is, not to move and/or subtract objects from their original position (even if it is a firearm) and not to add elements that were not present at the scene, such as shoe trail marks, earth, hair strands, cigarette butts, etc.

  • Estimation of Time since Death in Australian Conditions

    • 1st Edition
    • Jarvis Hayman
    • English
    Estimation of Time since Death in Australian Conditions collates data about decomposed bodies found in the eastern states of Australia from the years 2000 to 2010. The book takes into account that over 70% of decomposed bodies were found within 14 days. From standard autopsy reports, a quantitative method of assessing the degree of decomposition in four specific body organs and the total appearance of the body was collated into a total body score (tbs). The mathematical models on how to estimate time since death in the eastern states of Australia are covered in this valuable resource.

  • Long 'on' the Tooth

    Dental Evidence of Diet
    • 1st Edition
    • Christopher W. Schmidt
    • English
    Long 'on' the Tooth: Dental Evidence of Diet addresses human dental macroscopic and microscopic wear, as well as dental disease, as indicators of diet. The book focuses primarily on 350 pre-contact humans from North America dating from approximately 5,500 to 600 years ago. These populations had subsistence strategies ranging from terrestrial foraging to intensive maize agriculture. The study makes intra- and intergroup comparisons to elucidate dietary nuances that are largely beyond the reach of other means of dietary reconstruction. Finally, the book discusses the importance of using multiple dietary indicators in unison in order to provide paleodietary insights.

  • Interpreting Bone Lesions and Pathology for Forensic Practice

    • 1st Edition
    • Lucie Biehler-Gomez + 1 more
    • English
    Interpreting Bone Lesions and Pathology for Forensic Practice presents a concise description of the necessary steps for the differential diagnosis of disease and trauma on skeletal remains. Information obtained from the pathological reactions of bone can be fundamental for forensic dilemmas, ranging from identification to understanding trauma. The book's authors aim to provide reliable tools for the appropriate interpretation of lesions on bone through macroscopic, radiological, histological and biomolecular analyses on skeletal remains.

  • Protecting and Promoting Client Rights

    • 1st Edition
    • Krystal Schaffer
    • English
    Protecting and Promoting Client Rights examines the inherent tensions within the family assessor role when there is no overarching compulsory regulatory body in social work. The book highlights why it is necessary to understand how social workers adhere to social work standards of practice within a family assessor role (AASW, 2018). It explores how social workers who undertake the role of forensic family assessors can meet the expected AASW Standards of Practice while also protecting and promoting the rights of their family court clients.

  • Threat and Violence Interventions

    The Effective Application of Influence
    • 1st Edition
    • James S. Cawood
    • English
    Threat and Violence Interventions: The Effective Application of Influence evaluates threat and violence risk for various levels of mental health practitioners, law enforcement officers, security professionals, human resource professionals, attorneys, and academics in forensic psychology, sociology, criminology and law. Currently, both empirical and practical literature has focused, to an almost exclusive extent, on the assessment of human behavior and propensity for violence. However, most cases of high concern for potential physical violence arise from individuals who have yet to act in ways the criminal justice system can address. This book broaches the topic, exploring tactics and providing practical, concrete suggestions.

  • Forensic Pathology Case Studies

    • 1st Edition
    • Edda Guareschi
    • English
    Forensic Pathology Case Studies features 8-13 case studies from the author’s 19-year career as both a forensic pathologist and anthropologist in northern Italy. Every case will be presented as an extended version of a professional report, where the descriptions of circumstances, the scientific approach to investigation techniques, their results, the critical interpretation of results, and the case resolution are combined. Photos are available for most cases and will help clarifying the cases to the reader. References will inspire further reading.

  • Strategic Leadership in Digital Evidence

    What Executives Need to Know
    • 1st Edition
    • Paul Reedy
    • English
    Strategic Leadership in Digital Evidence: What Executives Need to Know provides leaders with broad knowledge and understanding of practical concepts in digital evidence, along with its impact on investigations. The book's chapters cover the differentiation of related fields, new market technologies, operating systems, social networking, and much more. This guide is written at the layperson level, although the audience is expected to have reached a level of achievement and seniority in their profession, principally law enforcement, security and intelligence. Additionally, this book will appeal to legal professionals and others in the broader justice system.

