The Facts on File Dictionary of Forensic Science

Forensic science is becoming what space exploration was to previous generations - a highly visible, widely publicized and somewhat glamorized gateway into the world of science. Applied notably in criminal investigations and historical and archaeological research, forensic science is truly an interdisciplinary field. The media has extensively covered the utilization of forensic science methods in identifying victims of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, in determining Saddam Hussein's fate in post-war Iraq, and in exonerating wrongly convicted criminals. This book offers concise, informative definitions of the fundamental terms, concepts, practices, tools, applications and cases in this relatively new branch of science. A resource for school, university, and public libraries as well as for professionals in fields related to or involved with forensic science, this dictionary is easy to use and covers a wide range of topics related to forensic science. More than 1800 extensively cross-referenced entries and several appendicecs - including drawings of the human skeleton and skull, a bibliography and a list of useful websites - provide comprehensive coverage of the subject.