Techniques of Crime Scene Investigation, Sixth Edition [Hardcover]

Barry A. J. Fisher (Author), David Fisher (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0849381193 | ISBN-13: 978-0849381195 | Publication Date: January 26, 2000 | Edition: 6th

Los Angeles County Crime Laboratory Director recognized for exceptional contribution to the field of Forensic Sciences

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) today honored Los Angeles County Crime Laboratory Director Barry Fisher with its highest honor, the Gradwohl Medallion. Gradwohl Laureates are recognized for attaining exceptional distinction in advancing the forensic sciences and offering outstanding service to the profession and the professional society. Fisher was given the award at the 60th annual meeting of AAFS in Washington, D.C.

Barry Fisher has worked in the field of criminalistics with the Los Angeles County Sherriff’s crime lab since 1969, serving as the Crime Laboratory Director since 1987. He is an accomplished author, frequent speaker and past-president of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and the International Association of Forensic Sciences.

“I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this honor than Barry Fisher, whose dedication and countless contributions have furthered the cause of forensic sciences,” said Dr. Bruce Goldberger, president, American Academy of Forensic Sciences. “Barry represents exactly what this organization was developed to promote — furthering the application of and appreciation for the forensic sciences.”

The Gradwohl Medallion is named for one of the founding members of AAFS, R.B.H. Gradwohl, who gave the welcoming address at the first annual meeting of the society in 1948. Sixty years later, the American Academy of Forensic Sciences continues to serve Dr. Gradwohl’s vision of generating confidence and the respect of forensic sciences in the U.S. and abroad. Gradwohl Laureates are not named regularly, but rather, only when recognizing an individual of exceptional caliber. Since the award was established in 1974, only 10 other professionals have been given the honor.

-Barry Fisher is the author of "Techniques of Crime Scene Investigation", which should be on every CSI's bookshelf.

Techniques of Crime Scene Investigation, Sixth Edition examines concepts, field-tested techniques and procedures, and technical information concerning crime scene investigation. This comprehensive text has been widely adopted by police academies, community colleges, and universities. Three professional organizations—the International Association for Identification, the American Board of Criminalistics, and the Forensic Science Society—recommend this book as a text to prepare for their certification examinations.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The book is clear, concise, and easy to understand... A copy should be in every police library!
-R.C. Grace
Department of Criminal Justice, California State University --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 584 pages
• Publisher: CRC Press; 6th edition (January 26, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0849381193
• ISBN-13: 978-0849381195
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #162,946 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Barry A. J. Fisher served as the Crime Laboratory Director for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, a position he held from 1987 until his retirement in 2009. He began his career in criminalistics with the Sheriff's crime lab in 1969 and worked in a wide variety of assignments. His current interests concern the interrelationship between forensic science and the law along with public policy issues concerning the timely delivery of quality forensic support services to the criminal justice system. He served as a member of the American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section's Ad Hoc Committee to Ensure the Integrity of the Criminal Process and served as a member of the American Judicature Society's Commission of Forensic Science and Public Policy.

Fisher is a member of many professional organizations. He is a Distinguished Fellow and past-president of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and was awarded the Academy's highest award, the Gradwohl Medallion. He served as president of the International Association of Forensic Sciences, president of the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors and a past-chairman of the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors - Laboratory Accreditation Board. He is a founding director and served on the Board of Directors of the National Forensic Science Technology Center from 1995 until 2007. He is a member of the US DOJ Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Advisor Council.

Fisher is a member of several editorial boards: the Journal of Forensic Sciences, the Journal of Forensic Identification, Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology, Forensic Science Policy and Management and the McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. Fisher is an alumni member of the Council of Scientific Society Presidents and a life member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and is a member of the IACP's Forensics Committee.

His textbook, Techniques of Crime Scene Investigation, in its 7th edition, enjoys wide popularity. He is a co-author of two other books, Forensics Demystified and Introduction to Criminalistics: The Foundation of Forensic Science. Fisher speaks throughout the United States, and has lectured in Canada, England, Australia, Singapore, France, Israel, Japan, China, Turkey and Portugal on forensic science laboratory practices, quality assurance and related topics. He led a forensic science delegation to lecture to forensic scientists in the People's Republic of China in 2000.

Since retiring, Fisher has consulted for the United Nations Ofice of Drugs and Crime, the United States Department of Justice, International Criminal Investigative Training Program (ICITAP) and Analytic Services Inc., a not-for-profit institue that provides studies and analyses to aid decision-makers in national security, homeland security, and public safety

Fisher, a native New Yorker, received his Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from the City College of New York. He holds a Master of Science degree in chemistry from Purdue University and an M.B.A. degree from California State University, Northridge. Barry and his wife Susan live in the San Fernando Valley in the City of Los Angeles. They have two married sons: David, a criminalist with the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner Forensic Biology Department, and Michael, an entrepreneur, and five grandchildren.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you really want to learn, this is the book for you!, January 17, 2002

By 

Charles Brogdon - See all my reviews

This review is from: Techniques of Crime Scene Investigation, Sixth Edition (Hardcover)

I teach crime scene techniques to police officers and this book is a mainstay for that instruction. This is the first text book a new CSI should read. If you are an old hand in crime scene you will still learn from Barry Fisher. This is not an old dry text book. Each chapter has real cases for reference. I found the book to be very interesting and it is required reading for all new CSIs in my agency (Tarrant Co. Sheriff's Office, Ft. Worth Texas). This is also one of the required reading texts for the level one crime scene certification examination of the International Association for Identification.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Second Best Investigation Book, May 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Techniques of Crime Scene Investigation (5th ed) (Hardcover)

I don't know why anyone would buy this book. Not that it's a bad book, it's pretty good, but there's a better book for the money. I had to read this book to take my department's detective exam. A few years later I had to read "Criminal Investigation" (Swanson) to take the Sergeant's exam. "Criminal Investigation" is far and away the better book. Three times bigger, more topics, more techniques, more illustrations, more up to date by two years, and eight dollars cheaper. Fisher better hope that police departments keep making his book required reading, or no one will have a reason to buy it. Sorry, Barry!

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a career and practice in forensics entails, June 7, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Techniques of Crime Scene Investigation, Sixth Edition (Hardcover)

Now in a newly updated and expanded sixth edition, Techniques Of Crime Scene Investigation by Barry A. J. Fisher, who draws upon his many years of experience and expertise as the Crime Laboratory Director for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and who is also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice, California State University, Los Angeles, California, is a comprehensive, detailed text on the applied science forensic medicine. Written at college level for serious students of this fundamental profession, the meticulous, thorough explanations of each chapter will prove fascinating for anyone with an interest in forensics, enhanced for the reader with graphic details highlighted with numerous black-and-white photographs to present a clear overall picture of what a career and practice in forensics entails. Techniques Of Crime Science Investigation is a highly recommended text for anyone studying or considering the study of this aspect of police science.