  • The Bioarchaeology of Metabolic Bone Disease

    • 2nd Edition
    • Megan B. Brickley + 2 more
    • English
    The Bioarchaeology of Metabolic Bone Disease, Second Edition is a comprehensive source dedicated to better understanding this group of conditions that have significant consequences for health in both past and present communities on a global scale. This edition presents an updated introduction to the biology and metabolism of mineralised tissues that are fundamental to understanding the expression of the metabolic bone diseases in skeletal remains. The extensive advances in understanding of these conditions in both bioarchaeological and biomedical work are brought together for the reader. Dedicated chapters focussing on each disease emphasise the integration of up-to-date clinical background with the biological basis of disease progression to give guidance on identification. New chapters covering anaemia and approaches to recognising the co-occurrence of pathological conditions have been included, reflecting recent advances in research. Boxes highlighting significant issues, use of information from sources such as texts and nonhuman primates, and theoretical approaches are included in the text. Each chapter closes with ‘Core Concepts’ that summarise key information. The final chapter reviews current challenges in bioarchaeology and provides directions for future research. This is a must-have resource for users at all career stages interested in integrating information on the metabolic bone diseases into bioarchaeological projects.

  • Forensic Practitioner's Guide to the Interpretation of Complex DNA Profiles

    • 1st Edition
    • Peter Gill + 4 more
    • English
    Over the past twenty years, there’s been a gradual shift in the way forensic scientists approach the evaluation of DNA profiling evidence that is taken to court. Many laboratories are now adopting ‘probabilistic genotyping’ to interpret complex DNA mixtures. However, current practice is very diverse, where a whole range of technologies are used to interpret DNA profiles and the software approaches advocated are commonly used throughout the world. Forensic Practitioner’s Guide to the Interpretation of Complex DNA Profiles places the main concepts of DNA profiling into context and fills a niche that is unoccupied in current literature. The book begins with an introduction to basic forensic genetics, covering a brief historical description of the development and harmonization of STR markers and national DNA databases. The laws of statistics are described, along with the likelihood ratio based on Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and alternative models considering sub-structuring and relatedness. The historical development of low template mixture analysis, theory and practice, is also described, so the reader has a full understanding of rationale and progression. Evaluation of evidence and statement writing is described in detail, along with common pitfalls and their avoidance. The authors have been at the forefront of the revolution, having made substantial contributions to theory and practice over the past two decades. All methods described are open-source and freely available, supported by sets of test-data and links to web-sites with further information. This book is written primarily for the biologist with little or no statistical training. However, sufficient information will also be provided for the experienced statistician. Consequently, the book appeals to a diverse audience

  • Child Sexual Abuse

    Forensic Issues in Evidence, Impact, and Management
    • 1st Edition
    • India Bryce + 1 more
    • English
    Child Sexual Abuse: Forensic Issues in Evidence, Impact, and Management covers the issue of child sexual abuse from several viewpoints. The book approaches child abuse from both victimization and offender perspectives, offering applied perspectives from experts and practitioners in the field, including discussions on policing, child safety and intelligence. This is a significant divergence from the literature most commonly provided in the market. Other sections cover psychological, physical abuse, and neglect, protective factors (at individual and community levels), recognition, responses, biopsychosocial outcomes (dealt with in discrete chapters), public policy, prevention, institutional abuse, children and corrections, treatment, management, and much more.

  • Preventing Domestic Homicides

    Lessons Learned from Tragedies
    • 1st Edition
    • Peter Jaffe + 2 more
    • English
    Preventing Domestic Homicides: Lessons Learned from Tragedies focuses on the diverse nature of domestic homicides and what has been learned about the most effective prevention strategies from emerging research and the work of domestic violence death review committees in Canada, the US, the UK, NZ and AU. Each chapter focuses on different populations—specific... older women, youth dating relationships, indigenous women, immigrant and refugee populations, rural/remote communities, same-sex relationships, homicides with police & military, domestic homicide in the workplace, and children killed in the context of domestic violence. Topics cover current research, risk factors, and include case studies from domestic homicide review committees. Cases are summarized regarding major themes and recommendations, such as public awareness, professional training, risk assessment, intervention and collaboration amongst service systems. Written for academic and domestic violence researchers in sociology, criminology, psychology and psychiatry by global contributors with on-the-ground domestic homicide experience.

