1st Edition

Forensic DNA Collection at Death Scenes A Pictorial Guide

    175 Pages 193 Color Illustrations
    by CRC Press

    175 Pages
    by CRC Press

    DNA evidence collected from death scenes is an essential tool for law enforcement, death investigators, and forensic pathologists—providing insights into cause and manner of death as well as the identification of the responsible person or persons. Ineffective collection procedures raise the risk of evidence being altered or lost during transportation of the body. Using real death scene photos and actual cases as examples, Forensic DNA Collection at Death Scenes: A Pictorial Guide provides a practical approach to evidence collection with emphasis on proper identification, collection, documentation, and preservation.

    The first atlas of its kind, it demonstrates best practices for collecting DNA from decedents depending on the circumstances of the death scene and other materials present on the decedent such as clothing, bindings, and other objects. The authors discuss the success of the techniques employed in each scenario and analyze the DNA results obtained. The techniques employed at death scenes can also be applied to sexual assault cases, where DNA is collected from the body after an assault takes place.

    The increasing applications of evidence-based medicine and forensic science to criminal justice and civil litigation demand that crime scene investigations be more scientific, better organized, and multidisciplinary. This atlas provides a step-by-step guide to effective, uncompromising evidence collection.

    Introduction
    Introduction and History
    The Program Matures
    Training
    Scene Interactions
    Supplies
    Documentation
    Collection Techniques
    Preservation and Packaging
    Body Swabbings
    Blood Patterns
    Bindings, Clothing, Wrappings
    Tough Places
    Trace Success Cases
    Administration
    Closing Remarks
    References
    Index

    Biography

    PhD. Williams