There is no scientist in the world like Dr. Bill Bass. A pioneer in forensic anthropology, Bass created the world's first laboratory dedicated to the study of human decomposition—three acres of land on a hillside in Tennessee where human bodies are left to the elements. His research at "the Body Farm" has revolutionized forensic science, helping police crack cold cases and pinpoint time of death. But during a forensics career that spans half a century, Bass and his work have ranged far beyond the gates of the Body Farm. In this riveting book, the bone sleuth explores the rise of modern forensic science, using fascinating cases from his career to take readers into the real world of C.S.I. Some of Bill Bass's cases rely on the simplest of tools and techniques, such as reassembling—from battered torsos and a stack of severed limbs—eleven people hurled skyward by an explosion at an illegal fireworks factory. Other cases hinge on sophisticated techniques Bass could not have imagined when he began his career: harnessing scanning electron microscopy to detect trace elements in knife wounds; and extracting DNA from a long-buried corpse, only to find that the female murder victim may have been mistakenly identified a quarter-century before.In Beyond the Body Farm, readers will follow Bass as he explores the depths of an East Tennessee lake with a twenty-first-century sonar system, in a quest for an airplane that disappeared with two people on board thirty-five years ago; see Bass exhume fifties pop star "the Big Bopper" to determine what injuries he suffered in the plane crash that killed three rock and roll legends on "the day the music died"; and join Bass as he works to decipher an ancient Persian death scene nearly three thousand years old. Witty and engaging, Bass dissects the methods used by homicide investigators every day, leading readers on an extraordinary journey into the high-tech science that it takes to crack a case. Read more

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. Read more

For introductory courses in Forensic Science and Crime Scene InvestigationA clear introduction to the technology of the modern crime laboratory for non-scientists Criminalistics: An Introduction to Forensic Science, Twelfth Edition, uses clear writing, case stories, and modern technology to capture the pulse and fervor of forensic science investigations. Written for readers with no scientific background, only the most relevant scientific and technological concepts are presented. The nature of physical evidence is defined, and the limitations that technology and current knowledge impose on its individualization and characterization are examined. A major portion of the text centers on discussions of the common items of physical evidence encountered at crime scenes. Particular attention is paid to the meaning and role of probability in interpreting the evidential significance of scientifically evaluated evidence. Updated throughout, the Twelfth Edition includes a new chapter on the exciting field of forensic biometrics. With its easy-to-understand writing and straightforward presentation, this best-selling text is clear and comprehensible to a wide variety of students. Read more

With today's popular television programs about criminal justice and crime scene investigation and the surge of detective movies and books, students often have a passion for exploring forensic science. Now you can guide that excitement into a profitable learning experience with the help of the innovative, new FORENSIC SCIENCE: FUNDAMENTALS AND INVESTIGATIONS, 2012 UPDATE. This dynamic, visually powerful text has been carefully crafted to ensure solid scientific content and an approach that delivers precisely what you need for your high school course. Now an established best-seller, FORENSIC SCIENCE: FUNDAMENTALS AND INVESTIGATIONS, 2012 UPDATE offers a truly experiential approach that engages students in active learning and emphasizes the application of integrated science in your course. Student materials combine math, chemistry, biology, physics, and earth science with content aligned to the National Science Education Standards, clearly identified by icons. This book balances extensive scientific concepts with hands-on classroom and lab activities, readings, intriguing case studies, and chapter-opening scenarios. The book's exclusive Gale Forensic Science eCollection™ database provides instant access to hundreds of journals and Internet resources that spark the interest of today's high school students. The updated edition includes ten new capstone projects that integrate the concepts learned throughout the text. Comprehensive, time-saving teacher support and lab activities deliver exactly what you need to ensure that students receive a solid, integrated science education that keeps readers at all learning levels enthused about science. FORENSIC SCIENCE: FUNDAMENTALS AND INVESTIGATIONS, 2012 UPDATE sets the standard in high school forensic science . . . case closed.Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version. Read more

A pioneer in forensic anthropology, Dr. Bill Bass created the world's first laboratory dedicated to the study of human decomposition—three acres on a hillside in Tennessee where human bodies are left to the elements. His research has revolutionized forensic science, but during a career that has spanned half a century, Bass and his work have ranged far beyond the gates of the "Body Farm."In this riveting book, the renowned bone sleuth explores the rise of modern forensic science and takes readers deep into the real world of crime scene investigation. Beyond the Body Farm is an extraordinary journey through some of the most fascinating investigations of Dr. Bass's career—and a remarkable look at the high-tech science used to crack the most perplexing cases. Read more

Blood, Bullets, and Bones provides young readers with a fresh and fascinating look at the ever-evolving science of forensics. Since the introduction of DNA testing, forensic science has been in the forefront of the public’s imagination, thanks especially to popular television shows like CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. But forensic analysis has been practiced for thousands of years. Ancient Chinese detectives studied dead bodies for signs of foul play, and in Victorian England, officials used crime scene photography and criminal profiling to investigate the Jack the Ripper murders. In the intervening decades, forensic science has evolved to use the most cutting-edge, innovative techniques and technologies.In this book, acclaimed author Bridget Heos uses real-life cases to tell the history of modern forensic science, from the first test for arsenic poisoning to fingerprinting, firearm and blood spatter analysis, DNA evidence, and all the important milestones in between. By turns captivating and shocking, Blood, Bullets, and Bones demonstrates the essential role forensic science has played in our criminal justice system. Read more

