To help answer the question what is forensic science we have put together a short presentation. The presentation consists of a number of text slides and a video slideshow.
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Further Forensic Science Information
Read Our Forensic Science Blog
Our forensic Scence blog is where we document the things that have caught our attention in the world of forensic science.
The great thing about a blog is that it allows you to discuss issues in real time as they happen. For instance, we might use the blog to make people aware of a current criminal investigation that is employing the services of a forensic scientist. Updated almost every day, our forensic science blog is a great way to connect with the world of forensic science.
As mentioned in the presentation, we strongly recommend that anybody interested in forensic science visit the American Academy of Forensic Sciences Website.
The Forensic Science Service offers equally useful forensic science related information and is another website that we strongly recommended people visit.
In forensics, there is often a difficulty conveying critical scientific terms to investigators, attorneys, juries, and even court reporters. Forensic Science Glossary is a single source reference that contains the spelling and definitions of commonly used terms found in forensic environments.
This glossary of words and their meanings covers important areas of forensic science, including the relevant toxicology, documents, drug chemistry, criminalistics, ballistics, and DNA analysis. It is the first forensic glossary to integrate such a wide variety of topics.
Brenner's glossary should certainly be of considerable assistance to persons learning the specialized language of forensic science. (Journal of Forensic Science, Vol. 45, No. 3).
The popularity of books by Patricia Cornwell and television crime-solving shows like C.S.I. has brought forensic science to the forefront of popular culture. The Encyclopedia of Forensic Science seeks to narrow the gap between forensic fiction and the actual capabilities of forensic science by providing an overview to a very complex discipline.With an emphasis on science, this volume covers such experiment and laboratory concepts as Control samples, Density, and Null hypothesis, along with laboratory equipment and various lab tests like chromatography and immunoassay.
In addition to explaining the science of forensics, Bell, a research professor in forensic chemistry, reviews various disciplines related to forensic science, among them entomology, odontology, and psychology. Other entries cover professional organizations, government agencies, famous names in the field of forensics, evidence, and legal issues. There are also entries for cases such as the O. J. Simpson trial and the Lindbergh kidnapping. More than 600 topics related to forensic science are treated.
Descriptions vary in length from a sentence to four pages. Longer entries often have suggestions for further reading, usually one to three citations. There are illustrations and photographs throughout, as well as an eight-page color photograph insert. Numerous cross-references within entries provide a better understanding of the relationships among terms. In addition to the encyclopedia entries, Bell has also included 14 feature essays on such topics as "Myths of Forensic Science," "Careers in Forensic Science: A Reality Check," and "The 'Top Ten' Cases in Forensic Science."
Forensic Science: An Introduction to Scientific and Investigative Techniques By Stuart H. James and Jon J. Nordby
Book Information
Edited by highly regarded experts in the field and featuring contributions by well respected forensic scientists and legal practitioners, Forensic Science: An Introduction to Scientific and Investigative Techniques, Second Edition covers the latest theories and practices in areas such as DNA testing, toxicology, chemistry of explosives and arson, and vehicle accident reconstruction. It offers a cutting-edge presentation of criminalistics and related laboratory subjects, including many exciting new features. Packed with full-color illustrations and case studies, the book features an extensive range of fundamental topics with the technical and scientific detail that students need to understand the breadth of the forensic sciences.