Forensic Science Resources: Books/ebooks

As witnessed in landmark criminal cases, the quality and integrity of bloodstain evidence can be a crucial factor in determining a verdict. Since the first edition of Interpretation of Bloodstain Evidence at Crime Scenes was published, bloodstain pattern interpretation has continued to grow as a branch of forensic science. Revised and updated to reflect new technology and developments in the field, this third edition both expands the content to include new information, and replaces outdated theories of blood splatter physics with those more current. It also includes colored photography allowing readers to view other critical details in the stains.

Reflecting new discoveries in fingerprint science, Lee and Gaensslen's Advances in Fingerprint Technology, Third Edition has been completely updated with new material and nearly double the references contained in the previous edition. The book begins with a detailed review of current, widely used development techniques, as well as some older, histo

Over the last several years, new research and developments in analysis methods and practice have led to rapid advancements in forensic biology. Identifying critical points of knowledge and new methodological approaches in the field, Forensic Biology, Second Edition focuses on forensic serology and forensic DNA analysis. It provides students and professionals with a scientific grounding in biological evidence--both the techniques used to identify it and the methodology to analyze it.

Intended as a companion to the Fundamentals of Forensic DNA Typing volume published in 2009, Advanced Topics in Forensic DNA Typing: Methodology contains 18 chapters with 4 appendices providing up-to-date coverage of essential topics in this important field and citation to more than 2800 articles and internet resources. The book builds upon the previous two editions of John Butler's internationally acclaimed Forensic DNA Typing textbook with forensic DNA analysts as its primary audience.  This book provides the most detailed information written to-date on DNA databases, low-level DNA, validation, and numerous other topics including a new chapter on legal aspects of DNA testing to prepare scientists for expert witness testimony. Over half of the content is new compared to previous editions.

Microbial Forensics is a rapidly evolving scientific discipline. In the last decade, and particularly due to the anthrax letter attacks in the United States, microbial forensics has become more formalized and has played an increasingly greater role in crime investigations. This has brought renewed interest, development and application of new technologies, and new rules of forensic and policy engagement. A combination of diverse areas is investigated, including the major disciplines of biology, microbiology, medicine, chemistry, physics, statistics, population genetics, and computer science. A collection of microbiology, virology, toxicology and mycology as it relates to forensics, in one reference New and expanded content to include statistical analysis of forensic data and legal admissibility and the standards of evidence.

Insects and other arthropods found at a death scene can provide corroborating evidence regarding both the time and place of death as well as possible antimortem and postmortem treatment of the victim. Nevertheless, most forensic investigators are not specially trained in entomology, and until now, no entomology reference has fully explored these subjects. Forensic Entomology: The Utility of Arthropods in Legal Investigations usurps this void, instructing even individuals without a background in entomology on what to search for when recovering entomological evidence at a crime scene.

Now in its second edition, the best-selling Color Atlas of Forensic Medicine and Pathology is an easy-to-read reference covering forensic pathology principles, from basic to advanced concepts relating to all manners of death. Featuring over 1600 full-color images, including 400 more photographs than the first edition, this book provides unparalleled photographic illustration to enhance understanding for medical and non-medically trained personnel. Providing thorough visual demonstrations of postmortem changes of the human body, the book presents the different kinds of patterns produced in deaths resulting from Natural causes Diagnostic procedures Therapeutic procedures Substance abuse Poisoning Child abuse Firearms Blunt instruments Sharp instruments Burns Asphyxia The book also includes an entirely new section on histopathology. The text uses specific, detailed language to describe what is represented in each photo and to make side-by-side comparisons of similar but distinct pathologies. The Color Atlas of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, Second Editionis an invaluable professional reference for death investigators, medical examiners, and forensic pathologists.

The investigation of sudden or unexplained death of children represents a unique medical and forensic area of study. Children have unique anatomic and functional characteristics that must be recognized and understood by the medical investigator. Further complicating this process is the fact that the anatomic structure, composition and function of various organs and organ systems in the pediatric population change throughout the developmental stages of childhood. The disease processes, reactions to trauma and risk factors for accidental death and homicide change from infancy through adolescence.   Forensic Pathology of Infancy and Childhood provides an authoritative, comprehensive reference text devoted to the medicolegal investigation of sudden unexpected death in children. With contributions from internationally renowned experts, individual chapters focus on specific unique causes and organ systems with detailed accounts of the changes in fatal diseases, risk factors of causes of sudden death, and responses to fatal trauma that occur as a child grows from neonatal stage through infancy, toddlerhood, childhood and adolescence. This text is an essential reference resource for forensic pathologists, medical examiner offices, pediatric pathologists, pediatric hospitals, anatomic pathologists and those in training as well as those in related legal professions.       