With today's popular television programs about criminal justice and crime scene investigation and the surge of detective movies and books, students often have a passion for exploring forensic science. Now you can guide that excitement into a profitable learning experience with the help of the innovative, new FORENSIC SCIENCE: FUNDAMENTALS AND INVESTIGATIONS, 2E. This dynamic, visually powerful text has been carefully crafted to ensure solid scientific content and an approach that delivers precisely what you need for your high school course. Now an established best-seller, FORENSIC SCIENCE: FUNDAMENTALS AND INVESTIGATIONS, 2E offers a truly experiential approach that engages students in active learning and emphasizes the application of integrated science in your course. Student materials combine math, chemistry, biology, physics, and earth science with content aligned to the National Science Education Standards, clearly identified by icons. This book balances extensive scientific concepts with hands-on classroom and lab activities, readings, intriguing case studies, and chapter-opening scenarios. The book's exclusive Gale Forensic Science eCollection™ database provides instant access to hundreds of journals and Internet resources that spark the interest of today's high school students. The new edition includes one new chapter on entomology and new capstone projects that integrate the concepts learned throughout the text. Comprehensive, time-saving teacher support and lab activities deliver exactly what you need to ensure that students receive a solid, integrated science education that keeps readers at all learning levels enthused about science. FORENSIC SCIENCE: FUNDAMENTALS AND INVESTIGATIONS, 2E sets the standard in high school forensic science . . . case closed. Read more

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Alcohol, Drugs, and Impaired Driving addresses many theoretical and practical issues related to the role played by alcohol and other psychoactive drugs on driving performance, road-traffic safety, and public health. Several key forensic issues are involved in the enforcement of laws regulating driving under the influence of alcohol and/or other drugs, including analytical toxicology, pharmacology of drug action, as well as the relationships between dose taken, concentration levels in the body, and impairment of performance and behavior. Our knowledge of drunken driving is much more comprehensive than drugged driving, so a large part of this book is devoted to alcohol impairment, as well as impairment caused by use of drugs other than alcohol.For convenience, the book is divided into four main sections. The first sectiongives some historical background about measuring alcohol in blood and breath as evidence for the prosecution of traffic offenders. The important role of the Breathalyzer instrument in traffic-law enforcement, especially in Australia, Canada, and the USA is presented along with a biographical sketch of its inventor (Professor Robert F. Borkenstein of Indiana University) with focus on the man, his work and his impact. The second section discusses several issues related to forensic blood and breath-alcohol alcohol analysis as evidence for prosecution of traffic offenders. This includes how the results should be interpreted in relation to impairment and an evaluation of common defense challenges. Because most countries have adopted concentration per se laws, the main thrust of the prosecution case is the suspect’s measured blood- or breath-alcohol concentration. This legal framework necessitates that the analytical methods used are "fit for purpose" and are subjected to rigorous quality assurance procedures. The third section gives a broad overview of the current state of knowledge about driving under the influence of non-alcohol drugs in various countries. This includes adoption of zero-tolerance laws, concentration per se statutes, and clinical evidence of driver impairment based on field sobriety tests and drug recognition expert evidence. The fourth section deals with epidemiology, enforcement, and countermeasures aimed at reducing the threat of drunken and drugged driving.All articles have appeared previously in the international journal Forensic Science Review, but all are completely updated with current data, references, and the latest research on developments since the articles were published. This book contains a convenient collection of the best articles covering recommendations for blood and breath testing methods, public policy relating to such methods, and forensic and legal implications of the enforcement of measures to counter driving under the influence. Read more

Forensic anthropologists may be consulted when human remains are found at an archaeological excavation or at a crime scene. Here's a look at how anthropologists analyze skeletal remains to learn about the deceased—their age and gender, how they may have lived, and their overall state of health prior to death. Featuring full-color photographs from actual forensic cases, this book provides specific information on procedures, tools of the trade, and the science behind this fascinating field, as well as the challenges faced by today's practitioners. Read more

Forensic Chemistry: Fundamentals and Applications presents a new approach to the study of applications of chemistry to forensic science. It is edited by one of the leading forensic scientists with each chapter written by international experts specializing in their respective fields, and presents the applications of chemistry, especially analytical chemistry, to various topics that make up the forensic scientists toolkit.This comprehensive, textbook includes in-depth coverage of the major topics in forensic chemistry including: illicit drugs, fibers, fire and explosive residues, soils, glass and paints, the chemistry of fingerprint recovery on porous surfaces, the chemistry of firearms analysis, as well as two chapters on the key tools of forensic science, microscopy and chemometrics. Each topic is explored at an advanced college level, with an emphasis, throughout the text, on the use of chemical tools in evidence analysis.Forensic Chemistry: Fundamentals and Applications is essential reading for advanced students of forensic science and analytical chemistry, as well as forensic science practitioners, researchers and faculty, and anyone who wants to learn about the fascinating subject of forensic chemistry in some depth.This book is published as part of the AAFS series 'Forensic Science in Focus'. Read more