Crime Scene Investigation [Hardcover]

Cyril H. Wecht (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0762105402 | ISBN-13: 978-0762105403 | Publication Date: November 18, 2004 | Edition: 1ST

"Concentrate on what cannot lie: the evidence" is sage advice from one of the many popular TV shows based on investigative skills-an audience that now averages 30 million viewers each week and growing. Viewers sit glued to their TVs to watch forensic experts peer through microscopes and dust for fingerprints. Now with this book you, too, can examine every clue, searching for that singular element that can prove invaluable in an investigation.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Lovers of CSI and Law and Order who want a better understanding of the crime-investigation process will find much to enjoy in this volume by noted forensic pathologist Wecht, a coroner for Allegheny County, Pa. Drawing on notable real-life cases (such as Charles Manson and Ted Bundy), Wecht’s book takes readers step-by-step through an investigation: from the crime scene to the inquiry and forensic analysis to the arrest and trial. Along the way it explains what the role of a criminalist is, how time of death is determined, how fingerprints are classified and how samples of a suspect’s hair can be microscopically compared with hair found on the victim. There’s a chapter on forensic psychology (understanding criminal motives and the role of psychosis), and sidebars offer first-person accounts of "a day in the life of" a wide range of people involved in criminal investigation, including a forensic photographer, a criminal intelligence analyst and a crime reporter. With lots of photos and illustrations, this book is about as close as you can get to an actual criminal investigation without joining the police force.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School–A compelling feature of this well-organized book is its measured, clinical depiction of professional procedures that underlie "medicolegal analysis" of a crime scene. Eight chapters address the sequential stages of an investigation, moving from the duties of first responders and forensic specialists to the mission of geographic or psychological profilers, addressing the roles of media and crime reporters, and focusing finally on painstaking preparations for going to trial. Twenty high-profile cases are excerpted in sidebars, with brief statements as to date/circumstances of the crime, followed by descriptions of how physical evidence was accumulated, what challenges were encountered, and summaries of trial outcomes. Brief, first-person "day in the life of" accounts were contributed by practitioners with substantial career experience in forensic specialties such as pathology, epidemiology, and toxicology, enriching the explanations of ballistics, DNA analysis, autopsy equipment, the dynamics of criminal interrogation, and more. Effective use is made of color photos and charts throughout. The current popularity of TV dramatizations such as CSI might lead students to pick up this book initially, but it is likely to be the appealing format, clear scientific explanations, and authenticity of the authors' career insights that keep them reading. Steering clear of sensationalism, this is a methodical presentation of complex homicide investigations in which integrated teamwork among disciplines is cast as a crucial element of success.–Lynn Nutwell, Fairfax City Regional Library, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Readers Digest; 1ST edition (November 18, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0762105402
• ISBN-13: 978-0762105403
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 6.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,503,965 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars CSI can't lay out the facts like this, November 29, 2004

By 

Donna Di Giacomo (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Crime Scene Investigation (Hardcover)

I'm not much of a TV watcher but when "Cold Case Files" or something like it is on, I'm glued to the television set. I'm fascinated by the field of forensic science and just how increasingly sophisticated it gets everyday. There is no such thing as the "perfect crime" as, literally, a drop of blood or a strand of human hair will place a criminal at the scene of the crime and lead to a conviction so I don't know why criminals (murderers in particular) keep trying.

This book lays out the varied, gruesome, and hectic duties of people in the field of forensic science: From forensic pathologists to forensic dentists to botanists (who play vital roles in describing where certain plants and flowers grow just in case a murderer comes up with the brilliant idea that cactus can grow in water), various fields of expertise are explored in great detail and emphasis is placed time and again on the fact that these very different people and fields must work together as a team in order to process a crime scene effectively, conduct an autopsy correctly, and later put together an air-tight case in court.

Despite the confusing layout (why do publishers insist on putting these shaded boxes and side charts and bars on every other page? It's confusing and takes away from the message of the text), you'll come away from this book with a deeper appreciation for what these people do on a daily basis.

After seeing some of the photos in this book and digesting the depth of their responsibilities, I can really understand why some folks in law enforcement snap. It's hard to keep your emotions in check when you have to process or even look at a crime scene where, for example, a child, literally, had their head bashed in by a hammer. It's a requirement for the job in order to collect all pertinent information for the prosecutor to later use in court but it must bother many of these law enforcement officials, no matter how many years they've put in.

From arriving at the crime scene to conducting the autopsy to performing a toxicological test to getting a conviction in court, an excellent job was done in breaking forensics down by who does what.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great, Informative Book, July 29, 2005

By 

justin c (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Crime Scene Investigation (Hardcover)

This is a very good book for anyone looking to learn about forensic science and crime scene investigation but doesn't know that much about science. It is very informative and it has past cases and how they were solve, including the Ted Bundy case, Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka and many more. I highly recommend this book.

5.0 out of 5 stars A Bit Wordy, But a Great Source Of Information, February 2, 2010

By 

J. E. Nelson (Plainfield, Illinois) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Crime Scene Investigation (Hardcover)

As are many people, I am a fan of Law & Order and enjoy CSI. I also love to watch various non-fiction crime documentaries on Discovery channel and the like. The whole concept of crime scene investigation intrigued me. When I picked up this book, I realized I did not have the slightest clue how much work actually goes into an investigation.

Crime Scene Investigation is not a how to manual on how to conduct your own investigation. However, this book does give an excellent overview of how a crime scene investigation is done from beginning to end.

The book is divided into eight chapters, each chapter covering a distinct portion of the investigation. The chapters cover the crime scene, the inquiry team, the forensic team, the autopsy, weapons of the killer, psychology of crime, the arrest, and the trial. Each chapter goes into amazing detail on what occurs during that portion of the investigation. For example, in the first chapter on the crime scene, the book describes what happens once a dead body is found, who is called to investigate, what roles each person plays in the investigation, how facts such as the location of where the crime took place is established, and basic techniques used by investigators to gather information and evidence.

The book contains a number of excellent color photographs. The photographs are respectful, but some are gruesome enough where you probably do not want to be reading this book around little children. There are a number of short case studies (called case files in the book) that describe an actual case that utilizes the information the reader is currently reading about. Also in each chapter is one or two short one page biography describing a typical workday for a person involved in a crime investigation. The subject of interest in these short biographies range from criminal defense lawyer, forensic photographers, a crime reporter, criminal profiler, and people of various scientific disciplines that play a role in the investigation, including some areas I had never heard of.

Overall, the book was a fascinating wealth of information. At times the book read felt like it got bogged down in technical aspects that many people probably would not find interesting. If you are interested what goes on behind the scenes at a crime, then this is definitely worth reading.