Bodies of Evidence: Forensic Science and Crime

by Scott Christianson
The Lyons Press, 192 pp (Hardcover, 2006)
ISBN-10: 1592285805
ISBN-13: 978-1592285808

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Description
From the crime scene to the courtroom, forensic science has revolutionized detective investigation over the past seventy years. Today, forensic science is an essential part of the prosecution process, with many convictions being secured solely on forensic evidence. Bodies of Evidence looks in detail at the development and evolution of forensic science and discusses it in relation to real CSIs (crime scene investigations), forensic laboratories, and the court of law.
Author Scott Christianson reviews the emergence of forensic science in the 1930s and shows how forensic scientists investigate the crime scene today, including analysis of murder weapons, bloodstain patterns, and the position of the body, allowing police to form a picture of what really happened. He describes the methods used to collect this evidence and how strict procedures are followed to avoid any dispute in court. He also focuses on forensic pathology, detailing how technology allows detectives to pinpoint the time and cause of death and how unknown victims can be identified.
Bodies of Evidence follows forensic science to the courtroom, describing how it is called upon in trials. Each section of the book features famous case studies in which forensic science was used in a criminal prosecution or defense, such as the trials of O. J. Simpson and Timothy McVeigh.
Bodies of Evidence is a fascinating look into modern detection methods, and explores how clues are gathered and used to bring criminals
to justice.