Criminal Justice and Forensic Science A Multidisciplinary Introduction

by Smith, Lisa; Bond, John

• ISBN13: 9781137310255
• ISBN10: 1137310251
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2014-12-26
• Publisher: Red Globe Pr

Summary

Bridging the gap between the study of criminal justice and forensic science, Lisa Smith and John Bond provide a straightforward but comprehensive introduction to the theory and practice of forensic science in its wider criminal justice context.

This much-needed text:

• takes students through the different types of evidence, technologies and methods used in criminal investigations, both at the crime scene and in a court of law;
• analyses real-life forensic examples, drawn from a range of international contexts; and
• encourages a critical perspective, through its examination of popular media representations and of contemporary issues and debates, including technological advances, the need for standardisation in forensic laboratories and the ethics of biometric databases.

Engaging and easy to follow, this multidisciplinary overview contextualises the operation of science in the criminal justice system, offering crucial insight for social and natural science students alike.

Author Biography

Lisa Smith is Senior Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Leicester, UK. Her main teaching and research focus is the role of forensic science in the criminal justice system. In 2012 she co-founded the Alec Jeffreys Forensic Science Institute, and is currently the Associate Director (Social Science) for the institute.

John Bond is Senior Lecturer in Forensic Science at the University of Leicester, UK, and formerly worked for Northamptonshire Police as Head of Forensic Services. He has over twenty years of experience working in criminal justice and his research interests focus on new ways of enhancing fingerprints on difficult surfaces.

Table of Contents

1. A Multidisciplinary Approach to Forensic Studies
2. Identification Evidence
3. Comparison Evidence
4. Crime Scene Examination
5. Interpreting Evidence
6. Forensic Science in the Popular Media
7. Forensic Science in the Courtroom
8. Issues in Contemporary Forensic Science and Justice