Over the past several years, myriad manuals on crime scene investigations have been published with each focusing on select, or partial, aspects of the investigation. Crime scene investigation, done right, is a multi-faceted process that requires various forms of evidence to be collected, examined, and analyzed. No book available has addressed procedures to present global best practices by assembling a collection of international experts to address such topics. Manual of Crime Scene Investigation is a comprehensive collaboration of experts writing on their particular areas of expertise as relates to crime scenes, evidence, and crime scene investigation. The book outlines best practices in the field, incorporating the latest technology to collect, preserve, and enhance evidence for appropriate analysis. Various types of forensic evidence are addressed, covering chain of custody, collection, and utility of such evidence in casework, investigations, and for use in court. The approach, and use of international contributor experts, will appeal to a broad audience and be of use to forensic practitioners, and the forensic science community worldwide. Key features: * Assembles an international team of contributing author experts to present the latest developments in their crime scene field of specialty * Examines global best practices and what are consistently the most reliable tactics and approach to crime scene evidence collection, preservation, and investigation * Provides numerous photographs and diagrams to clearly illustrate chapter concepts Manual of Crime Scene Investigation serves as a vital resource to professionals in police science and crime scene investigations, private forensic institutions, and academics researching how better real-world application of techniques can improve the reliability and utility of evidence upon forensic and laboratory analysis.

A completely revised and updated edition that teaches the essentials of forensic biology, with increased coverage of molecular biological techniques and new information on wildlife forensics, wound analysis and the potential of microbiomes as forensic indicators This fully revised and updated introduction to forensic biology carefully guides the reader through the science of biology in legal investigations. Full-colour throughout, including many new images, it offers an accessible overview to the essentials of the subject, providing balanced coverage of the range of organisms used as evidence in forensic investigations, such as invertebrates, vertebrates, plants and microbes. The book provides an accessible overview of the decay process and discusses the role of forensic indicators like human fluids and tissues, including bloodstain pattern analysis, hair, teeth, bones and wounds. It also examines the study of forensic biology in cases of suspicious death.  This third edition of Essential Forensic Biology expands its coverage of molecular techniques throughout, offering additional material on bioterrorism and wildlife forensics. The new chapter titled 'Wildlife Forensics' looks at welfare legislation, CITES and the use of forensic techniques to investigate criminal activity such as wildlife trafficking and dog fighting. The use of DNA and RNA for the identification of individuals and their personal characteristics is now covered as well, along with a discussion of the ethical issues associated with the maintenance of DNA databases. Fully revised and updated third edition of the successful student-friendly introduction to the essentials of Forensic Biology Covers a wide variety of legal investigations such as homicide, suspicious death, neglect, real and fraudulent claims for the sale of goods unfit for purpose, the illegal trade in protected species of plants and animals and bioterrorism Discusses the use of a wide variety of biological material for forensic evidence Supported by a website that includes numerous photographs, interactive MCQs, self-assessment quizzes and a series of questions and topics for further study to enhance student understanding Includes a range of important, key case studies in which the difficulties of evaluating biological evidence are highlighted Essential Forensic Biology, Third Edition is an excellent guide for undergraduates studying forensic science and forensic biology.  

Forensic DNA Trace Evidence Interpretation: Activity Level Propositions and Likelihood Ratios provides all foundational information required for a reader to understand the practice of evaluating forensic biology evidence given activity level propositions, and to implement the practice into active casework within a forensic institution. The book begins by explaining basic concepts and foundational theory, pulling together research and studies that have accumulated in forensic journal literature over the last 20 years. The book explains the laws of probability, showing how they can used to derive, from first principles, the likelihood ratio, used throughout the book to express the strength of evidence for any evaluation. Concepts such as the hierarchy of propositions, the difference between experts working in an investigative or evaluative mode, and the practice of case assessment and interpretation are explained to provide the reader a broad grounding in the topics that are important to understanding evaluation of evidence. Activity level evaluations are discussed in relation to biological material transferred from one object to another, the ability for biological material to persist on an item for a period of time or through an event, the ability to recover the biological material from the object when sampled for forensic testing, and the expectations of the prevalence of biological material on objects in our environment. These concepts of transfer, persistence, prevalence, and recovery are discussed in detail in addition to the factors that affect each of them. The authors go on to explain the evaluation process: how to structure case information and how to formulate propositions. This includes how a likelihood ratio formula can be derived to evaluate the forensic findings, introducing Bayesian Networks and explaining what they represent and how they can be used in evaluations, and showing how evaluation can be tested for robustness. Using these tools, the authors also demonstrate the ways that the methods used in activity level evaluations are applied to questions about body fluids. There are also chapters dedicated to reporting of results and implementation of activity level evaluation in a working forensic laboratory. Throughout the book four cases are used as examples to demonstrate how to relate the theory to practice and detail how laboratories can integrate and implement activity level evaluation into their active casework.