Although forensic medicine has been in existence for centuries in one guise or another, it is only with the recent growth in international research that it has begun to be acknowledged as a specific discipline in its own right. Many areas of progress are being made and this text aims to provide a unique, in-depth and critical update on selected topics that are of direct relevance to those practicing in the field including lawyers, police, medical and dental practitioners, forensic scientists and postgraduate/undergraduate medical students and undergraduate law students preparing for forensic medicine examinations. This volume is designed to cover the wider aspects of forensic medicine, including the law, science, medicine (forensic pathology, clinical forensic medicine and forensic psychiatry) and dentistry. Topics covered include subjects of debate and/or uncertainty in areas where significant advances have been made and in those of current relevance to the forensic profession, Chapters provide a variety of approaches to the areas under discussion with reviews of current knowledge, information on significant changes and pointers to the future that the reader should be aware of. Features: An authoritative review, for forensic medicine practitioners throughout the world, from leading international experts in the field. Provides critical commentary and updates on current practice. Topics include: a guide to the presentation of forensic medical evidence, bioterrorism, the paediatric hymen, assessment and interpretation of bone trauma in children, adult sexual assault, genital photography, forensic photography, common errors in injury interpretation, self-inflicted injuries and associated psychological profiles, bite marks and the role of the pathologist in aviation disasters. Includes a wealth of four colour figures to illustrate key points discussed within the text.

Forensic medicine is a broad and evolving field with areas of rapid progress embracing both clinical and pathological aspects of practice, in which there may be considerable overlap. This is the second volume in a series that provides a unique, in-depth and critical update on selected topics of direct relevance to those practising in the field of clinical forensic medicine and related areas including lawyers, police, medical practitioners, forensic scientists, and students. The chapters endeavour to maintain a relevance to an international, multi-professional audience and include chapters on: DNA decontamination, The toxicity of novel psychoactive substances, The relevance of gastric contents in the timing of death, The effects of controlled energy devices, The main risk factors for driving impairment, The risk factors for harm to health of detainees in short-term custody, Autoerotic deaths, Child maltreatment and neglect, and The investigation of potential non-accidental head injury in children. Also included are chapters on excited delirium syndrome, automatism and personality disorders. Two topics not generally covered in standard clinical forensic medical textbooks include a forensic anthropological approach to body recovery in potential crimes against humanity and risk management and security issues for the forensic practitioner investigating potential crimes against humanity in a foreign country.

CURRENT PRACTICE in Forensic Medicine Presents a unique overview and critical commentary on the latest developments in forensic medical practice worldwide The field of forensic medicine continues to evolve worldwide. In recent years, the amount of research has increased and new areas of forensic specialization have developed. Forensic practitioners need to keep pace with a range of international advances from innovative technologies to new or revised laws and regulations to emerging issues of controversy. Current Practice in Forensic Medicine, Volume 3 provides an in-depth examination of key areas of the field. This timely and comprehensive resource addresses consent for forensic procedures, imaging for soft tissue injuries, working with victims of torture, non-accidental injury in the elderly, medical and toxicological aspects of chemical warfare, non-fatal strangulation, abusive head trauma in young children, and more. Each chapter contains a general overview of the area under discussion, references to published literature, and detailed discussion of significant changes and key points. Offers new insights into false allegations of sexual assault, coercive control and the homicide timeline in partner abuse cases, and the needs of elderly persons in detention Provides non-country specific information to guide international forensic medicine practitioners and healthcare professionals Contains detailed yet concise chapters written by authors with particular expertise in the subject covered Addresses the clinical and pathological aspects of forensic medicine and relevant areas in toxicology, forensic psychiatry and psychology, and forensic biology Covers riot control weapons, chemical warfare, non-fatal strangulation, DNA in crime detection, and many other essential topics Includes up-to-date information on the new Medical Examiner system in England and Wales Supported by the most recent evidence-based research, Current Practice in Forensic Medicine, Volume 3 is a must-have for all those involved in various aspects of forensic medicine including doctors, dentists, forensic scientists, lawyers, law enforcement professionals, and forensic practitioners.

