Encyclopedia of Forensic and Legal Medicine: 1-4 [Hardcover]

Roger Byard (Editor), Tracey Corey (Editor), Carol Henderson (Editor), Jason Payne-James (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 20, 2005

Increasingly, high profile criminal and civil legal actions around the world highlight the interactions between medicine and the law. Forensic and legal medicine describes the body of knowledge that encompasses this interaction. The terms generally embrace forensic pathology and clinical forensic medicine. However, the nature of forensic and legal medicine is broad and may extend beyond medical and legal issues, into scientific and technical areas, and include specialist roles such as anthropology, toxicology, odontology and psychiatry. Separate from these issues is the much more widely recognized need to apply moral, ethical and human rights principles in the investigation of certain crimes, whether considering victims or perpetrators. Those involved in the practice of forensic and legal medicine and those in legal, judicial, police and other investigative organizations which require knowledge of aspects of forensic and legal medicine often need to identify appropriate and relevant information. The aim of this Encyclopedia is to provide a reliable starting point for validated information across these fields.

The success of lawsuits and prosecutions is dependent on utilizing the best services available, and knowing when to use them appropriately. All aspects of medicine are now scrutinized, not only by medical, legal and scientific professionals - but also by the lay public. Such scrutiny drives and improves standards - and some of these standards have come about as a result of major cases in criminal and civil courts and other tribunals around the world. The drive for much of this scrutiny derives from the intense review that occurs as a result of events taking place throughout the world in criminal and civil courts. Thus, improved methodology of detecting and documenting evidence, ensuring chains of custody and scientifically testing evidence ensures that appropriate judicial outcomes are achieved.

Teaching of forensic and legal medicine at an undergraduate level is - on a worldwide basis - underemphasized when compared with therapeutic specialities. Paradoxically, barely a day goes by without at least one medical news story being published of legal and forensic relevance and significance. The need for readily accessible knowledge has never been greater.

The Encyclopedia of Forensic & Legal Medicine comprehensively covers forensic and legal medicine (including related specialities and scientific, technical and legal issues) and is available online and in three printed volumes, offering any practitioner in a forensic, medical, healthcare, legal, judicial, or investigative field easily accessible and authoritative overviews on a wide range of topics.

The work is edited and written by experienced professionals with medical, legal or dual training - and who are internationally renowned for their experience or expertise within their areas of specialty. The Editorial Board reflects the multidisciplinary, multi-jurisdictional and global emphasis of forensic and legal medicine.

The individual articles are written in a clear and concise manner and are supplemented by diagrams, tables and full-color images. Key further reading and extensive cross-referencing make this work an invaluable reference source for undergraduates and graduates looking for an introduction to key fields and experts reading outside their specialization.

Online access to the Encyclopedia is available on ScienceDirect. The online version will offer all that the print version does plus smooth linking, eg, to cross-referenced articles, powerful search functions, and more. Visit www.info.sciencedirect.com/reference_works/index.shtml for contact and subscription information. Access options are available even if you're not an existing ScienceDirect customer.

* Brings together all appropriate aspects of forensic medicine and legal medicine

* Contains color figures, sample forms and other materials that the reader can adapt for their own practice

* Also avaiable in an on-line version which provides numerous additional reference and research tools, additional multimedia, & powerful search functions

Editorial Reviews

Review

Winner of The Society of Authors and the Royal Society of Medicine Minty Book Prize 2006

2006 British Medical Association Medical Book Competition - HIGHLY COMMENDED

"This collection of authoritative articles is truly encyclopaedic and is a 'must have' reference work." - Dr. Neville Davis, President of the Medico-Legal Society

"The Encyclopaedia of Forensic and Legal Medicine provides a valuable reference tool for professionals of all disciplines. Comprehensive description of topics is put into a broader context and allows the reader to delve deeper into specific areas of interest. The narrative flows well and is accompanied by high quality and well-explained illustrations. The chapters are appropriately referenced. This work will be heavily relied upon by those working in forensic and legal medicine and related fields." - Dr. Anthony Bleetman, Consultant in Accident and Emergency Medicine, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer in Surgery, University of Birmingham, Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer, Centre for Primary Health Care Studies, University of Warwick

