Offers a diverse, interdisciplinary, and eye-opening view of the future direction of forensic science This one-of-a-kind book is a collection of content from the Past and Current Presidents of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences—providing readers with all of their forensic science experience, knowledge, insight, and wisdom. It envisions where forensic science will be a decade from now and the impact of these emerging advances on the law (along with our place in it), emphasizing theoretical advances, innovative leads from the laboratory, and emerging technologies. Filled with information from some of the greatest forensic minds of their generation, The Future of Forensic Science covers all of the eleven sections that comprise the AAFS. It discusses new directions in forensic anthropology, and looks at the future of such disciplines as criminalistics, forensic engineering science, forensic psychiatry and behavioral science, forensic toxicology, and forensic document examination. It also touches on the current and future state of digital and multimedia sciences. Contains contributions from an eminent group of forensic science experts Presents a valuable repository of forensic science experience, knowledge, insight, and wisdom Offers an insightful interdisciplinary look at the future of forensic science and how it is changing forensic science for the better Timed to coincide with the NIST forensic science initiative and the OSAC process The Future of Forensic Science is a must-have book for practicing forensic science professionals, academics, and advanced undergraduate and graduate students in forensic science. This book is published as part of the AAFS series ‘Forensic Science in Focus’.

FORENSIC SCIENCE Forensic Science: Current Issues, Future Directions presents a comprehensive, international discussion of key issues within the forensic sciences. Written by accomplished and respected specialists in distinct areas of the forensic sciences, this volume examines central issues within each discipline, provides perspective on current debate and explores current and proposed research initiatives. The forensic sciences represent dynamic and evolving fields, presenting new challenges to a rapidly expanding cohort of international practitioners. This book acquaints readers with the complex issues involved and how they are being addressed. The academic treatment by experts in the fields ensures comprehensive and thorough understanding of these issues and paves the way for future research and progress. Draws on the knowledge and expertise of the prestigious American Academy of Forensic Sciences Written by key experts in the diverse disciplines of forensic science An international approach Each chapter carefully integrated throughout with key themes and issues covered in detail Includes discussion of future directions of forensic science as a discipline

The book "Technology in Forensic Science" provides an integrated approach by reviewing the usage of modern forensic tools as well as the methods for interpretation of the results. Starting with best practices on sample taking, the book then reviews analytical methods such as high-resolution microscopy and chromatography, biometric approaches, and advanced sensor technology as well as emerging technologies such as nanotechnology and taggant technology. It concludes with an outlook to emerging methods such as AI-based approaches to forensic investigations.

Scores of talented and dedicated people serve the forensic science community, performing vitally important work. However, they are often constrained by lack of adequate resources, sound policies, and national support. It is clear that change and advancements, both systematic and scientific, are needed in a number of forensic science disciplines to ensure the reliability of work, establish enforceable standards, and promote best practices with consistent application. Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward provides a detailed plan for addressing these needs and suggests the creation of a new government entity, the National Institute of Forensic Science, to establish and enforce standards within the forensic science community. The benefits of improving and regulating the forensic science disciplines are clear: assisting law enforcement officials, enhancing homeland security, and reducing the risk of wrongful conviction and exoneration. Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States gives a full account of what is needed to advance the forensic science disciplines, including upgrading of systems and organizational structures, better training, widespread adoption of uniform and enforceable best practices, and mandatory certification and accreditation programs. While this book provides an essential call-to-action for congress and policy makers, it also serves as a vital tool for law enforcement agencies, criminal prosecutors and attorneys, and forensic science educators.

"Forensic Science is an interdisciplinary subject that uses principles and methodologies of various subjects including chemistry, biology, physics, geology, psychology, social science and engineering to help law enforcement agencies to enforce criminal laws and regulations to resolve civil and criminal cases. Body fluids, fingerprints, footprints, illicit drugs, explosives etc. are the evidences that can be found at the scene of crime in trace amount. These evidences are first analysed through screening and then confirmatory methods. During this process, the probability of sample loss is very high, especially when a sample amount is inadequate and therefore does not meet minimum requirement to analyse it. Generally, scientists discuss new-fangled nanotechnology research and its conversation turns to the commercial aspects or potential issues around health, safety, and the environment. In recent years, some of them have shown their interest to integrate nanotechnology with basic sciences and applied for forensic purposes, which are shifting the paradigm of forensic investigation process. Introduction of Forensic Nanotechnology as Future Armour is the first comprehensive book to consider both fundamental and applied aspects of forensic nanotechnology. This emerging field of forensic science investigates real-time crime scenes and terrorist activities, inquiries, detects the presence of explosive materials, biological indicators, document preservation, fingerprint enhancement and food adulteration using nanomaterial. Scientists and researchers are working on nanotechnology applications that may steer the power of forensic investigation, but the challenges to bring them from lab to the courtroom remain persistent. Moreover, some crucial concerns in forensic science such as analysis cost and time, methods' effectiveness and wide availability and results' accuracy and reliability are creating obstacles in forensic investigation and security. In this book we requested to enrich the scientific content as state-of-the-art in terms of application of nanotechnology in forensic science. In this way, all chapters will emphasise the emerging field of research to solve crime with the help of nanotechnology in various fields of forensic science like detecting explosives, biological indicators, document preservation, latent fingerprint and food adulteration. The integration of laboratory processes onto a nano platform is conceivably the most interesting advancement of nanotechnology highlighted in this book and some more issues like recent research developments, challenges and future opportunities are also addressed in this book. The book is written for a wide readership including researchers, undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds such as chemistry, materials science and nanotechnology engineering, physics, life sciences, forensic science, and biomedical engineering. It can be used not only as a textbook but also as a review and reference book. However, because many other nano technological applications for forensic analysis are yet to be studied, this book can be helpful to explore new opportunities. We hope that the chapters of this book will provide the reader with valuable insight as a revolutionary, protective tool in the fields of virtopsy, crime scene investigation, identification, forensic biology and toxicology. We also hope that after reading this book, researchers around the world will be motivated to enter into the field of forensic nanotechnology"--

Forensic science laboratories' reputations have increasingly come under fire. Incidents of tainted evidence, false reports, allegations of negligence, scientifically flawed testimony, or - worse yet - perjury in in-court testimony, have all served to cast a shadow over the forensic sciences. Instances of each are just a few of the quality-related charges made in the last few years. Forensic Science Under Siege is the first book to integrate and explain these problematic trends in forensic science. The issues are timely, and are approached from an investigatory, yet scholarly and research-driven, perspective. Leading experts are consulted and interviewed, including directors of highly visible forensic laboratories, as well as medical examiners and coroners who are commandeering the discussions related to these issues. Interviewees include Henry Lee, Richard Saferstein, Cyril Wecht, and many others. The ultimate consequences of all these pressures, as well as the future of forensic science, has yet to be determined. This book examines these challenges, while also exploring possible solutions (such as the formation of a forensic science consortium to address specific legislative issues). It is a must-read for all forensic scientists. - Provides insight on the current state of forensic science, demands, and future direction as provided by leading experts in the field - Consolidates the current state of standards and best-practices of labs across disciplines - Discusses a controversial topic that must be addressed for political support and financial funding of forensic science to improve

Covering a range of fundamental topics essential to modern forensic investigation, the fourth edition of the landmark text Forensic Science: An Introduction to Scientific and Investigative Techniques presents contributions from experts in the field who discuss case studies from their own personal files. This edition has been thoroughly updated to r