Overview

Forensic Science in Court explores the legal implications of forensic science—an increasingly important and complex part of the justice system. Judge Donald Shelton provides an accessible overview of the legal aissues, from the history of evidence in court, to ""gatekeeper"" judges determining what evidence can be allowed, to the ""CSI effect"" in juries. The book describes and evaluates various kinds of evidence, including DNA, fingerprints, handwriting, hair, bite marks, tool marks, firearms and bullets, fire and arson investigation, and bloodstain evidence. Assessing the strengths and limitations of each kind of evidence, the author also discusses how they can contribute to identifying the ""who,"" ""how,"" and ""whether"" questions that arise in criminal prosecutions. Author Donald Shelton draws on the depth of his experiences as courtroom prosecutor, professor, and judge, to provide a well-rounded look at these increasingly critical issues. Case studies throughout help bring the issues to life and show how forensic science has been used, both successfully and not, in real-world situations.

Full Product Details

Author:   Hon. Donald Shelton, Washtenaw Trial Court, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Publisher:   Rowman & Littlefield
Imprint:   Rowman & Littlefield
Dimensions:   Width: 15.60cm , Height: 1.10cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.327kg
ISBN:  

9781442201880

ISBN 10:   1442201886
Pages:   196
Publication Date:   16 October 2010
Recommended Age:   From 18 to 22 years
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

"List of Figures Introduction Chapter 1: The History and Development of Forensic Scientific Evidence Chapter 2: The Problem of Junk Science Chapter 3: DNA—the New Gold Standard Admissibility of DNA at Trial Postconviction DNA Testing Chapter 4: The ""Who"" Question Fingerprint Evidence Handwriting Comparison Chapter 5: More ""Who"" Questions Hair Analysis Bite Mark Analysis Chapter 6: The ""How"" Question Toolmarks and Firearms Bullet Lead Comparison Fire, Explosion and Arson Evidence Bloodstain Pattern Evidence Chapter 7: The ""Whether"" Question: Social Science Evidence in Criminal Cases Eyewitness Identification Experts Forensic Abuse Syndromes Conclusions about Social Science Evidence Chapter 8: Jurors and Forensic Science Evidence The ""CSI"" Myth The ""Tech"" Effect ""Negative"" Evidence Voir Dire, Argument and Jury Instructions Chapter 9: Conclusions: Where Do We Go From Here? The Last Twenty Years—An Era of Doubt Daubert's Change in the Legal Standard for Admissibility The Emergence of DNA as a New Model for Forensic Scientific Evidence The Impact of DNA Exonerations The Impact of the National Academy of Sciences Report The Impact of New Technology Awareness by Jurors The Current State of Forensic Science Evidence in Criminal Cases Thoughts about the Future of Criminal Forensic Science Appendix: Recommendations of the National Research Council Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward Notes Index About the Authors"

Reviews

Judge Shelton's book is a very readable, entertaining, concise, and enlightening account of the history of the use of forensic science evidence in criminal trials. This book is a valuable resource for lawyers, judges, and students. I highly recommend it.--Clancy, Thomas K.

Judge Shelton's book hits the right balance: it clearly communicates the basic procedures used in each technique but does not dwell too much in any one area. For a very difficult subject matter, it is fairly easy to read, and the case studies really make the issues come alive. Judge Shelton is not afraid to point out the weaknesses both legally and scientifically of some of the procedures.--Ron Bretz

Author Information

Donald Shelton is Chief Judge of the Michigan 22nd Judicial Circuit and an adjunct professor in the criminal justice and political science departments at Eastern Michigan University. He also serves as a supervising judge for the Washtenaw Juvenile Court. He has previously worked as an attorney and taught at Washtenaw Community College and the University of Maryland.

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