Criminalistics: Forensic Science, Crime and Terrorism, Second Edition

• New case studies and updated sections on analysis of fingerprints and questioned documents offer recent developments and findings in this critical field.
• Two new chapters on Chemistry and Biology equip readers with the foundation and tools necessary to understand more advanced topics.
• Extensive updating of Chapter 11 “Drug Use and Abuse,” provides the latest methods of drug testing and analysis by federal and state law enforcement agencies.

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Section  1  Introduction to Criminalistics
  Chapter  1  Investigating the Crime Scene
  Chapter  2  Investigating and Processing Physical Evidence
Section  2  Trace Evidence
  Chapter  3  Physical Properties: Forensic Characterization of Soil
  Chapter  4  The Microscope and Forensic Identification of Hair, Fibers and Paint
  Chapter  5  Forensic Analysis of Glass
Section  3  Pattern Evidence
  Chapter  6  Fingerprints
  Chapter  7  Questioned Documents
  Chapter  8  Firearms
Section  4  Chemical Evidence
  Chapter  9  Inorganic Analysis: Forensic Determination of Metals and Gunshot Residue
  Chapter  10  Arson
  Chapter  11  Drugs of Abuse
Section  5  Biological Evidence
  Chapter  12  Forensic Toxicology
  Chapter  13  Biological Fluids: Blood, Semen, Saliva, and an Introduction to DNA
  Chapter  14  Forensic DNA Typing
  Chapter  15  Computer Forensics, Cyber crime and Cyberterrorism
Section  6  Terrorism
  Chapter  16  Explosives
  Chapter  17  Detecting Weapons of Mass Destruction
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• The author has very succinctly put together crime scene investigation. There is no fluff here. The chapter looks at the fundamental steps to crime scene investigation. I would like to see a little more detail if wanting to put together an entire course. However, for a survey of forensic science course, this abbreviated chapter is appropriate. It was wise of the author to have omitted any crime scene reconstruction activities or to discuss the multitudes of visualization and enhancement methodologies and technologies. These topics are more often found in traditional crime scene investigation textbooks.
  On a whole, this text is very well suited for a criminal justice curriculum that offers courses relating to the analysis or application of forensic science to the testing of physical evidence. The text provides a sufficient amount of science for the criminal justice reader be able to apply the science to analyze the evidence correctly. The text is not appropriate for a science-based forensic science curriculum.

  -Marilyn T. Miller, EdD
  Associate professor in the Department of Forensic Science in the College of Humanities and Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University.
  Prior to teaching, Dr. Miller was a forensic scientist going to crime scenes and analyzing the evidence in forensic laboratories in PA, FL and NC. She has testified hundreds of times in federal and state courts in over a dozen states.
  Reviewed in the Ivestigative Sciences Journal, Volume 3, Number 1, March 2011

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• Introduction to Forensic Science
• Introduction to Criminalistics

Designed for undergraduate students without a science background. This text is also suitable for law enforcement training environments.

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• Chapter 1. Investigating the Crime Scene
  Chapter 1. Investigating the Crime Scene
• Front Matter
  Front Matter

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