Threads of Evidence Using Forensic Science to Solve Crimes

VOYA - Helen Turner

Forensic science studies evidence in criminal cases. Fingerprints, hairs, bomb fragments, blood, and dirt are some of the items that come under the scrutiny of forensic scientist. The evolution of forensic science is traced and the development of evidence in actual crimes is described to show how a forensic team works. Many of these cases involve the FBI "crime lab," which provides its services free of charge to all law enforcement agencies. Forensic scientists are doctors, physicists, psychiatrists, serologists, pathologists, and other specialists who examine any evidence that might be linked to a crime. Working on the premise that you take something with you when you enter a room, car, or any other place, and that you leave something behind when you leave that place, the forensic scientist uses skill and patience to find and analyze evidence. The work on the case of Ted Kaczynski, identified as the Unabomber, illustrates how a forensic team works together to solve a crime, including handwriting experts, bomb experts, those who analyze fingerprints, and even saliva on postage stamps. Illustrations would have made much of the information easier to understand. The Science Spotlight book Crime Fighting (Raintree Steck-Vaughn, 1995) by Ian Graham has excellent photos and illustrations, but does not include the case studies found here. Robert Gardner's Crime Lab 101 (Walker, 1992) also is illustrated. These two along with Threads of Evidence provide enough information to satisfy any would-be Sherlock Holmes. Index. Source Notes. Further Reading. VOYA Codes: 4Q 2P M J S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses, For the YA with a special interest in the subject, Middle School-defined as grades 6 to 8, Junior High-defined as grades 7 to 9 and Senior High-defined as grades 10 to 12).

School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up-In a crowded field of books on forensic science, this one stands out for its effective writing, up-to-date coverage, and gory details. Silverstein describes both biological and nonbiological forms of evidence, explains how they are analyzed, and compares the newest methods with those used hundreds of years ago. The biological evidence includes some stomach-turning details, such as the insect larvae found in bodies that can help pinpoint times of death. The crimes described include some very recent ones-the bombings of Pan Am Flight 103 and the Oklahoma City Federal Building and the hunt for the Unabomber-but the O. J. Simpson case is not covered. Generally, the author's writing style is quite effective, with colorful language and logical structure. Jenny Tesar's Scientific Crime Investigation (Watts, 1991; o.p.) covers much of the same material (though examples are not as current) in slightly less effective language but has illustrations and a glossary. Donna Jackson's The Bone Detectives (Little, Brown, 1996) treats one aspect of forensic science with full-color photographs and has an even more appealing writing style. And several books, including Robert Gardner's Crime Lab 101 (Walker, 1992), Robert Sheely's Police Lab (Silver Moon, 1993), and Jim Wiese's Detective Science (Wiley, 1996), address the subject in less detail but include experiments so that readers can try out detection techniques. Silverstein updates or supplements all of these titles, but the lack of illustrations will limit her book's popularity.-Jonathan Betz-Zall, Sno-Isle Regional Library System, Edmonds, WA