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Title: Forensic Science of CSI
ISBN: 0425183599
Author:
Katherine M. Ramsland
Publicate Date: 2001-09-01
Publish: 2001-09-01
List Price: $13.95
Average Customer Rating: 3.5
Format: Paperback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $2.10
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $0.01
Amazon Merchant Price: $11.16
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| Customer Review: |
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1: Behind the scenes...the real forensic science info --fibers, hair etc
We loved this book-- on the back cover it asks about a half dozen questions like -- "how can a pair of glasses suggest murder rather than suicide?" and others-- and then goes on to explain how forensic scientists arrive at their final conclusions using all kinds of methods and analysis. The auhtor has a masters degree in forensic psychology and has published 15 books incuding biographies of such famous writers as anne Rice and Dean Koontz. She also spent a year as a research assistant to former FBI profiler John Douglas...and she writes forensic science articles for Court TV's Crime Library. Note that the book was not authorized, prepared, approved, licensed or endorsed by anyone in connection with the TV series CSI...The book is divided into 11 chapters and includes a good glossary, references section and index. Topics covered begin 1) Scene of Crime and end at 11 Evidence Response and in between include 2) handling bodies 3) ID unknown 4) Traces, 5) We have a Match 6) Science v Intuition 7) Elements of Reconstruction 8)Criminal Logic and 9) Varieties of Deception and 10 Forensic puzzles. I especially like the boldface sections of the book where the author adds some historical perspective ie how the coroner system evolved etc. She certainly demystifies lots of the science of forensics and explains what's fact-based behind some of CSI's most watched shows. Did you know that Iodine fumes are used to bring up latent fingerprints-- well after reading this book you'll know lots more about forensic science...and it's great cocktail chatter too....
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2: Instructive but flawed due to lack of illustrations
The hit TV series CSI has spawned interest in forensic science in the public. This book shows you how forensic works in reality, from fingerprint and DNA to blood spatter pattern analyis.
It is not an episode guide to the TV show with some explanations tagged on, as another reviewer wrote. The book uses the CSI show merely as an angle to introduce the general reader into this interesting topic. You will surely find much of interest here, even if you have never seen an CSI episode. Author Katherine RAMSLAND also clearly points out where the series does not get it right:
* forensic investigations take much more time in reality (whereas in the TV show uses some artistic licence due to narrative necessities)
* crime scene investigators don't interrogate suspects
* proceedures and tests, which look rather easy in the show, are difficult and time consuming.
I liked the methodological approach of the book: It starts with the definition of a crime scene, details the investigation from the inital response of law enforcement personel to the processing of the scene all the way to what happens during the autopsy and in the crime lab. It gives you a good insight into what crime scene investigators do (the kits, equipment and tools they use, what legal and scientific proceedures they have to adher to, how evidence is collected, preserved, investigated
and stored, what happens at the lab and so forth) without being overly technical.
As mentioned above, the angle author Katherine RAMSLAND uses is the CSI TV show. So there are often references to the show, what tests GRISSOM and his team used and they are explained in detail without being overly technical. The book is interspersed with references to real crimes (I was surprised to see how many CSI episodes were apparently inspired by true crimes!) and how forensic science helped to solve them.
The author also points out the psychological side in chapters on profiling and the use of psychological autopsy.
My main complaint with the book is the absence of any kind of illustrations. It is much more instructive when discussing the e.g. various kinds of fingerprints and blood spatter patterns and to actually see some pictures of samples, let alone the equipment in a crime lab. I mean, who knows what a gas chromatograph looks like? Also some kind of diagramms or illustrations would have been helpful with some of the scientific tests. The complete lack of pictures makes the book occassionally a bit dry at times.
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3: this book is a 10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
this book tells you everything you need to know about forensics. It is the best science text i have ever read. from the scene to the autopsy table, it has it all. if you like the show CSI and the CSI books by Max Allen Collins, you'll love this! it gives you real life examples, lists , and explanations on every page. it also has an awesome glossary and reference. LOVE IT!!!!!!
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4: Might be good to get your teen into reading science
I found this book to be marginal at best. That may have something to do with my education and the amount of reading I have done in real forensics books. It would be a good read for teens interested in a possible career in this field, or for adults whose primary exposure is through the TV series. I'm sure that the writer knows much more than is in this book, and I would like to see a more in-depth coverage written for those who aren't in medicine or law enforcement but who have a genuine interest in the science. If your teen likes the show, it might be an excellent way to get them interested in reading science outside of that dull text from high school.
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5: interesting, but gruesome, in some places, type of book.
This book, part series guide; part primer on forensic science, gives some of the scientific background to C.S.I.. (Crime Scene Investigation) and now, also, C.S.I. Miami, as well as other movies and shows; where science and criminology meet. Gives fairly good explanations, although some are left out, maybe because anyone who watches these shows has heard terms, for example, "bindle" [a piece of paper or some small envelope, used for evidence collection]. Some of the "real life" cases, as contrasted to some of the episodes, are pretty gruesome and not recommended for everyone. Great for fans of the shows [like me] or anyone moderately curious about how some crimes are solved.
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