In this multivolume encyclopedia, contributors explore the relationship between law, medicine, and science in the study of forensics. An international team of forensic specialists was responsible for covering over one hundred different subjects in this comprehensive reference series. Traditional crime-solving techniques such as autopsies, ballistics, fingerprinting, hair and fiber analysis, and the more sophisticated procedures associated with terrorism investigations, forensic chemistry, DNA, and immunoassays are some of the topics presented. Chapters, arranged in alphabetical order, are written in a clear and concise manner. Definitions are often provided for obscure terms. Information is supplemented by color pictures, tables, and diagrams. Each topic begins with an introduction and ends with a list of additional articles to be used for cross-referencing and further studies. In some instances, case studies further explain a topic, but they are minimal in number. This set should prove to be an excellent resource for professionals working in forensics, lawyers, or medical/graduate students interested in forensic training. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Libraries supporting graduate students and above. -- CHOICE Library Journal

THE FOUR-VOLUME ENCYCLOPEDIA OF Forensic and Legal Medicine is a major undertaking, representing a breakthrough in encompassing forensic
medicine, legal medicine, the forensic sciences, and related fields. In delineating the interactions between medicine and the law, it is a pioneering work.

Encyclopedia of Forensic and Legal Medicine covers the gamut of forensic and legal medicine and, in essence, is a complete library of the forensic sciences, including odontology, anthropology, toxicology, entomology, criminalistics, and forensic psychiatry. It also includes legal and technical issues, as well as health care, human rights, and ethics regarding both victims and perpetrators.

Subtopics are endless and, to name a few, include the crime scene, DNA profiling, the various abuses suffered by children, police guidelines on postmortem examinations, prints (finger, palm, foot, face, and ear), prions, positional asphyxia, torture, ritualistic crimes, brain death, forensic psychiatry, war crimes, religious beliefs and atheism, various types of traumatic deaths, and decomposition patterns and rates. Many of the references will also have relevance for police, judicial, legal, and other investigative authorities in both providing and collating information.

The volumes are highly authoritative, comprehensive, and diverse, consisting of articles by 279 recognized expert contributors from various disciplines. Notably, articles are also edited by a distinguished and expert editorial advisory board. Articles are succinctly written and richly illustrated with tables, diagrams, and highquality photographs, both color and black-and-white, that clearly illustrate the investigative findings and display important relationships.

The material is presented as a series of alphabetical entries and is well organized so that the reader can readily locate specific information. To that end, three features are provided: "Contents List," "Cross References," and an index. A detailed "Contents" section at the beginning of each volume provides a subject's volume, page number, and a list of its component articles. This article list is repeated on the first page of the respective subject.

Related topics and synonyms are also presented. The extensive cross-references at the ends of articles will lead the reader to additional detailed discussions of a subject, parallel discussions, and to areas that enhance the subject. The subject index is detailed, with three levels of headings, and highlights major discussions, tables, figures, general cross-references, and comparisons. Recommendations for additional reading are another valuable enhancement.

The scope of the volumes gives an idea of their specific content. Volume 1 runs from "Accreditation of the Forensic Specialties" to "Courts, Report Writing"; volume 2 from "Crime Scene Investigation and Examination" to "Human Rights, Controls and Principles"; volume 3 from "Identification" to "Ritualistic Crime"; and volume 4 from "Road Traffic Accidents, Airbag-Related Injuries and Deaths" to (the Japanese crime society) "Yakusa." In between are numerous articles by expert contributors.

The Encyclopedia of Forensic and Legal Medicine is a veritable forensic library. I would recommend it to forensic pathologists, general pathologists, pediatric pathologists, forensic physicians, forensic scientists, coroners, forensic investigators, emergency department physicians, police surgeons, homicide detectives, prosecutors, judges, legal practitioners, pediatricians, primary care physicians, and psychiatrists. - Journal of the American Medical Association

This impressive four-volume VADE MECUM (reference manual), which includes contributions from 279 authors from 21 countries, is both comprehensive and timely. - Michael M. Baden, MD, New England Journal of Medicine

"Overall I have the impression that there are detailed articles on a wide range of topics. Each of these has been written by someone eminent in their field. This work in four volumes is aimed not
just at specialists but also at the legal profession...This book is an ambitious undertaking and on the whole I (as a forensic physician) am going to find it very useful...I think that the subjects covered will give scientists a starting point and the cross references within the book and
suggested reading lists will fill most gaps." - Quote - Dr. Lesley Lord, Science and Justice, Vol. 46 No. 2(2006)

Book Description

Enables any practitioner in the forensic, medical, healthcare or legal field to have an immediate ability to refer to a relevant topic - and to be provided with an authoritative overview

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 2000 pages
• Publisher: Academic Press; 1 edition (July 20, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0125479700
• ISBN-13: 978-0125479707
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 9.6 x 7.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 20.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,100,946 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)