Just Finished Reading: Forensic Science – A Very Short Introduction by Jim Fraser

I’ve had a passing interest in forensics for some time, probably prompted by my reading of quite a few detective novels over the years. I’m not one for the CSI or NCIS TV shows however. I’ve just never got into them – though I’ve caught bits and pieces of them when I find myself bored and channel hop.

Anyway, this was a pretty interesting shotgun approach [grin] to the basics behind what Scene of Crime Officers do on a daily basis from managing a crime scene, analysing blood splatters to determine direction and distance from the trauma that caused them, and collecting evidence for later lab analysis. Inevitably there is quite a detailed chapter on DNA evidence which leads onto the ability to identify people, both victims and perpetrators by various forms of trace evidence they leave behind. In that particular section the main focus centred on fingerprints, shoe prints and bullet markings. Finally, the book examined the collection and analysis of trace evidence, from hair samples, glass, paint and, of course, various chemical substances including drugs. In conclusion there was a short piece on how science serves justice.

Despite being a bit dry and rather text-book like in places this was readable enough to finish it at almost a single sitting (taking into account it’s only 128 pages long). I learnt a few interesting little nuggets of information but I can’t say that this actually rocked my world. Recommended for those who might be starting to think about forensic science as a degree course or possibly as a career.