  • Estimation of the Time since Death

    Current Research and Future Trends
    • 1st Edition
    • Jarvis Hayman + 1 more
    • English
    Estimation of the Time Since Death is a current comprehensive work on the methods and research advances into the time since death and human decomposition. This work provides practitioners a starting point for research and practice to assist with the identification and analysis of human remains. It contains a collection of the latest scientific research, various estimation methods, and includes case studies, to highlight methodological application to real cases. This reference first provides an introduction, including the early postmortem period, biochemical methods, and the value of entomology in estimating the time since death, along with other factors affecting the decomposition process. Further coverage explores importance of microbial communities in estimating time since death. Separate chapters on aquatic environments, carbon 14 dating and amino acid racemization, and total body scoring will round out the reference. The final chapter ties together the various themes in the context of the longest running human decomposition facility in the world and outlines future research directions.

  • Handbook of Loss Prevention and Crime Prevention

    • 6th Edition
    • Lawrence J. Fennelly
    • English
    Handbook of Loss Prevention and Crime Prevention, Sixth Edition, continues to serve as the preeminent, comprehensive resource for devising practical, modern solutions for securing people and property. The book presents the latest key applications for securing structures with Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), including plan review, report writing, presentation skills, lighting, zoning and behavioral management. Other sections address the latest issues related to active shooter situations, information technology, and international terrorism. Practical examples are provided, exploring applications for limiting retail crime and employing disaster readiness strategies. Edited by seasoned, trusted security practitioner Lawrence Fennelly, the book features contributions by some of the most well-known experts in the field. Readers will find this book to be a trusted resource for physical security professionals, students and certification candidates who must navigate, and make sense of, today’s most pressing domestic and international security issues.

  • Security Controls Evaluation, Testing, and Assessment Handbook

    • 2nd Edition
    • Leighton Johnson
    • English
    Security Controls Evaluation, Testing, and Assessment Handbook, Second Edition, provides a current and well-developed approach to evaluate and test IT security controls to prove they are functioning correctly. This handbook discusses the world of threats and potential breach actions surrounding all industries and systems. Sections cover how to take FISMA, NIST Guidance, and DOD actions, while also providing a detailed, hands-on guide to performing assessment events for information security professionals in US federal agencies. This handbook uses the DOD Knowledge Service and the NIST Families assessment guides as the basis for needs assessment, requirements and evaluation efforts.

  • POWER

    Police Officer Wellness, Ethics, and Resilience
    • 1st Edition
    • Konstantinos Papazoglou + 1 more
    • English
    Power: Police Officer Wellness, Ethics, and Resilience collectively presents the numerous psychic wounds experienced by peace officers in the line of duty, including compassion fatigue, moral injury, PTSD, operational stress injury, organizational and operational stress, and loss. Authors describe the negative repercussions of these psychic wounds in law enforcement decision-making, job performance, job satisfaction, and families. The book encompasses evidence-based strategies to assist law enforcement agencies in developing policy programs to promote wellness for their personnel. The evidence-based techniques presented allow officers to get a more tangible and better understanding of the techniques so that they apply those techniques when on and off-duty. With forewords authored by Dr. John Violanti (Distinguished Police Research Professor) and Dr. Tracie Keesee, Vice President of the Center of Policing Equity, this book is an excellent resource for police professionals, police wellness coordinators, early career researchers, mental health professionals who provide services to law enforcement officers and their families, and graduate students in psychology, forensic psychology, and criminal justice.

  • Behavioral Forensics

    Using Applied Behavior Analysis in Psychological Court Evaluations
    • 1st Edition
    • Douglas Ruben
    • English
    Behavioral Forensics: Using Applied Behavior Analysis in Psychological Court Evaluations presents the first compendia on the application of behavioral principles for the assessment and analysis of criminal behavior in court-ordered psychological evaluations. The book explains criminal motivation, risk behaviors, custody, criminal responsibility, and competence to stand trial. BFA employs principles and techniques of standard behavioral assessment in deducing causal evidence from interview and psychometric data. Sections cover evidence-based concepts and principles of BFA vs. obsolete forensic evaluation models, also including ten case studies that illustrate BFA in pre and post-sentencing evaluations that demonstrate how to determine risk of criminal recidivism or competency. Considering the unprecedented numbers of psychologists turning to forensic work and influx of graduate programs offering degrees in criminal behavior analysis, this book is a timely resource for a variety of readers.

