Crime Scene Investigation

One of the nation's leading forensic pathologists introduces a collection of real-life murder cases and shows how forensic experts draw on the latest techniques and advances to examine the evidence and find the culprits, in an illustrated overview of a wide range of investigative procedures. 15,000 first printing.

Adult/High School–A compelling feature of this well-organized book is its measured, clinical depiction of professional procedures that underlie "medicolegal analysis" of a crime scene. Eight chapters address the sequential stages of an investigation, moving from the duties of first responders and forensic specialists to the mission of geographic or psychological profilers, addressing the roles of media and crime reporters, and focusing finally on painstaking preparations for going to trial. Twenty high-profile cases are excerpted in sidebars, with brief statements as to date/circumstances of the crime, followed by descriptions of how physical evidence was accumulated, what challenges were encountered, and summaries of trial outcomes. Brief, first-person "day in the life of" accounts were contributed by practitioners with substantial career experience in forensic specialties such as pathology, epidemiology, and toxicology, enriching the explanations of ballistics, DNA analysis, autopsy equipment, the dynamics of criminal interrogation, and more. Effective use is made of color photos and charts throughout. The current popularity of TV dramatizations such as CSI might lead students to pick up this book initially, but it is likely to be the appealing format, clear scientific explanations, and authenticity of the authors' career insights that keep them reading. Steering clear of sensationalism, this is a methodical presentation of complex homicide investigations in which integrated teamwork among disciplines is cast as a crucial element of success.–Lynn Nutwell, Fairfax City Regional Library, VA
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Lovers of CSI and Law and Order who want a better understanding of the crime-investigation process will find much to enjoy in this volume by noted forensic pathologist Wecht, a coroner for Allegheny County, Pa. Drawing on notable real-life cases (such as Charles Manson and Ted Bundy), Wecht’s book takes readers step-by-step through an investigation: from the crime scene to the inquiry and forensic analysis to the arrest and trial. Along the way it explains what the role of a criminalist is, how time of death is determined, how fingerprints are classified and how samples of a suspect’s hair can be microscopically compared with hair found on the victim. There’s a chapter on forensic psychology (understanding criminal motives and the role of psychosis), and sidebars offer first-person accounts of "a day in the life of" a wide range of people involved in criminal investigation, including a forensic photographer, a criminal intelligence analyst and a crime reporter. With lots of photos and illustrations, this book is about as close as you can get to an actual criminal investigation without joining the police force.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.