FORENSICS 101: A Friendly Primer for Writers

Gathered from years of posts about Forensics, aimed at educating writers and laymen on a variety of subjects, this first volume in Robert Jone's series gathers articles on a wide variety of subjects. An invaluable tool, and very interesting book. From the foreword:

"Contrary to what one might think after viewing some of the forensic investigation shows on television programs that show off the latest in modern (and sometime wishful) forensic science devices and techniques, forensics has a long history. From a time of slow advance in ancient Babylon when fingerprints were pressed into clay tablets to cement business transactions, through a time in circa 250 BC when Erasistratus, a Greek physician noticed that, when his patients lied, their pulse rates increased, through the time in 44 BC when Antistius, a Roman physician, counted the 23 stab wounds in Julius Caesar's body to establish a cause of death, to the present time, the rate of advancement in forensics has been steadily increasing. Various specialized fields have developed and expanded to include subfields. As a result, the number and size of documents that describe the growing number of forensic specialties has seemingly grown exponentially.

Writers, especially fiction writers, are frequently unfamiliar with the forensic documents and have no time or desire to get familiar with many of them. In view of this, writers would most likely find concise, easily read, explanatory documents of assistance. Fortunately, you will not have to mount much of a search to find such a document. If you are reading this, you have it effectively in hand."

CONTENTS INCLUDE:

Firearm Identification
Autopsy
Autopsy of the Mind
Creepy Crawlies
Lasting Impressions
The Creature
Name Your Poison
Comparisons
Questioned Document Examinations
Legality Matters
Eyewitness Unreliability
Ouches, Large & Small (Part 1)
Ouches, Large & Small (Part 2)
Ouches, Large & Small (Part 3)
Incisions Large & Small
Dem Bones, Dem Bones, Dem Dry Bones
Who Says So?
Crimson Clues
Crimson Patterns
Size is not as important as It Used to be
Family Ties
Double Trouble
Step Saving
Forensic Ping Pong
Crime Scene Interpretations
Water, Water Everywhere, but Way Too Much to Drink
Sulfuric Acid and Corpus Delecti
Know Your Mitochondria
Defending One's Self with a Loose Screw