Encyclopedia of Forensic Science

Review:

 "Encyclopeida of Forensic Science by Suzanne Bell is an outstanding work. . . Bell's clear and concise explanations and her understanding of the subject matter serve students well as a ready reference work to begin their studies of the forensic science."

—From the Foreward by Barry A.J. Fisher, former president, American Academy of Forensic Science, 1998-99, and Crime Laboratory Director, Los Angeles Country Sheriff,s Department

Description: 

Viva-Facts On File Encyclopedia of Forensic Science is an indespensable resource that will meet the specific demands of students, interested laypeople, and working professioinls who need accurate and straight forward information.

As a recognized scientific field, forensic science is a relative newcomer that represents an expansion of existing disciplines, including chemistry, biology, geology, medicine, and anthropology. The scope and depth of forensic science grow daily, as new technologies are discovered and as society becomes more dependent on the judicial system to solve disputes. There is a significant concern that media coverage and fictional portrayals of forensic science may lead people to exaggerate or misunderstand the role, capabilities and limitations of forensic science. Encyclopedia of Forensic Science is a major contribution toward linking public perception of forensic science to its reality.

Featuring more than 600 cross-referenced entries ( most with their own further reading sources) that detail a topic's significance and development in forensic science and its relation to other topics, the encylopedia also includes 14 essays interspersed throughout the text that explain how forensic science relates to areas such as drug testing in sports, privacy concerns and the interface of forensic science and forensic engineering. Enhanced by nearly 200 black-and-white illustrations, photographs, charts as well as a full-colour insert.

New entries to this edition cover:

Ammunition • Bloodstains • Courtroom procedures DNA(deoxyribonucleic acid)? Explosives • Fibers • Fingerprints • Glass • The Kennedy assassination • Mass disasters • Microscopy • Odontology • Photography • Psychaitry/psychology (profiling) • Saliva (and other bodily fluids) • O J Simpson

The encylopedia also includes three helpful appendixes- bibliographies and Web resources, common abbreviations and acronyms, and the Periodic Table of Elements- as well as a extensive index.

Target Audience: 

Students of crime, forensic science.