This book is the second volume in the Recent Advances in Forensic Medicine and Toxicology series. Volume One (9789351525585) published in 2014. Divided into five sections, the text provides specialists and trainees with the very latest advances and information in their field. The book begins with discussion on medical jurisprudence and legal issues covering issues such as medical negligence and medical evidence in victim examination. The next chapters cover clinical forensic medicine describing specific cases, and forensic pathology explaining autopsy for different scenarios. New to this volume, are two final sections which discuss advances in forensic anthropology, examination of skeletal remains, and controversies in forensic testing and investigations. Key points New volume presenting latest advances and information in forensic medicine and toxicology Covers medical jurisprudence, clinical forensic medicine and forensic pathology Volume Two features two new sections on forensic anthropology and forensic science Highly illustrated with forensic photographs, diagrams, tables and boxes

The Global Practice of Forensic Science presents histories, issues, patterns, and diversity in the applications of international forensic science. Written by 64 experienced and internationally recognized forensic scientists, the volume documents the practice of forensic science in 28 countries from Africa, the Americas, Asia, Australia and Europe. Each country’s chapter explores factors of political history, academic linkages, the influence of individual cases, facility development, types of cases examined, integration within forensic science, recruitment, training, funding, certification, accreditation, quality control, technology, disaster preparedness, legal issues, research and future directions. Aimed at all scholars interested in international forensic science, the volume provides detail on the diverse fields within forensic science and their applications around the world.

Forensic Pathology is a comprehensive reference that uses a case-oriented format to address, explain and guide the reader through the varied topics encountered by forensic pathologists. Developed in response to a severe void in the literature, the book addresses topics ranging from medicolegal investigation of death to death scene investigation, forensic autopsy, and artifacts of resuscitation as well as complications of medical therapy, forensic osteology, forensic odontology, forensic photography, and death certification. The book includes various types of cases, including sudden natural death, asphyxia, motor vehicle collisions, death in custody, child abuse and elder abuse, acute psychiatric and emotional deaths, and pregnancy. It contains sample descriptions of pathological lesions which serve to aid pathologists in reporting their findings to law enforcement agencies, attorneys, and others involved in investigations of sudden death. The concepts outlined in the text are beautifully illustrated by large, colorful photographs. There are also "Do and Don't" sections at the end of each chapter that provide guidance for handling the types of cases examined. This work will benefit not only experienced forensic pathologists, but also hospital pathologists who occasionally performs medicolegal autopsies; doctors in training; medical examiners; law enforcement personnel; crime scene investigators; attorneys; and fellows and students of the medical sciences. - Large, colorful photographs which beautifully illustrate the concepts outlined in the text. - Sample descriptions of pathological lesions which serve to aid pathologists in reporting their findings to law enforcement agencies, attorneys, and others involved in investigations of sudden death. - 'Do and Don't' sections at the end of each chapter which provide guidance for handling the types of cases examined within preceding sections.

The first book of its kind, Forensic Medicine in Western Society: A History draws on the most recent developments in the historiography, to provide an overview of the history of forensic medicine in the West from the medieval period to the present day. Taking an international, comparative perspective on the changing nature of the relationship between medicine, law and society, it examines the growth of medico-legal ideas, institutions and practices in Britain, Europe (principally France, Italy and Germany) and the United States. Following a thematic structure within a broad chronological framework, the book focuses on practitioners, the development of notions of ‘expertise’ and the rise of the expert, the main areas of the criminal law to which forensic medicine contributed, medical attitudes towards the victims and perpetrators of crime, and the wider influences such attitudes had. It thus develops an understanding of how medicine has played an active part in shaping legal, political and social change. Including case studies which provide a narrative context to tie forensic medicine to the societies in which it was practiced, and a further reading section at the end of each chapter, Katherine D. Watson creates a vivid portrait of a topic of relevance to social historians and students of the history of medicine, law and crime.