Synopses & Reviews
Forensic detection methods have become increasingly important within the contemporary criminal justice system. Today, a large number of individuals and organisations make use of forensic techniques to solve a broad range of criminal justice problems. Whilst there are a plethora of text books on practically every type of forensic science used to solve crime and catch criminals, there is a distinct lack of sources aimed at the social science student studying criminology with forensics.
This book aims to resolve this lack of literature by combining the area of forensic science with criminology. In doing so it provides a much needed sociological and criminological analysis of the context in which techniques forensic science is applied to identify and prosecute offenders. In attempting to bring together two interdisciplinary subjects (forensics and criminology) it is the first text of its kind in the UK.
This book will be of particular interest to students and practitioners interested in criminology, criminal justice, forensic science, the legal process and public responses to crime and understanding criminality.
Synopsis
This text provides an examination of the aetiological development of forensic criminology in the UK. It links the subjects of scientific criminology, criminal investigations, crime scene investigation, forensic science and the legal system and it provides an introduction to the important processes that take place between the crime scene and the courtroom. These processes help identify, define and label the criminal and are crucial for understanding any form of crime within society. The book includes sections on:
the epistemological and ontological philosophies of the natural sciences;
the birth of scientific criminology and its search for the criminal body;
the development of early forms of forensic science and crime scene investigation;
investigating crime;
information, material and evidence;
crime analysis and crime mapping;
scientific support and crime scene examination; and
forensic science and detection methods and forensics in the courtroom.
The text combines coverage of historical research and contemporary criminal justice processes and provides an introduction to the most common forensic practices, procedures and uses that enable the identification and successful prosecution of criminals.
Forensic Criminology is essential for students of criminology, criminal justice, criminal investigations and crime science. It is also useful to those criminal justice practitioners wishing to gain a more in-depth understanding of the links between criminology, criminal investigations and forensics techniques.
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