  • Crime Lab Report

    An Anthology on Forensic Science in the Era of Criminal Justice Reform
    • 1st Edition
    • John M. Collins
    • English
    Crime Lab Report compiles the most relevant and popular articles that appeared in this ongoing periodical between 2007 and 2017. Articles have been categorized by theme to serve as chapters, with an introduction at the beginning of each chapter and a description of the events that inspired each article. The author concludes the compilation with a reflection on Crime Lab Report, the retired periodical, and the future of forensic science as the 21st Century unfolds. Intended for forensic scientists, prosecutors, defense attorneys and even students studying forensic science or law, this compilation provides much needed information on the topics at hand.

  • Effective Interviewing and Interrogation Techniques

    • 4th Edition
    • Nathan J. Gordon + 1 more
    • English
    Effective Interviewing and Interrogation Techniques believably answers the question, How do you know when someone is lying? It also provides a guide for interviewing probable suspects and interrogating likely perpetrators on techniques and tradecraft. This book covers topics about searching for truth and revealing lies. It presents forensic assessments based on psychophysiology, and assessments on the basis of non-verbal behavior. The book also covers interview and interrogation preparation, as well as question formulation. It discusses the Morgan Interview Theme Technique or MITT, and the Forensic Assessment Interview or FAINT. The book addresses techniques for interviewing children and the mentally challenged, and offers information about pre-employment interviews. It also explains how to understand aggressive behavior and how to deal with angry people. The 4th Edition adds several Chapters on how to ascertain maximum information from victims and witnesses. The book concludes by presenting future methods for searching for the truth. Law enforcement and security professionals, as well as prosecutors, criminal defense lawyers, and civil litigators will find this book invaluable.

  • Trends of Environmental Forensics in Pakistan

    • 1st Edition
    • Shazia Iftikhar
    • English
    Trends of Environmental Forensics in Pakistan covers a variety of topics, including discussions on alterations in soil chemistry that are related to the malicious effects of pesticides, variations in biosphere and hydrosphere due to deviating toxicological responses, evidence and datasets to highlight potential crimes, and the advent of biological warfare and its effects across the globe, and exclusively in Pakistan. Pakistan, a country comprised of vast climatic zones, ethnic groups, diverse faiths and profound biodiversity is also vulnerable to different devastating incidents, hence this book presents tactics and information that are critical to this region.

  • 3D Data Acquisition for Bioarchaeology, Forensic Anthropology, and Archaeology

    • 1st Edition
    • Noriko Seguchi + 1 more
    • English
    3D Data Acquisition for Bioarchaeology, Forensic Anthropology, and Archaeology serves as a handbook for the collection and processing of 3-D scanned data and as a tool for scholars interested in pursuing research projects with 3-D models. The book's chapters enhance the reader’s understanding of the technology by covering virtual model processing protocols, alignment methods, actual data acquisition techniques, basic technological protocols, and considerations of variation in research design associated with biological anthropology and archaeology.

  • The Chief Security Officer’s Handbook

    Leading Your Team into the Future
    • 1st Edition
    • Michael Allen
    • English
    The Chief Security Officer’s Handbook: Leading Your Team into the Future offers practical advice on how to embrace the future, align with your organizations mission, and develop a program that meets the needs of the enterprise. The book discusses real-life examples of what to do to align with other critical departments, how to avoid spending time and resources on unnecessary and outdated methods, and tomorrow’s security program. Today’s security executives need to help their industry, their organization and the next generation of security leaders to pioneer, optimize and transform every aspect of our programs, technologies and methods. The book is ideal for current chief security officers, aspiring security executives, and those interested in better understanding the critical need to modernize corporate security.

