Product Description
This new third edition of the popular Bevan and Lidstone: The Investigation of Crime offers comprehensive guidance to police investigative powers. There have been a wealth of developments in the regulatory framework since the publication of the second edition, and these are fully covered here. In one handy volume there are detailed examinations of the provisions relating to terrorism, surveillance, financial investigation, computer crime and football violence. Also, the new edition has been widened to include material on the law of crime scene preservation, forensic issues, cross-border powers and procedural issues. ... Read more

Product Description
Criminal investigation is a dynamic endeavor impacted by changes in human nature, statutory and constitutional laws, and methods of operation. New challenges are constantly posed for the investigator and the investigation of drug offenses is no exception. It takes advanced skills to keep pace with the criminal mind. Unfortunately, the skills acquired in basic police training are just that: basic. In order to stay ahead of their criminal counterparts, drug enforcement officers must seek extensive, ongoing training and knowledge, not just to secure a lawful conviction but to keep themselves and the public safe.

This new edition of the bestselling Practical Drug Enforcement provides a thoroughly revised and updated guide to the contemporary aspects of covert criminal investigations and the management of the drug enforcement unit itself. Appealing to a wide variety of law enforcement officers in all jurisdictions, it addresses different methods of detection, investigation, surveillance, and capture of drug traffickers as well as identifies those methods commonly employed by criminals to avoid detection. Drawing from the author’s expertise in the field, and as a nationally recognized consultant, this book contains practical hands-on information for the officer in the street and the administrator coordinating operations. This edition includes new drug identification photos, charts, and updated statistics, as well as an entirely new chapter on the surreptitious monitoring of suspects, entrapment, and “possession with intent” cases.

New topics include—

Designed as an investigative resource on current drug enforcement techniques, Practical Drug Enforcement, Third Edition allows law enforcement personnel from a variety of jurisdictions and priorities to maintain concurrent initiatives regarding the identification, apprehension, and prosecution of all known drug offenders and drug traffickers at local and national levels. ... Read more

Product Description

TV shows that retain their popularity over the years do so for obvious reasons: good production values, good acting, and compelling storylines. But detective stories in particular also endure because they appeal to the gumshoe in all of us. America is obsessed with crime solving. Nancy Grace on CNN Headline News, Greta Van Susteren on Fox, and the seemingly annual recurrence of the courtroom sensation all testify to this fact. And these people and cases are able to reach their phenomenal status not simply because of the media-the media only demonstrates the enormous national appetite for this material. Rather, Cold Case, CSI, and Law & Order have achieved their current popularity because they all respond to the same national craving for crime, and do so with great skill and creativity. Round Up the Usual Suspects provides a comparison of the crime fighting models and justice proceedings of each of these TV series.

Each series has its own special crime-fighting niche, and each approaches its job with a different set of values and different paradigms of discovery and proof. Their separate approaches are each firmly grounded in different components of human nature — analytical reasoning, for instance, in CSI, memory in Cold Case, and teamwork in Law & Order. After examining each of the individual series in depth, Ruble goes on to investigate some of the historical antecedents in classical TV detective series such as The FBI and Dragnet. It is interesting to note that these crime fighting methodologies are extensions of the way we all process information about the world. Ray Ruble here aims to increase our appreciation for the ingenious manner in which fictional cases are broken and convictions convincingly secured, and also illuminates the deeper human elements that lie under a more implicit spotlight in these runaway hits.

Product Description
This comprehensive volume deciphers investigative process and practice, providing an authoritative insight into key debates and contemporary issues in crime investigations

• Provides critical examination of investigative practice by focusing on the key issues and debates underpinned by academic literature on crime investigation
• Outlines the theoretical explanations that provide an understanding of crime investigation and the context in which investigators operate
• Illustrates the practical relevance of theoretical contributions to crime investigation
• Places clear emphasis on the multi-disciplinary nature of crime investigation

Product Description
Michael Palmiotto's Criminal Investigation is often described as one of the most realistic and accessible texts in the study of Criminal Justice. In this Third Edition-- which has been substantially updated from previous editions-- Palmiotto provides greater coverage of case screening, more sources of information, and in-depth analyses of special investigations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

newest edition wasn't proofread!
Mr. Palmiotto's newest edition of this book, which has just been released in 2004 was apparently not proofread before it was sent to the printers.There are NUMEROUS *EXTREME* spelling and punctuation errors (lone quotations which never end, important names wrong or spelled incorrectly, key terms not bold in some instances - and this is just the first chapter!) which make the book extremely difficult to read, let alone understand.With at least 3 errors per PAGE in this book, you'd be better off working with a different book altogether.Don't waste your money! ... Read more

