Washoe County Library System

What is forensic science and how is it used to solve a crime? How do you know if a red stain is blood or ketchup, or whose blood it is? Can computers really recognize your face in a crowd? How do scientists decide how old bones are, and trace who they once belonged to? Explore the fascinating, and sometimes gory, world of forensics, where science helps crack the case. Learn why it is important to secure a crime scene, why fingerprints are critical...

With the help of Dr. Jennifer Gardy, of British Columbia's Centre for Disease Control (CDC), sift through the mayhem, murder and science that make up the world of forensic investigation. In the field and the lab, follow scientists who are able to read the subtlest evidence and turn nature to righting wrongs. Find out the real secret of using science for solving crime: it may be less about technology and more about the careful observation of the natural...

From his early career as a public defender to his success overturning wrongful convictions working with the Innocence Project, James Buting's story provides a compelling expert view into the high-stakes arena of criminal defense law; the difficulties of forensic science; and a horrifying reality of biased interrogations, coerced or false confessions, faulty eyewitness testimony, official misconduct, and more. Combining narrative reportage with critical...

Learn about the history of forensic science and the many ways scientists use to solve crimes, from fingerprinting to DNA samples.