Criminal Investigations & Forensic Science

Cassia Spohn and Katharine Tellis assess the criminal justice system¿s response to sexual assault, exploring the complex dynamics that shape the actions of police and prosecutors. The authors draw on unparalleled access to Los Angeles detectives, prosecutors, and case files to make sense of the factors that affect the outcomes of sexual assault claims. Following cases from victim report, to police investigation, to the decision to charge¿or not to charge¿they provide new insights into why shockingly few sexual assault claims lead to an eventual criminal conviction.

Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault educates readers on the ways in which drugs are used as weapons in committing sexual assaults and how to successfully investigate these crimes. It looks at the history of these crimes over the years, and includes an in-depth discussion of the drugs and drug classes in use today. It describes the effects of these drugs on the victims, the process for reporting these crimes, details on the type of person who uses drugs to sexually assault an individual, and obstacles to investigating the suspect. The authors show the proper techniques in collecting and analyzing evidence; ways to overcome some of the unique difficulties encountered in these types of investigations; and how to work with other professionals to prosecute these cases successfully. The concluding appendixes are valuable samples of the necessary forms needed to complete these investigations. This book is ideal for anyone involved in investigating these crimes, including forensic scientists, law enforcement officers, lawyers, toxicologists, and medical professionals. * Ideal for everyone involved in the investigation of these crimes, including forensic scientists, police officers, lawyers, toxicologists and medical professionals

The Language of Sexual Crime considers: the law and language of rape, sexual assault and sexual abuse; the detection of sexually-motivated crime through linguistic analysis; police interview techniques used with victims and perpetrators; examination and cross-examination of victims and perpetrators at trial; judicial reports and public inquiries involving sexual abuse or assault cases; the reporting of rape or sexual assault cases in the media.

"What "works" in preventing sex crime? How can policymakers respond to threats of sexual victimization in a manner that is effective, equitable, and sustainable? The second edition of Sex Crime, Offenders, and Society seeks to provide a knowledge base for addressing these questions. Based on feedback from reviewers and readers, the new edition retains the same structure as the first, examining three critical dimensions: the nature and extent of sex offending and explanations, societal responses, and sex crime policy and reform. It now includes updated statistics and references to influential scholarship throughout, a new chapter exploring sex crime in post-secondary institutions, and a concluding chapter that focuses on innovative policy and reform into the future"--

A contemporary, fact-filled resource on the historical, legal, medical, and political aspects of a wide variety of sexual crimes. Authoritative and informative, Sexual Crime: A Reference Handbook offers a thoroughly up-to-date report on an issue of extraordinary urgency. It is an expert introduction to a variety of often misunderstood crimes. Sexual Crime begins with a background chapter outlining the causes and definitions of sexual crime, legal and cultural attitudes over the past three centuries, and common myths surrounding this sensitive subject. It then offers wide ranging coverage of issues, including date rape, crimes involving male victims, rape in prison, female perpetrators, medical treatments, political ramifications, and other contemporary issues.