Covering the fundamentals, science, history, techniques, laboratory analysis, the latest research, and controversies, The Handy Forensic Science Answer Book: Reading Clues at the Crime Scene, Crime Lab and in Court provides detailed information on crime scene investigations. It looks at the science of law enforcement, how evidence is gathered, processed, analyzed, and viewed in the courtroom, and more. From the cause, manner, time of a death, and autopsies to blood, toxicology, DNA typing, fingerprints, ballistics, tool marks, tread impressions, trace evidence, arson, accident investigations, computer crimes, criminal profiling, and much, much more are addressed with answers to over 950 common questions, such as When were fingerprints first used to identify a criminal? Can a forensic expert look at skeletal remains and tell whether the person was obese? How fast does a bullet travel? How was a chemical analysis of ink important in the conviction of Martha Stewart? What types of data are often retrieved from a crime scene cellphone?.
Author Biography:
Patricia Barnes-Svarney is a science writer. Over the past few decades, she has written or coauthored more than 35 books, including Visible Ink Press’ The Handy Anatomy Answer Book, The Handy Biology Answer Book, and The Handy Nutrition Answer Book. She is the author of When the Earth Moves: Rogue Earthquakes, Tremors, and Aftershocks, and she was also the editor/author of the award-winning New York Public Library Science Desk Reference.
