Encyclopedia of Forensic Science - Hardcover

Bell, Suzanne

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0816048118 ISBN 13: 9780816048113

Publisher: Facts on File, 2003

Synopsis

Presents more than 600 terms and situations significant to forensic science, including blood stains, fingerprints, the O.J. Simpson case, and saliva.

About this title

Reviews

The popularity of books by Patricia Cornwell and television crime-solving shows like C.S.I. has brought forensic science to the forefront of popular culture. The Encyclopedia of Forensic Science seeks to narrow the gap between forensic fiction and the actual capabilities of forensic science by providing an overview to a very complex discipline.

With an emphasis on science, this volume covers such experiment and laboratory concepts as Control samples, Density, and Null hypothesis, along with laboratory equipment and various lab tests like chromatography and immunoassay. In addition to explaining the science of forensics, Bell, a research professor in forensic chemistry, reviews various disciplines related to forensic science, among them entomology, odontology, and psychology. Other entries cover professional organizations, government agencies, famous names in the field of forensics, evidence, and legal issues. There are also entries for cases such as the O. J. Simpson trial and the Lindbergh kidnapping. More than 600 topics related to forensic science are treated.

Descriptions vary in length from a sentence to four pages. Longer entries often have suggestions for further reading, usually one to three citations. There are illustrations and photographs throughout, as well as an eight-page color photograph insert. Numerous cross-references within entries provide a better understanding of the relationships among terms. In addition to the encyclopedia entries, Bell has also included 14 feature essays on such topics as "Myths of Forensic Science," "Careers in Forensic Science: A Reality Check," and "The 'Top Ten' Cases in Forensic Science."

This volume has substantially more entries than Encyclopedia of Forensic Science: A Compendium of Fact and Fiction (Oryx, 2002), though readers hoping for more case examples may prefer the latter. Encyclopedia of Forensic Sciences (Academic, 2000) is a much more scientific treatment. With its clear language and brief entries, the current volume will provide readers with a nuts-and-bolts understanding of the real world of forensic science and is recommended for public and undergraduate libraries. RBB
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Edition details

• Publisher: Facts on File
• Publication date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0816048118
• ISBN 13: 9780816048113
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 432