Pioneers in Forensic Science

Pioneers in Forensic Science
Author: Kelly M. Pyrek
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 304
Release: 2017-08-07
Genre: Law
ISBN: 1498785301

This book highlights the contributions of leading forensic science practitioners, iconic figures who have been integral in both establishing current scientific and medicolegal practices and innovative evidence collection, testing, and analysis methods. Such professionals include Henry Lee, Michael Baden, William Bass, Jay Siegel, John Butler, Cyril Wecht, Vincent Di Maio, Marcella Fierro, Barry Fisher, and more. Previously unpublished interviews with these pioneers in the field, expressly undertaken for the purposes this book, examine the last 30 years—past trends that have shaped the field—as well as current and emerging trends that have, and will shape, the future of forensic science.

Forensic Science

Forensic Science
Author: Lisa Yount
Publisher: Infobase Publishing
Total Pages: 224
Release: 2007
Genre: Criminal investigation
ISBN: 160413061X

Identifies specific scientists and their contributions to advances in various fields of forensics.

The Father of Forensics

The Father of Forensics
Author: Colin Evans
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 334
Release: 2006-08-01
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1440684723

Before there was CSI, there was one man who saw beyond the crime and into the future of forensic science. His name was Bernard Spilsbury—and, through his use of cutting-edge science, he single-handedly brought criminal investigations into the modern age. Starting out as a young, charismatic physician in early twentieth-century Britain, Spilsbury hit the English justice system—and the front pages—like a cannonball, garnering a reputation as a real-life Sherlock Holmes. He uncovered evidence others missed, stood above his peers in the field of crime reconstruction, relentlessly exposed discrepancies between witness testimony and factual evidence, and most importantly, convicted dozens of murderers with hard-nosed, scientific proof. This is the fascinating story of the life and work of Bernard Spilsbury, history’s greatest medical detective, and of the cases that not only made him a celebrity, but also inspired the astonishing science of criminal investigation in our own time.

Silent Witnesses

Silent Witnesses
Author: Nigel McCrery
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
Total Pages: 298
Release: 2014-09-01
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1613730055

Crime novelist and former police officer Nigel McCrery provides an account of all the major areas of forensic science from around the world over the past two centuries. The book weaves dramatic narrative and scientific principles together in a way that allows readers to figure out crimes along with the experts. Readers are introduced to such fascinating figures as Dr. Edmond Locard, the "French Sherlock Holmes"; Edward Heinrich, "Wizard of Berkeley," who is credited with having solved more than 2,000 crimes; and Alphonse Bertillon, the French scientist whose guiding principle, "no two individuals share the same characteristics," became the core of criminal identification. Landmark crime investigations examined in depth include a notorious murder involving blood evidence and defended by F. Lee Bailey, the seminal 1936 murder that demonstrated the usefulness of the microscope in examining trace evidence, the 1849 murder of a wealthy Boston businessman that demonstrated how difficult it is to successfully dispose of a corpse, and many others.

American Sherlock

American Sherlock
Author: Evan E. Filby
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 313
Release: 2019-07-31
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1538129191

Luke S. May played a significant role in the development of scientific methods of crime investigation. Although basically self-taught in scientific matters, May spent over a half century practicing scientific crime detection and built a solid reputation among police agencies and attorneys in the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada as a serious and effective scientific investigator. This reputation as "America's Sherlock Holmes" also led to his being consulted on the establishment of the first full service public American crime laboratory at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, and on a laboratory for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police at Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. When May began, few people, anywhere, used scientific tools to investigate crime. Except for a couple of minimal installations in Europe, there were no crime labs. So to solve his cases – criminal and civil – May improved or invented techniques in every area of forensic science in the era before public crime laboratories. Along the way, he exchanged ideas with many other well-known crime fighting pioneers. American Sherlock: Remembering a Pioneer in Scientific Crime Investigation is the biography of this innovative criminologist, giving a case-based account of his life and honoring him as one of the pioneers of scientific crime detection.

