This book exposes the dangerously imperfect forensic evidence that we rely on for criminal convictions. "That's not my fingerprint, your honor," said the defendant, after FBI experts reported a "100-percent identification." The FBI was wrong. It is shocking how often they are. Autopsy of a Crime Lab is the first book to catalog the sources of error and the faulty science behind a range of well-known forensic evidence, from fingerprints and firearms to forensic algorithms. In this devastating forensic takedown, noted legal expert Brandon L. Garrett poses the questions that should be asked in courtrooms every day: Where are the studies that validate the basic premises of widely accepted techniques such as fingerprinting? How can experts testify with 100-percent certainty about a fingerprint, when there is no such thing as a 100 percent match? Where is the quality control at the crime scenes and in the laboratories? Should we so readily adopt powerful new technologies like facial recognition software and rapid DNA machines? And why have judges been so reluctant to consider the weaknesses of so many long-accepted methods? Taking us into the lives of the wrongfully convicted or nearly convicted, into crime labs rocked by scandal, and onto the front lines of promising reform efforts driven by professionals and researchers alike, Autopsy of a Crime Lab illustrates the persistence and perniciousness of shaky science and its well-meaning practitioners.

An “excellent” collection of case studies and stories from the forensic anthropologist who founded Tennessee’s “Body Farm” (Charleston Post & Courier). A pioneer in forensic anthropology, Bill Bass created the world’s first laboratory dedicated to the study of human decomposition—three acres on a Tennessee hillside where human bodies are left to the elements. His research at the Body Farm has revolutionized the field, helping crack cold cases and pinpoint time of death. But during a forensics career that spans half a century, Bass’s work has ranged far beyond the gates of the Body Farm. In this riveting book, the bone sleuth explores the rise of modern forensic science, using fascinating cases he’s worked on to take readers into the real world of C.S.I. Some cases rely on the simplest of tools and techniques, such as reassembling—from battered torsos and a stack of severed limbs—eleven people hurled skyward by an explosion at an illegal fireworks factory. Other cases hinge on sophisticated techniques Bass couldn’t have imagined when he began his career: harnessing scanning electron microscopy to detect trace elements in knife wounds, or extracting DNA from a long-buried corpse, only to find that the murder victim may have been mistakenly identified a quarter-century before. Beyond the Body Farm follows Bass as he explores the depths of a lake with a twenty-first-century sonar system in search of an airplane that vanished thirty-five years ago; exhumes a fifties pop star to determine what injuries he suffered in the plane crash that killed three rock and roll legends; and works to decipher an ancient Persian death scene. Witty and engaging, Bass dissects the methods used by homicide investigators every day on an extraordinary journey into the high-tech science that it takes to crack a case. “Case studies and anecdotes from the field of corpse identification [with] careful attention to detail and the occasional darkly humorous aside.” —Publishers Weekly “The real crimes and mysteries here are just as or more intriguing than any fictional crime drama . . . offers a real-life understanding of forensic anthropology and the science behind it.” —Knoxville News-Sentinel

With the long-term success of procedural shows dominating prime-time television, the readership for a forensic anthology extends well beyond traditional mystery readers. Collected by Martin H. Greenberg -- the King of Anthologists -- this volume features the following contributors: Brendan DuBois Edward D. Hoch Michael A. Black Max Allan Collins and Matthew Clemens Jeremiah Healy Kristine Kathryn Rusch Julie Hyzy, John Lutz Maynard Thomson Noreen Ayres Loren D. Estleman Jeanne C. Stein

Josiah Sutton was convicted of rape. He was five inches shorter and 65 pounds lighter than the suspect described by the victim, but at trial a lab analyst testified that his DNA was found at the crime scene. His case looked like many others -- arrest, swab, match, conviction. But there was just one problem -- Sutton was innocent. We think of DNA forensics as an infallible science that catches the bad guys and exonerates the innocent. But when the science goes rogue, it can lead to a gross miscarriage of justice. Erin Murphy exposes the dark side of forensic DNA testing: crime labs that receive little oversight and produce inconsistent results; prosecutors who push to test smaller and poorer-quality samples, inviting error and bias; law-enforcement officers who compile massive, unregulated, and racially skewed DNA databases; and industry lobbyists who push policies of "stop and spit." DNA testing is rightly seen as a transformative technological breakthrough, but we should be wary of placing such a powerful weapon in the hands of the same broken criminal justice system that has produced mass incarceration, privileged government interests over personal privacy, and all too often enforced the law in a biased or unjust manner. Inside the Cell exposes the truth about forensic DNA, and shows us what it will take to harness the power of genetic identification in service of accuracy and fairness.

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.

The science of criminal investigation has come a long way from the days of dusting for fingerprints and checking for lipstick traces. Here is a thorough look at the latest developments of criminal investigation technology, and their implications for the guilty and innocent. Illustrated.