Criminalistics: Forensic Science, Crime, and Terrorism

Designed for students that are not biology, chemistry, or physics majors, this fully revised and updated Third Edition of the best-selling Criminalistics: Forensic Science, Crime, and Terrorism provides a comprehensive introduction to forensic science, the scientific principles that are the underpinnings of crime analysis, and the practical application of these principles. Essential topics such as fingerprint identification, DNA, ballistics, detection of forgeries, forensic toxicology, computer forensics, and the identification and analysis of illicit drugs are thoroughly explained in a reader-friendly manner. Unlike comparable texts, the Third Edition includes coverage of important terrorism and homeland security issues, including explosives, cybercrime, cyberterrorism, and weapons of mass destruction. The text is also the only book on the market with a detailed description of DNA and CODIS techniques used by professionals.