  • Forensic Examination of Signatures

    • 1st Edition
    • Linton A. Mohammed
    • English
    Forensic Examination of Signatures explains the neuroscience and kinematics of signature production, giving specific details of research carried out on the topic. It provides practical details for forensic examiners to consider when examining signatures, especially now that we are in an era of increasing digital signatures. Written by a foremost forensic document examiner, this reference provides FDEs, the legal community, the judiciary, and the academic community with a comprehensive record of the state-of-the-art of signature examination and plans for addressing future research into improving the reliability of FDEs.

  • Practicing Forensic Criminology

    • 1st Edition
    • Kevin Fox Gotham + 1 more
    • English
    Practicing Forensic Criminology draws on examples from actual court cases and expert witness reports and testimony to demonstrate the merits and uses of substantive criminological knowledge in the applied setting of civil law and the courts. Throughout the book, the authors provide a highly readable, informative discussion of how forensic criminologists can apply their research and teaching skills to assist judges and juries in rendering legal decisions. Engaging and lively, the chapters include excerpts from forensic criminological investigations, in-depth discussions of the methodological and analytical bases of these investigations, and important lessons learned from real litigation cases. Case examples are drawn from the forensic realms of premises liability, administrative negligence, workplace violence, wrongful conviction litigation, and litigation involving police departments and corrections facilities. Well referenced and thoroughly researched, Practicing Forensic Criminology serves as an introduction to the vast and heterogeneous field of forensic social science that is rapidly changing and expanding. This unique and original book guides readers through the research work of expert witnesses working as consultants, researchers, and crime analysts and investigators. Offering expert criminological insights into litigation cases, the chapters reveal how forensic social science research can be an effective mechanism for reaching beyond the academy to influence public policy reform and legal proceedings. Practicing Forensic Criminology will appeal to a diverse audience, including social scientists, criminal justice students and researchers, expert witnesses, attorneys, judges, and students of judicial proceedings seeking to understand the value and impact of criminology in the civil court system.

  • Homicide

    • 1st Edition
    • Wayne Petherick + 1 more
    • English
    Homicide examines the incidence and prevalence of homicide in major western nations, covering the biological, psychological and social roots of homicide from genetic and evolutionary perspectives, but also considering emotions and the influence of peers. Different types of homicide are discussed, with final chapters covering tactics for investigation and homicide prevention. Students and instructors in the areas of forensic science, sociology, criminology, psychology, psychiatry, justice and criminal justice at the university level will find this book to be a comprehensive resource, as will those researching homicide and related topics.

  • Quality Management in Forensic Science

    • 1st Edition
    • Sean Doyle
    • English
    Forensic science has been under scrutiny for some time, since the release of the NAS report in 2009. The report cited the need for standardized practices and the accreditation of crime labs. No longer can the forensic community take the position that cross-examination in a courtroom will expose weaknesses in methodology and execution. Quality Management in Forensic Science covers a wide spectrum of forensic disciplines, relevant ISO and non-ISO standards, accreditation and quality management systems necessary in any forensic science laboratory. Written by a globally well-respected forensic scientist with decades of experience in the forensic science laboratory and on the stand, as an expert witness who is also a Fellow of both the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. This book will be a must-have resource for all forensic science stakeholders, particularly law enforcement agents and lawyers less familiar with the impact of quality management on the reliability of scientific evidence.

  • The Crime Scene

    A Visual Guide
    • 2nd Edition
    • Marilyn T. Miller + 1 more
    • English
    The Forensic Crime Scene: A Visual Guide, Second Edition presents knowledgeable chapters on crime scene investigation, the various types of documentation, scene reconstruction, and the value of evidence and proper evidence collection. Additionally, a companion site hosts video and additional instructional materials. The primary goal of this book is to provide visual instruction on the correct way to process a forensic crime scene. By using photographs and video clips to show proper vs. improper procedures, the reader will be able to identify the correct principles required to process a scene.

  • Investigating Windows Systems

    • 1st Edition
    • Harlan Carvey
    • English
    Unlike other books, courses and training that expect an analyst to piece together individual instructions into a cohesive investigation, Investigating Windows Systems provides a walk-through of the analysis process, with descriptions of the thought process and analysis decisions along the way. Investigating Windows Systems will not address topics which have been covered in other books, but will expect the reader to have some ability to discover the detailed usage of tools and to perform their own research. The focus of this volume is to provide a walk-through of the analysis process, with descriptions of the thought process and the analysis decisions made along the way. A must-have guide for those in the field of digital forensic analysis and incident response.

