Customer Reviews

Beyond the Crime Lab: The New Science of Investigation (Wiley Science Editions)

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I am a member of the forensics community, and thought this book might help me learn more about the other areas I am not familiar with, but it didn't. The material did not flow within the chapters, and I found several mistakes/misinformations. Also, the chapter on DNA technology was mostly negative. There are many positive aspects to DNA testing, but Mr. Zonderman didn't seem to want to address them. All in all, the book was a disappointment.

"Beyond The Crime Lab: The New Science of Investigation" by Jon Zonderman, - Rev. ed. ISBN 0-471-25466-5 (Cloth) John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1999 is a 254 page publication by an aspiring journalist-turned-author who updated his 1990 book of the same title in an apparent treble sort of writing mode which suggests the old, the new and the somewhat alien.

He provides 10 chapters, the first 5 of which are devoted to the crime scene and trace evidence. In this they are adequate but be wont to dispute the book's title as misleading since this is straight-forward criminalistics or forensics - but the style is not particularly notable for exposition or grammatical clarity. Chapter 6, "The Mind and Brain of the Violent Criminal" is poorly documented, fragmented and leaves some posed construals unanswered. Chapters 7-10 appears to be more in focus with the writer's expertise but carry a cautionary askance if not candidly apprehensive warnings on criminology and the justice system whilst discussing data collection, electronic surveillance, controlling of criminals, computers, and "Liberty, Justice and Science" in Chapter 10. In many ways these personal trepidations of the author may be true. This reader, however, believes this is not the proper forum in which to express personal views and it detracts from its use as a viable reference textbook. Chapter 7, "Electronic Surveillance..." is well-written; well-encompasses the subject, and was especially informative.

The author is to be commended for his concluding "Author's Note" indicating his book has been used as "supplemental reading...(forensic science) mostly at the high school level," and this is in keeping with the forward by the well-known Henry C. Lee who wrote it "bridges a gap between the basic and the advanced...." It makes make for easy reading and for that reason alone can be recommended as an introduction to forensics with commentary.

Zonderman cleverly weaves historical and technical facts into his discussion of several important and often recent case studies. His ten chapters deal with material that is easily understood by the lay person. I found his style and depth of research extremely helpful to me as I am preparing to start a new course at the high school level called "Forensics Science" and will not be using a required textbook!

I don't know much about forensics even though I read a lot about true crime. The author tries to break the information down like fingerprinting, DNA, etc. It's not an entirely bad book. At first, he begins explaining the crimes of murdered and disappeared women. Helle Crafts' murder by her own husband, Richard, was probably the most horrifying and the after descrecation of her body was ghastly to say the least. The author tries to bring the forensics in this book to possible students of forensics. Ever since CSI and forensics testimony in the O.J. Simpson trial, the audiences are fascinated by the whole science of forensics. Of course, Forensics is a science that needs to be studied closely. You're not going to get more than a crash course in this book which lays down the basics. Of course, the writings get more technical at times which might turn some people off. The science of forensics is very technical and there are no surprise that formulas are needed. If you want to be a forensics scientist, you have to know the basics and gain experience in the field. The field is gruesome because murder scenes are often gruesome and bloody. This book might disuade some students from going into the forensics field but it might get the hardcore forensics students interested in it even more.

This book filled me in on some of the aspects of forensic science that I was unaware of. It was just the information I was looking for. I am now considering going into the Forensic Science field. I am just trying to find out what I need to do next.