The Science of Crime Scenes addresses the science of crime scene investigation and processing, including the latest methods and technologies. This book covers the philosophy of crime scenes as historical events, the personnel involved at a scene (including the media), the detection of criminal traces and their reconstruction, and special crime scenes, such as mass disasters and terrorist events. Written by an international trio of authors with decades of crime scene experience, it is the next generation of crime scene textbooks.
The book provides in-depth coverage of disasters and mass murder, terror crime scenes, and CBRN (chemical, biological, radioactive and nuclear) – topics not covered in any other text. It includes an instructor website with lecture slides, test bank, outlines, definitions, and activities, along with a student companion site with an image collection.
This text will be of interest to advanced undergraduate and graduate students in forensic science programs, as well as to forensic practitioners and crime scene technicians.
Key Features
- Offers a science-based approach to crime scene investigation
- Includes in-depth coverage of disasters and mass murder, terror crime scenes, and CBRN (chemical, biological, radioactive and nuclear) – not covered in any other text
- Written by an international trio of authors with decades of crime scene experience
- Instructor website with lecture slides, test bank, outlines, definitions, and activities, and a student companion site with an image collection
Dedication
Foreword
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Section 1 The Science of Crime Scene Investigation
Chapter 1.0. The “Forensic Mindset¿
Forensic Professionals Are Knowledge Workers
Hunting as an Origin for Forensic Science
Trifles, Traces, and Clues
From Science to Art to Literature
Evidence Is Proxy Data
Conclusion
References and Bibliography
Chapter 1.1. From Scene to Laboratory to Court
Access to the Scene
Sensitivity to Initial Conditions
Downstream Effects
Documentation
Chain of Custody
Submitting Evidence for Analysis
Conclusion: Evidence in the Courtroom
References and Bibliography
Chapter 2.0. What Is a Crime Scene?
Introduction
A Definition
Staged Crime Scenes
Conclusion
References and Bibliography
Chapter 2.1. Crime Scene Intelligence
Connections through Contact: Transfer and Persistence
Classification and Resolution
Individualization of Evidence
Relationships and Context
Known and Questioned Items
Conclusion
References and Bibliography
Section 2 Personnel and Procedures
Chapter 3.0. Personnel
Forensic Scientist Focus
Time and Money
Contamination
Logistics
Building the Team
Conclusion
References and Bibliography
Chapter 3.1. First Responder on the Scene
Competing Responsibilities
Securing the Scene
Preserving the Scene
Releasing the Scene
Conclusion
References and Bibliography
Chapter 3.2. The Investigator in Charge
Security at the Crime Scene
Leadership at the Scene
Conclusion
References
Chapter 3.3. The Forensic Team
A Forensic Team
Conclusion
Reference
Chapter 3.4. Nonforensic Personnel
Information: Two Points of View
The Public as Reporters
Communicating to Superiors
Conclusion
Bibliography
Chapter 4.0. General Crime Scene Procedure
Chapter 4.1. “Freezing¿ the Scene and the Three R’s (Recognize, Recover, and Record)
Death Investigations
Preliminary Search
Recognizing Evidence
Recovering Evidence
Recording Evidence
Conclusion
Chapter 4.2. The Chain of Custody
A Chain of Custody Example
Problems with Chains of Custody
Conclusion
Chapter 4.3. Recording the Scene
Crime Scene Photography
Video
Measurements
Sketching
Geographic Information Systems (GISs) and Crime Mapping
Conclusion
Reference
Section 3 Detection and Reconstruction
Chapter 5.0. Searching for Evidence
From Trace to Proof, or Why Only Finding a Trace Is Not Sufficient
Which Evidence Is Useful?
The Search for Evidence
Conclusion
References and Bibliography
Chapter 5.1. Detecting
What Is Light and How Do We See an Object?
Luminescence
From Theory to Practice: The Forensic Light Source
General Crime Scene Screening
Photoluminescence
Specific Crime Scene Screening
References and Bibliography
Chapter 5.2. Collection
Types of Evidence to Collect
Materials and Containers
Available Techniques to Collect Evidence
References and Bibliography
Chapter 5.3. Preserving
Threats to Evidence
Safety at the Scene
Conclusion
References and Bibliography
Chapter 5.4. Submitting Evidence to the Laboratory
General Submission Guidelines
Biological Evidence
Trace Evidence
Impression Evidence
Explosives
Physical Match
Firearms Evidence
Toolmark Evidence
Latent Prints Evidence
Chapter 6.0. Evidence Types and Enhancement
Chapter 6.1. Chemical Evidence
Drugs
Arson
Explosives
GSR
Restoration of Serial Numbers
References and Bibliography
Chapter 6.2. Biological Evidence
DNA and Trace DNA
References and Bibliography
Chapter 6.3. Impression Evidence
Object Traces
References and Bibliography
Chapter 6.4. Other Types of Evidence
Questioned Documents
Computers, Cellphones, and Other Mass Storages
Pollen
Bones
Insects and Time Since Death
Diatoms
Odors
Conclusion
References and Bibliography
Chapter 7.0. Crime Scene Reconstruction
Conclusion
References and Bibiliography
Chapter 7.1. An Archaeological Approach
Of Artifacts and Evidence
Terminology
Time and Space
Conclusion
References and Bibliography
Chapter 7.2. Bloodstain Pattern Analysis
Directionality
Grouping Bloodstains
Droplet Size and Force
Types of Bloodstains
Conclusion
Reference
Chapter 7.3. Photogrammetry and 3D Reconstruction
Photogrammetry
3D Laser Scanners
Conclusion
References and Bibliography
Section 4 Special Crime Scenes
Chapter 8.0. Special Crime Scenes
Chapter 8.1. Disaster and Mass Fatalities
The Disaster Scene
Human Remains
Conclusion
Bibliography
Chapter 8.2. Terrorist Crime Scenes
Conclusion
References and Bibliography
Chapter 8.3. CBRN Crime Scenes
Preparing for Forensic Collection
Collecting Relevant Evidence
Entering the Hot Crime Scene
An Operative Flowchart
Conclusion
References and Bibliography
Chapter 8.4. Underwater and Underground Crime Scenes
Underwater Scenes
Locating the Scene
Working the Scene
Preservation of Materials in Water
Underground Scenes
Conclusion
Reference and Bibliography
Index
- Fisher, Techniques of Crime Scene Investigation, 7e, 2003, CRC, $99.95, 9780849316913
- Lee, Henry Lee’s Crime Scene Handbook, 2001, Elsevier, $98.95, 9780124408302
- Gardner, Practical Crime Scene Analysis, 2009, CRC, $89.95, 9781420065510
