Forensics For Dummies
2. Edition July 2019
400 Pages, Softcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd
Understand the real-life science behind crime scene investigation
Forensics For Dummies takes you inside the world of crime scene investigation to give you the low down on this exciting field. Written by a doctor and former Law & Order consultant, this guide will have you solving crimes along with your favorite TV shows in no time. From fingerprints and fibers to blood and ballistics, you'll walk through the processes that yield significant information from the smallest clues. You'll learn how Hollywood gets it wrong, and how real-world forensics experts work every day in fields as diverse as biology, psychology, anthropology, medicine, information technology, and more. If you're interested in a forensics career, you'll find out how to break in and the education you'll need to do the type of forensics work that interests you the most. Written for the true forensics fan, this book doesn't shy away from the details; you'll learn what goes on at the morgue as you determine cause of death, and you'll climb into the mind of a killer as you learn how forensic psychologists narrow down the suspect list.
Crime shows are entertaining, but the reality is that most forensics cases aren't wrapped up in an hour. This book shows you how it's really done, and the amazing technology and brilliant people that do it every day.
* Learn who does what, when they do it, and how it's done
* Discover the many fields involved in crime scene investigation
* Understand what really happens inside a forensics lab
* Examine famous forensics cases more intriguing than any TV show
Forensic scientists work in a variety of environments and in many different capacities. If you think television makes it look interesting, just wait until you learn what it's really like! Forensics For Dummies takes you on a tour of the real-world science behind solving the case.
P.S. If you think this book seems familiar, you re probably right. The Dummies team updated the cover and design to give the book a fresh feel, but the content is the same as the previous release of Forensics For Dummies (9781119181651). The book you see here shouldn t be considered a new or updated product. But if you re in the mood to learn something new, check out some of our other books. We re always writing about new topics!
Part 1: Cracking Open the Case 5
Chapter 1: Understanding the World of Forensic Science 7
Chapter 2: Getting to Know the Forensics Team 19
Chapter 3: Collecting and Protecting the Evidence 33
Chapter 4: Delving into the Criminal Mind 53
Part 2: Analyzing the Evidence 77
Chapter 5: Fingerprints: Your Personal Signature 79
Chapter 6: Painting A Gruesome Picture: Bloodstain Analysis 93
Chapter 7: Leaving Impressive Impressions: Shoes, Tires, and Tools 109
Chapter 8: Burning Down the House: Is It Arson? 125
Part 3: Examining the Body 139
Chapter 9: Determining the Cause and Manner of Death: Forensic Autopsies .141
Chapter 10: Identifying Unknown Victims 157
Chapter 11: Estimating the Time of Death 177
Chapter 12: Ouch! That Hurts: Traumatic Injuries and Deaths 191
Chapter 13: Gasping for Air: Asphyxia 213
Part 4: Utilizing the Crime Lab 229
Chapter 14: Analyzing Blood and Other Bodily Fluids: Serology 231
Chapter 15: Looking Deep Inside: DNA Analysis 245
Chapter 16: Testing for Drugs and Poisons: The Toxicology Lab 263
Chapter 17: Picking Apart Trace Evidence 287
Chapter 18: Bang! Bang!: Analyzing Firearms Evidence 307
Chapter 19: Questioning the Validity of Documents 321
Part 5: The Part of Tens 335
Chapter 20: Ten Famous Forensic Cases 337
Chapter 21: Ten Ways Hollywood Gets It Wrong 351
Chapter 22: Ten Great Forensic Careers 357
Index 365