Reference Reviews

Doug’s Student Reference Room

Forensic Science, edited by Ayn Embar–Seddon and Allan D. Pass. 3 vols., 1224 p. Pasadena, CA: Salem Press, 2009. ISBN: 978–1–58765–423–7. $365.

The popularity of shows like CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Bones and Cold Case have spawned intense interest in forensics, and this encyclopedia offers a rich exploration of the topic for students. The 460 alphabetically arranged articles view forensics through five major lenses. The first looks at many of the subspecialties that are a part of the overall discipline, including forensic anthropology, botany, pathology, photography, psychology, toxicology and parasitology, as well as the important research that has advanced the field. Students will be fascinated by the entry on body farms, which describes the University of Tennessee’s facility used to research the decomposition process of human corpses. The second perspective includes what the editors call the “scene of the crime” entries, which includes the kinds of evidence and methodologies used for collection, from fire debris and fingerprints to rape kits, drugs and poisons. A third type includes forensics and the legal world, in terms of legislation, important court cases and law enforcement. Famous forensic cases make up the fourth perspective; in these types of entries the important forensic evidence is reviewed in light of the larger legal case. Entries maintain a neutral but critical stance on such controversial cases as the Kennedy assassination, the O.J. Simpson/Nicole Simpson murder trial and victim identification in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. A final type of entry looks at forensics in the media; the entry on misconceptions in the media offers detailed examples about how forensic investigations are distorted on television. One wonders how many students would continue to pursue career paths in a field that is overworked and understaffed and where typical investigations are conducted over months rather than over the few days portrayed in popular shows. Entries include a brief definition and discussion of significance, followed by a more detailed description of the topic, a list of suggested reading and cross–references. Black and white photographs, charts, or illustrations accompany the majority of entries. The final volume includes a guide to Internet resources, brief descriptions of the past decade’s forensics–related television programs, single paragraph biographies of key figures in forensic science, an historical timeline, a bibliography organized by subject, a glossary and a subject index; each volume also includes a category index. The entries in this collection are both engaging and accessible, offering an ideal starting point for deeper investigations into issues related to forensic science. Highly recommended for high school and public libraries.
—Doug Achterman