Fundamentals of forensic science /

Academic forensic science programs and courses have spread from graduate and four-year programs to community colleges and high schools. Houck (West Virginia Univ.) and Siegel (Indiana Univ.-Purdue Univ., Indianapolis) offer an in-depth survey of disciplines typically constituting subjects in forensic science survey courses. They provide an introduction and history of forensic science, and quickly proceed to detail the processing of crime scenes for physical evidence, emphasizing safety considerations at crime scenes. An extensive discussion of the principles of class and individual physical evidence is provided, consistently revisited as different items of physical evidence are reviewed. There are in-depth discussions of analytical methods, e.g., microscopy, spectroscopy, and chromatography. Succeeding chapters cover forensic pathology, anthropology, odontology, and entomology, introducing subjects typically avoided by most other survey works. Other forensic biological sciences covered are serology, blood pattern analysis, DNA, and hair comparisons. The book also surveys a range of chemical science subjects as well as traditional forensic subjects such as document examination, fingerprints, and firearms. It concludes with a look at the intersection of forensic science and law. Provides an organized and integrated survey of modern forensic science. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. All levels. R. Saferstein Widener University