  • The Psychology and Sociology of Wrongful Convictions

    Forensic Science Reform
    • 1st Edition
    • Wendy J Koen + 1 more
    • English
    Wrongful convictions are the result of faulty or false scientific evidence in 50% of the cases. Defense counsel is often at a great disadvantage in defending against evidence based on science. Illusory Evidence: The Psychology and Sociology of Wrongful Convictions is written for the non-scientist, to make complicated scientific information clear and concise enough for attorneys and judges to master. This is obtained by providing case studies to simplify issues in forensic psychology for the legal professional.

  • Multidisciplinary Medico-Legal Death Investigation

    Role of Consultants
    • 1st Edition
    • Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran + 1 more
    • English
    Multidisciplinary Medico-legal Death Investigation: Role of Consultants is the only book in the field that focuses on the role consultants have in medical examiner/coroner offices. The book provides a multidisciplinary view on the topic by including specialized fields, such as anesthesiology, surgery, radiology, including CT scan, pediatrics, cardiology-electroph... cardiac pathology, forensic anthropology and odontology, firearms examination, firearms, eye pathology and psychiatry/psycholog... Coverage also includes chapters on specialized topics, including high profile cases, the media, business continuity planning, envenomations, the importance of quality assurance and peer review, and quality assurance in a medico-legal death investigation office. This one-of-a-kind resource is ideal for those in the medico-legal death investigation field and professionals in the criminal and civil justice system.

  • Ethics and Professionalism in Forensic Anthropology

    • 1st Edition
    • Nicholas V. Passalacqua + 1 more
    • English
    Forensic anthropologists are confronted with ethical issues as part of their education, research, teaching, professional development, and casework. Despite the many ethical challenges that may impact forensic anthropologists, discourse and training in ethics are limited. The goal for Ethics and Professionalism in Forensic Anthropology is to outline the current state of ethics within the field and to start a discussion about the ethics, professionalism, and legal concerns associated with the practice of forensic anthropology.

  • Forensic Ecogenomics

    The Application of Microbial Ecology Analyses in Forensic Contexts
    • 1st Edition
    • T. Komang Ralebitso-Senior
    • English
    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.

  • HR Management in the Forensic Science Laboratory

    A 21st Century Approach to Effective Crime Lab Leadership
    • 1st Edition
    • John M. Collins
    • English
    HR Management in the Forensic Science Laboratory: A 21st Century Approach to Effective Crime Lab Leadership introduces the profession of forensic science to human resource management, and vice versa. The book includes principles of HR management that apply most readily, and most critically, to the practice of forensic science, such as laboratory operations, staffing and assignments, laboratory relations and high impact leadership. A companion website hosts workshop PowerPoint slides, a forensic HR newsletter and other important HR strategies to assist the reader.

  • Digital and Document Examination

    • 1st Edition
    • Max M. Houck
    • English
    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.

  • Crime Scene Investigation Laboratory Manual

    • 2nd Edition
    • Marilyn T Miller
    • English
    Crime Scene Investigation Laboratory Manual, Second Edition, is written by a former crime scene investigator and forensic scientist who provides practical, straightforward, and immediately applicable best practices. Readers will learn the latest techniques and procedures, including deconstructing first responder contamination, the preliminary walk-through, utilizing associative evidence, enhancing trace, biological and chemical evidence, and reconstructing scenes through wound dynamics, glass fracture patterns, bloodstain patterns, ballistics, and more. This lab manual provides information and examples for all aspects of crime scene investigation. In addition, included exercises teach the proper techniques for securing, documenting and searing a crime scene, how to visualize or enhance the evidence found, how to package and preserve the evidence, and how to reconstruct what happened at the crime scene. This manual is intended to accompany any crime scene investigation textbook.

