There are many reasons for writing a book; this one was conceived and devel oped mainly for two. First, a new area has emerged from within the forensic sciences-that of forensic phonetics. As with all new specialties, it is necessary to define it, identify its boundaries, justify its importance and compile a list of the elements it encompasses. This book attempts to outline these several rela tionships. Second, over the past decade I have become fascinated with forensics in general and the rapidly expanded subarea of forensic phonetics in particular. Admittedly, the latter field is one that is not as yet sufficiently appreciated-and much more needs to be known about its nature and extent. Yet, I have found it to be a most enjoyable area of study and my attempts to describe its domains were quite informative. It was especially interesting to struggle with the interfaces between forensic phonetics and related fields, and discover how they overlap. Only a few comments will be made about the book's contents here in the preface. For one thing, they are described in some detail in the first chapter.

This is an excellent book by a leader in the field. Professor Hollien has been conducting research in some aspects of forensic phonetics (notably speaker identification) for almost a quarter of a century. He writes well and explains complex topics in a way that a layman can grasp easily. Any lawyer, law enforcement officer, scientist, or criminal who is concerned with. acoustic evidence will profit from a thorough reading of this book.

Why do so many people voluntarily consent to searches by have the police search their person or vehicle when they know that they are carrying contraband or evidence of illegal activity? Does everyone understand the Miranda warning? How well can people recognize a voice on tape? Can linguistic experts identify who wrote an anonymous threatening letter? Speaking of Crime answers these questions and examines the complex role of language within our criminal justice system. Lawrence M. Solan and Peter M. Tiersma compile numerous cases, ranging from the Lindbergh kidnapping to the impeachment trial of Bill Clinton to the JonBenét Ramsey case, that provide real-life examples of how language functions in arrests, investigations, interrogations, confessions, and trials. In a clear and accessible style, Solan and Tiersma show how recent advances in the study of language can aid in understanding how legal problems arise and how they might be solved. With compelling discussions current issues and controversies, this book is a provocative state-of-the-art survey that will be of enormous value to legal scholars and professionals throughout the criminal justice system.

A reference for professionals who work with recorded evidence, covering areas such authentication of speech recordings, voice stress analysis, and speaker identification. It covers the basic sciences behind voice identification. It also covers what the reader needs to know about coordinating 'ear witness' lineups.

Neurolaryngology brings together in one volume the latest concepts in this important and developing field. In order to make this text as useful as possible for clinicians, selected chapters on general concepts important to clinical care have been included, including chapters on history, physical examination, clinical voice laboratory assessment, common diagnoses and treatments, and other topics important to all voice patients, including those with neurolaryngological complaints. Starting with a perspective on modern voice medicine, including neurolaryngology and a brief historical overview of the development of laryngology, the text goes on to describe neuroanatomy and physiology, laryngeal function, and the role of chaos in voice disorders. It contains fascinating new ideas on applications of nonlinear dynamics to voice care and research, a topic of great relevance in neurolaryngology. Beginning the section on clinical assessment of voice disorders is a description of the current approach to history and physical examination recommended for patients with neurolaryngological voice disorders. The text contains the most current research and references throughout, presenting the latest information about many conditions, including some rarely covered in the laryngologic literature; it highlights diagnosis and treatment of a wide array of motor and sensory disorders that may impair voice. The interdisciplinary expertise of numerous authors has been invaluable in the preparation of this text; however, every effort has been made to maintain style and continuity throughout. Clinically relevant and thought provoking, Neurolaryngology is the definitive encyclopedic reference in this new subspecialty of laryngology.

A voice is much more than just a string of words. Voices, unlike fingerprints, are inherently complex. They signal a great deal of information in addition to the intended message: the speakers' sex, for example, or their emotional state, or age. Although evidence from DNA analysis grabs the headlines, DNA can't talk. It can't be recorded planning,