Crime Lab: A Guide for Nonscientists

"Crime Lab: A Guide for Nonscientists" by John Houde, ISBN 0-965-8286-2-X (HC), Calico Press 1999 - is a 205 page treatise by seasoned writer (20 articles) and publisher of quarterly CACNews. It is a superbly written and well illustrated (130) guide to understanding the basic principles utilized by criminalists in their forensic forays into known or suspected crime investigations. In 12 chapters Houde provides a brief history of forensics, depicts a crime scene (murder, assault, break-in, attempted arson) which is used as a ploy to submerge the reader into the probe as the investigation begins, describes encompassing the crime scene and how to record, photograph and analyze everything - from blood, saliva, sweat, vaginal secretions, pubic and body hair, animal and carpet fibers, and matching of probable murder weapons using well explained modern scientific devices including GC/MS, IR, SEM, polarizing microscopy, special tissue stains, ascertaining RI of glass, and details on collection, preservation and chain of custody of gathered evidences. They don't get any better.

I received a Bachelor in Chemistry and have been working in a laboratory for two years. Recently I have been interested in pursuing a career in Criminalistics. My lab experience covered polymer development. I needed reading material that would give me an idea of what they do in a crime lab and what types of methods and testing they perform. This book went above and beyond my expectations. It was interesting while providing excellent, easy to understand information on what to expect in the field of forensic science. It is titled "a guide for nonscientist" but it should really be titled "a guide for everyone interested in this field of study". I have worked with many of the testing methods described in this book (while in school) and reading John Haude I could visually picture what hr was describing. He had some great analogies which I will probably use if I have to explain "what" I did in the lab to a jury. This book gives you a starting point in which one could search for more technical information on specific tests. If you have never worked in a crime lab then you are not familiar with the types of testing they do. This gives you that information. For all those non-scientist reading this review...definitely get this book....it's interesting and it is understandable.

Even though I thoroughly enjoyed the pictures, photographs, detail, and lay out of the book...I think I expected more than what I actually got. I've been interested in forensic science since medical school, and have read quite a few books. This one was fun, but it became less interesting and more preachy toward the end. I skimmed through the last part of the book, especially on the author's concerns over whether the public was adversely influenced by the OJ trial and the fiasco involved there. If I remember rightly, it was more the stupidity of the LAPD rather than the mistakes of the labs that stood out in everyone's mind. It is true that the FBI lab has come under more fire lately for mistakes, as should other labs if they do not do their job right. Lab work, whether for medical reasons or criminalists, can literally mean life-or-death, and it would be foolish to allow incompetence in either areas to flourish. For those just beginning to be interested in this field, especially those who think they may want to do this as their life's work, this is a good book for them to read. Be aware that the tests for DNA and other stuff is changing constantly, so what was written in the book, will now have changed...the field of Northern blotting, PCR, and other medical testing of blood components and DNA is changing about every six months, with new technology and more accurate methods of detection. It is difficult for any writer of this genre or neuroscience textbooks even to keep up with the field. Karen Sadler, Science Education, University of Pittsburgh

This book is pleasent and easy reading. It is not very technical but gives one a good idea of the many aspects of crime analysis. Nice pictures.

Fear not, science-phobes, for a fun-to-read, exceptionally well-illustrated comprehensive book on what goes on inside a crime lab has finally been published. Crime Lab: A Guide for Nonscientists by John Houde accurately and thoroughly depicts what criminalists encounter in their profession. It offers engaging reading to the layperson and professional alike, placing them first-hand into the processing of a crime scene. They are then taken for a ride on the back of the evidence through the crime laboratory as criminalists and analysts unlock the secrets hidden within. Throughout, concepts come alive through well-chosen snippets of real-life cases. The breadth of instrumentation and analyses that the author presents is impressive. He explains DNA typing, bloodstain pattern interpretation, gas chromatography, electrophoresis, ultraviolet spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, microscopy, DRUGFIRE, mass spectrometry, impression evidence, microcrystal tests, and scanning electron microscopy, to name only some. In the spirit of thoroughness, the author admits there are areas that he did not include in the book and provides a list of them.More important than the technical aspects of the crime lab is conveying the criminalist's mentality. The author has the reader view the evidence through the mind of the criminalist-considering alternative interpretations of the evidence, then using scientific principles and techniques to corroborate or refute them. He explains, "We don't have a personal stake in winning convictions or acquittals. We only care that our interpretations will be correct."Although written for the layperson, those in the profession will find this valuable reading. There is currently a trend towards specialization in criminalistics. It is not unusual to find lab personnel fully competent in their specialty, yet woefully ignorant about their coworker's areas of expertise. This book provides a breadth of basic knowledge that any good criminalist should have. It starts with the processing of the crime scene, then presents real-life problems and solutions encountered by every lab regarding packaging and sample collection. Resources every good criminalist should be aware of are listed and some of the "big players" in the field are mentioned. Courtroom testimony, accreditation, certification, and professional associations are also addressed.Continuing in the comprehensive spirit of the book, there is an index for ready reference and a book list for further study. It includes over 100 beautiful and well-placed illustrations. For those who become caught by the criminalistics bug, the author discusses what it takes to become a criminalist. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it to potential jurors, those searching for a career, and forensic scientists.