Covering a range of fundamental topics essential to modern forensic investigation, the fifth edition of the landmark text Forensic Science: An Introduction to Scientific and Investigative Techniques presents contributions and case studies from the personal files of experts in the field. In the fully updated 5th edition, Bell combines these testimonies into an accurate and engrossing account of cutting edge of forensic science across many different areas.
Designed for a single-term course at the undergraduate level, the book begins by discussing the intersection of law and forensic science, how things become evidence, and how courts decide if an item or testimony is admissible. The text invites students to follow evidence all the way from the crime scene into laboratory analysis and even onto the autopsy table. Forensic Science offers the fullest breadth of subject matter of any forensic text available, including forensic anthropology, death investigation (including entomology), bloodstain pattern analysis, firearms, tool marks, and forensic analysis of questioned documents.
Going beyond theory to application, this text incorporates the wisdom of forensic practitioners who discuss the real cases they have investigated. Textboxes in each chapter provide case studies, current events, and advice for career advancement. A brand-new feature, Myths in Forensic Science, highlights the differences between true forensics and popular media fictions. Each chapter begins with an overview and ends with a summary, and key terms, review questions, and up-to-date references. Appropriate for any sensibility, more than 350 full-color photos from real cases give students a true-to-life learning experience.
*Access to identical eBook version included
Features
Showcases contributions from high-profile experts in the field
Highlights real-life case studies from experts' personal files, along with stunning full-color photographs
Organizes chapters into topics most popular for coursework
Covers of all forms of evidence, from bloodstain patterns to questioned documents
Includes textboxes with historical notes, myths in forensic science, and advice for career advancement
Provides chapter summaries, key terms, review questions, and further reading
Includes access to an identical eBook version
Ancillaries for Instructors:
PowerPoint (R) lecture slides for every chapter
A full Instructor's Manual with hundreds of questions and answers-including multiple choice
Additional chapters from previous editions
Two extra in-depth case studies on firearms and arson (photos included)
Further readings on entomological evidence and animal scavenging (photos included)
