Forensic science : from fibers to fingerprints / Lisa Yount.

CONTENTS
Preface xii
Acknowledgments xvi
Introduction xvii

Chapter 1. Deadly Powder: Mathieu Orfila, James Marsh, and Detection of Poisons 1
Founding a Science 2
A Sensitive Test 4
Pretty Poisoner 6
Connections: Was Napoleon Poisoned? 9
A Legacy of Students 11
Modern Poison Detection 12
Chronology 14
Further Reading 16

Chapter 2. Arches, Loops, and Whorls: Francis Galton, Edward Henry,
and Fingerprinting 18
Wordless Signatures 18
Mark of a Thief 20
A Society of Strangers 21
Measuring Criminals 23
Other Scientists: Alphonse Bertillon (1853-1914) 25
Scientific Study 27
Social Impact: Eugenics 30
A Better System 32
Fingerprinting Takes over 33
Issues: How Reliable Are Fingerprints? 36
Fingerprinting Today 37
Chronology 39
Further Reading 43

Chapter 3. The Language of Blood: Karl Landsteiner and Blood Types 48
A Risky Procedure 48
Clues to a Puzzle 49
Four Types of Blood 50
Connections: Blood Transfusions in World War II 54
Testing Blood to Solve Crimes 56
A Delayed Reward 58
"Blood Fingerprints" 58
Spatter Tells a Story 59
Chronology 62
Further Reading 65

Chapter 4. Every Contact Leaves a Trace: Alexandre Lacassagne, Edmond Locard, and Forensic Science Laboratories 68
A Careful Investigator 68
Other Scientists: Hans Gross (1847-1915) 70
Two Famous Cases 72
The First Forensic Science Laboratory 74
Connections: Modern Forensic Science Laboratories 76
Telltale Dust 77
Parallels: Sherlock Holmes, Fictional Forensic Scientist 79
Clues to Identity 81
The Exchange Principle 81
Secrets in Trace Evidence 82
Chronology 84
Further Reading 86

Chapter 5. The Name on the Bullet: Calvin Goddard and Firearms Identification 88
From Medicine to Murder 88
An Unjust Conviction 89
Setting up a New Science 90
A Disputed Verdict 92
Parallels: Tracking a Shootout 94
Death on Valentine's Day 96
Return to the Army 97
Trends: Murders by Firearms 99
Forensic Ballistics Today 100
Chronology 102
Further Reading 106
Chapter 6. Liar, Liar: Leonarde Keeler and the Polygraph 108
The First Lie Detectors 108
Connections: Wonder Woman and Her Magic Lasso 110
The Frye Decision 112
Keeler Improves the Polygraph 112
Popularizing the Lie Detector 113
The Polygraph Test 114
True or False? 116
I Was There: The "Unbeatable" Machine 119
Polygraph Evidence in Court 121
Issues: Screening for Spies 122
Other Ways to Spot Lying 124
Chronology 125
Further Reading 127

Chapter 7. Voiceprints: Lawrence Kersta and Voice Identification 130
Visual Speech 130
The Sound Spectrograph 131
Spoken "Fingerprints" 132
Unique Voices 133
Connections: Computer Voice Recognition 135
Voiceprints in Court 137
"Garbage in, Garbage out" 137
Analyzing Spectrograms 139
How Accurate Is Voice Identification? 139
Chronology 141
Further Reading 142

Chapter 8. Bone Biographies: Clyde Snow and Forensic Anthropology 145
Sampling Careers 146
The Stories Bones Tell 147
Solving Problems: Measuring Bones 150
The Flight 191 Disaster 152
Putting a Face on Murder 153
Identifying the "Angel of Death" 154
The Disappeared 156
I Was There: The Students' First Body 159
Seeking Justice 161
Mass Graves around the World 161
Chronology 164
Further Reading 167

Chapter 9. The Body Farm: William Bass and Determining Time of Death 170
Hooked on Bones 171
Ants Solve a Mystery 172
Inspiration from a Dead Cow 173
Bodies in a Barn 174
A Spectacular Mistake 174
Founding the "Body Farm" 176
Parades of Insects 177
A Best Seller Brings Fame 179
Solving Problems: Research for a Mystery Writer 181
A Kind of Immortality 183
Chronology 185
Further Reading 188

Chapter 10. The Ultimate Identifier: Alec Jeffreys and DNA Profiling 190
Presents Spark a Career 191
A "Eureka!" Moment 192
Reuniting a Family 193
Freeing an Innocent Man 194
Connections: The Innocence Project 196
Dragnet of Blood 198
Improving the Test 199
Other Scientists: Mary-Claire King (1946- ) 201
DNA Databases 203
Social Impact: Boon to Detectives or Threat to Privacy? 204
The Jewel in the Crown 205
Chronology 206
Further Reading 210

APPENDIXES
Chronology of Forensic Sciences 213
Glossary 218
Further Resources 232
Index

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction -- Deadly powder : Mathieu Orfila, James Marsh, and detection of poisons -- Arches, loops, and whorls : Francis Galton, Edward Henry, and fingerprinting -- The language of blood : Karl Landsteiner and blood types -- Every contact leaves a trace : Alexandre Lacassagne, Edmond Locard, and forensic science laboratories -- The name on the bullet : Calvin Goddard and firearms identification -- Liar, liar : Leonarde Keeler and the polygraph -- Voiceprints : Lawrence Kersta and voice identification -- Bone biographies : Clyde Snow and forensic anthropology -- The body farm : William Bass and determining time of death -- The ultimate identifier : Alec Jeffreys and DNA profiling.