This practical field guide contains many of the checklists necessary to guide the first responder step-by-step through procedures, tactics, and forensic techniques used in sudden death and violent death investigations. Using these protocols, techniques and checklists will ensure that a proper and complete investigation is undertaken at the death scene. - Covers basic investigation protocols as well as protocols for sexual assault - Contains diagrams on how to search the scene, how to sketch the scene, and physical evidence guidelines as well as a forensic photography primer - Includes a detailed checklist of who, what, where, when, why and how

This book, now in its second edition, is the first and most exhaustive text covering the still growing popularity of cold case investigations which locate perpetrators and free the innocent. The new edition adds approximately 80 pages of content, including material on clandestine graves and investigating cold gang cases. The book merges theory with practice through the use of case histories, photographs, illustrations and checklists that convey essential, fundamental concepts while providing a strong, practical basis for the investigative process.

"Professionals in law enforcement and those considering law enforcement as a career; students of sociology, psychology, criminal justice, and law and criminology courses; and readers of true-crime literature will find this book an engaging and informative reference."--BOOK JACKET.

The US Department of Justice's National Institute of Justice (NIJ) asked the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of The National Academies to conduct a workshop that would examine the interface of the medicolegal death investigation system and the criminal justice system. NIJ was particularly interested in a workshop in which speakers would highlight not only the status and needs of the medicolegal death investigation system as currently administered by medical examiners and coroners but also its potential to meet emerging issues facing contemporary society in America. Additionally, the workshop was to highlight priority areas for a potential IOM study on this topic. To achieve those goals, IOM constituted the Committee for the Workshop on the Medicolegal Death Investigation System, which developed a workshop that focused on the role of the medical examiner and coroner death investigation system and its promise for improving both the criminal justice system and the public health and health care systems, and their ability to respond to terrorist threats and events. Six panels were formed to highlight different aspects of the medicolegal death investigation system, including ways to improve it and expand it beyond its traditional response and meet growing demands and challenges. This report summarizes the Workshop presentations and discussions that followed them.

Homicide detectives are murder specialists. This book explains aspects of the job, such as analysis of the crime scene, performing interrogations, and presenting evidence in the courtroom. Students will learn how cutting edge forensic science can reveal clues in the tiniest bits of evidence. Sidebars offer crime statistics, and information about careers in criminal investigation.