  • Behavioral Analysis

    • 1st Edition
    • Max M. Houck
    • English
    Behavioral Analysis, the latest release in the Advanced Forensic Science series, an ongoing reference 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 forensic psychology, and is also an excellent reference for forensic psychologists. Coverage includes investigations, death and violence, abuse, other methods and professional issues. Edited by a world-renowned, leading forensic expert, the Advanced Forensic Science series is a long overdue solution for those in the forensic science community.

  • Forensic Taphonomy and Ecology of North American Scavengers

    • 1st Edition
    • Susan N. Sincerbox + 1 more
    • English
    Forensic Taphonomy and Ecology of North American Scavengers compiles research on vertebrate scavenging behavior from numerous academic fields, including ecology and forensic anthropology. Scavenging behavior can displace remains from their depositional context, confound postmortem interval estimation, destroy osteological markers, and inflict damage that mimics or disguises perimortem trauma. Consequently, the actions of vertebrate scavengers can significantly impact the medicolegal investigation of human remains. It is therefore critical when interpreting a death scene and its associated evidence that scavenging be recognized and the possible effects of scavenging behavior considered. This book is an ideal reference for both students and medicolegal professionals, serving as a field manual for the identification of common scavenging species known to modify human remains in North America. In addition, this book presents a framework to guide investigators in optimizing their approach to scavenged cases, promoting more complete recovery of human remains and the accuracy of forensic reconstructions of peri- and postmortem events.

  • An Atlas of Skeletal Trauma in Medico-Legal Contexts

    • 1st Edition
    • Soren Blau + 2 more
    • English
    Post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) is increasingly used in forensic pathology practice in many jurisdictions. Such imaging has expanded the capacity to evaluate skeletal trauma improving the visualisation, documentation and presentation of forensic findings. Typically when deceased persons are located and exhibit evidence of trauma, forensic pathologist, anthropologists and radiologists base their interpretations of the mechanism of trauma on their experience and understanding of the biomechanics of fractures as well as recognisable patterns of injury. In order to augment this process, An Atlas of Forensic Skeletal Trauma presents a range of de-identified adult and child skeletal trauma cases that occur in medico-legal contexts where the cause of death and mechanism of trauma are recorded. An Atlas of Forensic Skeletal Trauma includes comprehensive photographs and PMCT images as well as descriptive text.

  • New Perspectives in Forensic Human Skeletal Identification

    • 1st Edition
    • Krista E. Latham + 2 more
    • English
    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.

  • False Allegations

    Investigative and Forensic Issues in Fraudulent Reports of Crime
    • 1st Edition
    • Brent E. Turvey + 2 more
    • English
    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.

  • Biological Distance Analysis

    Forensic and Bioarchaeological Perspectives
    • 1st Edition
    • Marin A. Pilloud + 1 more
    • English
    Biological Distance Analysis: Forensic and Bioarchaeological Perspectives synthesizes research within the realm of biological distance analysis, highlighting current work within the field and discussing future directions. The book is divided into three main sections. The first section clearly outlines datasets and methods within biological distance analysis, beginning with a brief history of the field and how it has progressed to its current state. The second section focuses on approaches using the individual within a forensic context, including ancestry estimation and case studies. The final section concentrates on population-based bioarchaeological approaches, providing key techniques and examples from archaeological samples. The volume also includes an appendix with additional resources available to those interested in biological distance analyses.

  • Forensic Polymer Engineering

    Why Polymer Products Fail in Service
    • 2nd Edition
    • Peter Rhys Lewis
    • English
    Forensic Polymer Engineering: Why Polymer Products Fail in Service, Second Edition presents and explains the latest forensic engineering techniques used in the investigation of failed polymer materials that are illustrated with a very large number of detailed case studies which show the different types of failure and the forensic engineering techniques used in their investigation. In this updated edition, new case studies have been added to include patent disputes and failed products such as spiral wound wall storage tanks, lithium battery explosions, water bottle failures, and breast implant failures (such as the PIP scandal). New images demonstrating failure have been included, and images from the previous edition are reproduced in color and enhanced with additional explanatory detail. With a dedicated focus on polymeric materials, the book includes details on the experimental techniques that are used to characterize the materials, particularly in cases of failure. Finally, the book has information on the fabrication of polymer devices, as manufacturing flaws often play a role in failure.