The Poisoner's Handbook

The Poisoner's Handbook
Author: Deborah Blum
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 338
Release: 2011-01-25
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 1101524898

Equal parts true crime, twentieth-century history, and science thriller, The Poisoner's Handbook is "a vicious, page-turning story that reads more like Raymond Chandler than Madame Curie." —The New York Observer “The Poisoner’s Handbook breathes deadly life into the Roaring Twenties.” —Financial Times “Reads like science fiction, complete with suspense, mystery and foolhardy guys in lab coats tipping test tubes of mysterious chemicals into their own mouths.” —NPR: What We're Reading A fascinating Jazz Age tale of chemistry and detection, poison and murder, The Poisoner's Handbook is a page-turning account of a forgotten era. In early twentieth-century New York, poisons offered an easy path to the perfect crime. Science had no place in the Tammany Hall-controlled coroner's office, and corruption ran rampant. However, with the appointment of chief medical examiner Charles Norris in 1918, the poison game changed forever. Together with toxicologist Alexander Gettler, the duo set the justice system on fire with their trailblazing scientific detective work, triumphing over seemingly unbeatable odds to become the pioneers of forensic chemistry and the gatekeepers of justice. In 2014, PBS's AMERICAN EXPERIENCE released a film based on The Poisoner's Handbook.

Forensic Science in Wildlife Investigations

Forensic Science in Wildlife Investigations
Author: Adrian Linacre
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 180
Release: 2009-03-12
Genre: Law
ISBN: 0849304113

Bringing together the most recent literature, this book provides an in-depth look at the field of wildlife forensic examination. Offering practical guidance, it helps investigators and lab technicians decide on best methods, including a determination of when basic microscopy is sufficient, when DNA testing should occur, and what tests or combination of tests should be executed in a particular circumstance. The text illustrates how to identify the species and geographic region of origin of an unknown sample. International contributors separate truth from myth in providing information and insight regarding the wide scope of endangered animal trafficking for meats, arts, curios, aphrodisiacs, and traditional medicines.Selected Contents: CITES

Technology in Forensic Science

Technology in Forensic Science
Author: Deepak Rawtani
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 412
Release: 2020-11-02
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 3527347623

The book "Technology in Forensic Science" provides an integrated approach by reviewing the usage of modern forensic tools as well as the methods for interpretation of the results. Starting with best practices on sample taking, the book then reviews analytical methods such as high-resolution microscopy and chromatography, biometric approaches, and advanced sensor technology as well as emerging technologies such as nanotechnology and taggant technology. It concludes with an outlook to emerging methods such as AI-based approaches to forensic investigations.

Crime Reconstruction

Crime Reconstruction
Author: W. Jerry Chisum
Publisher: Academic Press
Total Pages: 746
Release: 2011-08-09
Genre: Law
ISBN: 0123864615

Crime Reconstruction, Second Edition is an updated guide to the interpretation of physical evidence, written for the advanced student of forensic science, the practicing forensic generalist and those with multiple forensic specialists. It is designed to assist reconstructionists with understanding their role in the justice system; the development and refinement of case theory' and the limits of physical evidence interpretation. Chisum and Turvey begin with chapters on the history and ethics of crime reconstruction and then shift to the more applied subjects of reconstruction methodology and practice standards. The volume concludes with chapters on courtroom conduct and evidence admissibility to prepare forensic reconstructionists for what awaits them when they take the witness stand. Crime Reconstruction, Second Edition, remains an unparalleled watershed collaborative effort by internationally known, qualified, and respected forensic science practitioner holding generations of case experience among them. Forensic pioneer such as W. Jerry Chisum, John D. DeHaan, John I. Thorton, and Brent E. Turvey contribute chapters on crime scene investigation, arson reconstruction, trace evidence interpretation, advanced bloodstain interpretation, and ethics. Other chapters cover the subjects of shooting incident reconstruction, interpreting digital evidence, staged crime scenes, and examiner bias. Rarely have so many forensic giants collaborated, and never before have the natural limits of physical evidence been made so clear. - Updates to the majority of chapters, to comply with the NAS Report - New chapters on forensic science, crime scene investigation, wound pattern analysis, sexual assault reconstruction, and report writing - Updated with key terms, chapter summaries, discussion questions, and a comprehensive glossary; ideal for those teaching forensic science and crime reconstruction subjects at the college level - Provides clear practice standards and ethical guidelines for the practicing forensic scientist