NCJ Number
62313
Date Published
1978
Length
550 pages
Annotation
A MANUAL PRESENTING DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF MANY BIOLOGICAL TECHNIQUES USED IN THE METROPOLITAN POLICE FORENSIC SCIENCES LABORATORY IS PROVIDED AS A TEACHING AID AND A REFERENCE SOURCE.
Abstract
INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THE MANUAL IS INTENDED FOR USE BY FORENSIC SCIENTISTS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. BRIEF THEORETICAL EXPLANATIONS ARE INCLUDED WHEN NECESSARY FOR CLARITY. WHERE STANDARD SCIENTIFIC TECHNIQUES HAVE BEEN MODIFIED TO SUIT FORENSIC NEEDS, THESE MODIFICATIONS ARE INCLUDED. IN AREAS SUCH AS PAPER AND FOODSTUFFS, CONSIDERABLE DETAIL IS PROVIDED BECAUSE OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION ARE NOT READILY AVAILABLE. THE MANUAL DESCRIBES EXAMINATION OF STAINS, STAB HOLES, WEAPONS, FINGERNAILS, CIGARETTE ENDS, AND MOTOR VEHICLES. TOPICS SUCH AS EXAMINATION OF WHOLE BLOOD, GROUPING OF BLOOD SAMPLES IN IMMUNOLOGICAL SYSTEMS, PREPARATION OF SUPPORT MEDIA AND TECHNIQUE, BLOOD GROUP FREQUENCIES, AND SPECIES IDENTIFICATION ARE ALSO DISCUSSED. TECHNIQUES FOR EVALUATION OF SALIVA, SEMEN, AND VAGINAL SECRETIONS AND SLIDE PREPARATION, STAINING, AND GROUPING ARE PRESENTED. IDENTIFICATION OF URINE AND HUMAN AND ANIMAL FECES IS DESCRIBED, AND CHEMICAL TESTS, GROUPING, AND MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION TECHNIQUES ARE SPECIFIED. A SECTION INCLUDES IDENTIFICATION, ANALYSIS OF STOMACH CONTENTS, ANIMAL FOODS, PLANT FOODS, PIGMENTS, AND DRINKS. ADDITIONAL CHAPTERS FOCUS ON TECHNIQUES USED FOR FIBER AND HAIR ANALYSIS, BOTANICAL APPLICATIONS, PAPER EXAMINATION AND ANALYSIS, AND NUCLEAR SEXING. SKETCHES, CHARTS, AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED FOR EACH CHAPTER AND AN INDEX IS PROVIDED FOR THE MANUAL. CROSS-REFERENCES REFER TO OTHER PORTIONS OF THE TEXT, AND LITERATURE REFERENCES SUPPLEMENT THE CHAPTERS. (LWM)