Product Description

A unique, hands-on volume designed to enhance readers' understanding of basic criminal investigations, Criminal Investigations, uses real life scenarios to explain the material. The scenarios are geared toward the practical application of investigative tools, concepts and protocols. The methods used in the book are based on well-founded adult learning principles that help readers retain relevant concepts and practices. The case scenarios address preliminary and follow-up investigation procedures, crime scene search procedures, diagramming, photography techniques, latent prints, evidence handling procedures, crimes against property investigations, death recognition concepts, SIDS procedures, crimes against persons investigations, surveillance techniques, vice crimes and bombs/explosives violations. For those involved in law enforcement and crime scene investigation.

Customer Reviews (1)

Need Text book
I was not that impressed with the book, it needs a text book to go along with it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Very Helpful
This book is a great primer for your 1L criminal procedure class.It is well written and the material is presented in an understandable manner.I think the biggest benefit of this book is that it puts all of the material in perspective in one quick blow.In class you sometimes cover a certain topic over the course of weeks, and sometimes a topic you cover in the second half of the course is based on or changes what you learned in the first half.This reality often makes it difficult to understand how what you're learning at one time relates to what you've learned at another time.This book helps bridge the gap.

Some people have criticized this book because the author goes off on tangents or because the author repeats himself, etc.I think these types of criticism are not well founded.The tangents are few and far between, and they are brief, providing a broader understanding of the rules that make up the bulk of the book.Additionally, to the extent that the author repeats himself I think he necessarily does so, and no further.Repetition is often required because of the intricacies of the topic.Changes or trends in one area have a way of effecting the law in other areas.

In short, I highly recommend this book.I suggest reading the chapters after you have already covered all the materials in class that are to be covered in the chapter; that is, don't read ahead of your class pace in terms of topics.Also, don't wait until the end of the semester to start reading this book; at over 600 pages, you won't have time (however, some chapters you will probable be able to skip).Good luck in Crim. Pro.!

YUP - THE BEST CRIM PRO TREATISE OUT THERE UNDER 10 LBS!
Dressler has done a great job on this pocket treatise

- one reviewer said: "I do not want to bathe myself with the nuances of side arguments of the 4th amendments." - Are you kidding - these are where the issues are on the 4th amendment !

Also said" I would rather leave this to the teacher to present or a horn book."- Are you kidding - Dressler is a giant in Criminal law and procedure - your law school teacher pales compared to Dressler - further more - this IS a hornbook.

Also said "writing is dry and goes on tangents"- the book is not dry - it is lucid and clear - and the tangents are where the issues are.

Also said "I used Black Letter Series for Criminal Law and
found it very helpful" - I AGREE - THE BLACKLETER LAW SERIES AND THIS DRESSLER TEXT ARE HANDS DOWN THE BEST POCKET TREATISES ON THIS SUBJECT.

ALSO RECOMMENDED - THe Dressler Sum & Substance Crim Pro Audio CDs - THEY ARE ALSO AWESOME.

I sold all my law books aftger law school - this is one of the priveleged few that I kept because it is that good - The other supurbe Lexis understanding series treatise are Copyrights and Torts.

Good, but too much unnecessary information
This book does a decent job explaining crim pro concepts....once you get past all the side arguments and irrelevant discussions that is. The 4th Amendment Search and Seizure issue is a large portion of a Crim Pro class. Accordingly, it's a big section in this book. However, I find the 4th Amendment discussion is not only poorly organized, but also contains TOO MUCH information. There are too many side arguments and too much irrelevant discussion. It's almost like reading the textbook. While I understand the 4th Amendment issue is largely unclear and there are not many bright line rules, this book could have gotten that same point across in much less text. I REALLY liked Dressler's Understanding Criminal Law, which partly made me get this one, but this one isn't nearly as good. If you can get past all the unnecessary discussion to find the parts that your professor focused on, it's a decent book.

