Books.org participates in affiliate programs including Bookshop.org and the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you.
Overview
The publication of this third edition of the definitive text on clinical forensic medicine comes at an exciting time for a subject now gaining recognition as a speciality in the medical establishment. This growing acknowledgement reflects the fact that increasing numbers of health professionals are becoming engaged in general forensic services. Nurses and paramedics are more involved than ever in custody care, while nurses themselves are conducting more examinations in cases involving alleged sexual offences. Thus it is vital that those caring for this vulnerable group of patients (whether detainees or complainants) have the tools to master this specialist set of skills.
All the chapters in this new edition have been fully updated, with some undergoing extensive revision. Recent developments in child protection prools have prompted a major rewrite of the chapter on non-accidental injury, and the text now includes a specific chapter on the use of the TASER. Other aspects of restraint are now dealt with separately. The material on care of detainees and fitness for interview has been split into individual chapters to allow a more comprehensive discussion of the issues. In addition, new authors have joined the team of contributors, facilitating a wider range of international perspectives. From its chapters on the history and core principles of clinical forensic medicine, right up to the text’s discussion of substance misuse and deaths in custody, this volume remains the gold standard source for health professionals whose working lives bring them into contact with those in the law enforcement arena.
Synopsis
The publication of this third edition of the definitive text on clinical forensic medicine comes at an exciting time for a subject now gaining recognition as a speciality in the medical establishment. This growing acknowledgement reflects the fact that increasing numbers of health professionals are becoming engaged in general forensic services. Nurses and paramedics are more involved than ever in custody care, while nurses themselves are conducting more examinations in cases involving alleged sexual offences. Thus it is vital that those caring for this vulnerable group of patients (whether detainees or complainants) have the tools to master this specialist set of skills.
All the chapters in this new edition have been fully updated, with some undergoing extensive revision. Recent developments in child protection protocols have prompted a major rewrite of the chapter on non-accidental injury, and the text now includes a specific chapter on the use of the TASER. Other aspects of restraint are now dealt with separately. The material on care of detainees and fitness for interview has been split into individual chapters to allow a more comprehensive discussion of the issues. In addition, new authors have joined the team of contributors, facilitating a wider range of international perspectives. From its chapters on the history and core principles of clinical forensic medicine, right up to the text’s discussion of substance misuse and deaths in custody, this volume remains the gold standard source for health professionals whose working lives bring them into contact with those in the law enforcement arena.Editorials
From The Critics
Reviewer: Jennifer Forsyth, M.D.(City of St. Louis)Description: This is the third edition of a book that covers the usual forensic medicine topics from drug use to sexual assault examinations, but it strays into several peripheral areas far too much. The previous edition was published in 2005.
Purpose: It is always a worthy objective to increase the knowledge base of those working in forensics, but chapters vary greatly in their usefulness. Some cover topics in depth that are only peripherally related to forensics, such as the biology of the hepatitis viruses. So, in those instances, chapters do not add to the forensic knowledge.
Audience: Despite the subtitle, A Physician's Guide, the preface states that this book is for all healthcare workers who may be involved in a forensic setting. As a physician's guide, it is far too basic. As a primer for other healthcare workers, it might be more appropriate. However, the book is text heavy with very few illustrations and even fewer photographs, a major drawback for a primer.
Features: The topics covered in the book range from the usual forensic fare of interpreting injuries to drug use, but strays off in several directions that are much more peripheral, like the basics of informed consent. This update makes two additions. The first is a new chapter on TASER technology that is extremely in depth and includes a description of the physics behind the technology. The second is an expansion of the chapter on child abuse. However, this chapter is surprisingly light on the details of trauma and spends a great deal of time on the much rarer entity of fabricated or induced illness.
Assessment: I would not rate this book exceptionally high in quality due to its lack of pictures and illustrations. Another shortcoming is the inclusion of in-depth information on topics that are peripheral to forensic medicine (details on recording telephone conversations and note writing) while giving superficial treatment to such basic topics as injury interpretation. A book cannot be all things to all readers; this one has a general lack of focus.