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The London bombings of July 2005 and other terrorist atrocities from 9/11 to the Mumbai explosions have highlighted the crucial role that forensic science plays in the fight against terrorism and other serious crimes.
Over the last 100 years, the way in which crimes are investigated has changed radically thanks to developments in forensic science. Starting from the fundamental principle of forensics that “every contact leaves a trace”, this book is a gripping study of the techniques that are familiar to us from countless trials, media, reports, television dramas and crime reconstructions. Among the areas discussed are the causes of death; the evidence that leads to the conviction of criminals; how the identities of victims and time of death are deduced; the increasingly important role of computer forensics; and what really goes on in the mind of a criminal.
This new edition of Forensics is an absorbing study of the science of detection. Featured throughout are the discussions of historic and recent cases, including some in which the author was an expert witness. From the compelling cases of O.J. Simpson and Harold Shipman to coverage of the role that forensic science played in investigating the London bombings, this is a fascinating analysis of the science that involves much more than post-mortems.