Excellent supplement DURING the semester
Understanding Crim Pro was a godsend during the semester. Mine is one of the oddball schols that have Crim Pro rather than Crim Law as a required first year course- thus the resources are few and far between.

This was the companion book to the Dressler casebook, and after a while, I began to rely almost entirely on this hornbook rather than the casebook.

The nice thing about Crim Pro is that there are very few surprises, much of it common sense (except maybe target standing or "fruit of the poisonous tree" in relation to Miranda). But still, you want to know the ins and out of each doctrine.

A great book all around; you MUST buy it if you're going to use the Dressler casebook.

Possibly the best overview of 4th, 5th and 6th Amendment law available
Dressler addresses the the intricacies of criminal procedure in an effective, detailed fashion, which is necessary if you are ever going to understand the interplay between the amendments and their application in the real world.while designed for law students, i have practiced criminal law for 7 years, and still find myself referring back to this book regularly to clarify issues.the book is extremely well-organized, and covers all the major cases from which procedural jurisprudence has evolved.if you buy only one book on constitutional law as it applies to criminal procedure, this has to be it. ... Read more

Product Description
The Sexual Exploitation of Children: A Practical Guide to Assessment, Investigation, and Intervention, Second Edition discusses the new and different developments in the manifestation of problems involved in investigation and assessment of sexual cases and offers advice on dealing with these issues. Although many of the difficulties involved in investigation and assessment of sexual abuse allegations have remained unchanged since the first edition of this book appeared in 1987, the manner in which investigations are conducted must adapt to these new and different developments. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Requires a Place in Your Reference Library
Seth Goldstein's "The Sexual Exploitation of Children" focuses multidisciplinary approaches to this problem into one easy to use comprehensive volume.As a law student, the chapter on search warrants and, in particular, the chapter on case management with appendices provides especially useful examples and guides.
I would have given Goldstein's book 5 stars, but due to many grammatical errors and poor proofreading I could not escape the unprofessioinal feel which is disappointing.Despite this drawback, however, the usefulness of this book far outweighs a marginally poor editor.If you work in the field of combating the sexual exploitation of children this book is required, no question. ... Read more

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Arrest Search and Investigation in North Carolina ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

You want indepth knowledge? You'll get it w/this book
I bought this book and I am quite impressed with all the content that is inside.It not only gives definitions (in depth) for a particular crime, but it also gives numerous incidents relating to each type of crime.Regular everyday citizens may find it boring to read, but anyone in the Criminal Justice Field will find it most helpful and quite interesting.I recommend it not only to any current law enforcement officials, but also any college student is interested in going into the Criminal Justice field. ... Read more

Product Description
This book on the criminal procedure and criminal investigation of fraud has taken two years to come to fruition. It is a comprehensive law book on the topic of criminal fraud and includes caselaw, legislation, professional practice procedures, best practices, and many scenarios. It is the most comprehensive fraud law book on sale. ... Read more

Product Description

Despite the fact that most crimes are committed for financial gain, little attention is given in forensic literature to the financial motivations behind this criminal behavior. Particularly with white collar crime, understanding these motivations is often the key to the apprehension and successful prosecution of these individuals. Criminal Financial Investigations: The Use of Forensic Accounting Techniques and Indirect Methods of Proof provides direct instruction on the "how to" aspects of criminal financial investigations, taking readers through the different approaches used in gathering evidence, and demonstrating how to prepare and present circumstantial evidence to a judge or jury in a simple and convincing manner.

Proceeding step-by-step through the investigative process, from case initiation to presentation in court, this text presents the relevant legal requirements to successfully establish a case. The author presents a historical overview and examines the different forms of financial fraud and misappropriation of assets, including money laundering and transnational financial transactions. The book defines how the legally accepted indirect methods of proof are constructed and explains how they can establish proof beyond a reasonable doubt. It also outlines the use of search warrants, including the construction of the warrant to ensure that all necessary documentary evidence is collected and corroborated for judicial presentation.

Written by a former Special Agent with the Criminal Investigation Division of the IRS, this volume uses case studies to clarify the material, eschewing a theoretical review in favor of a more "hands on" approach. The book sets out a methodology that provides the foundation for readers to understand what is necessary to identify, pursue, and successfully prosecute financial white collar crime.

Product Description
Police success in linking vehicles to the scene of a crime through the impressions and tracks those vehicles leave behind has long served as a successful and reliable forensic tool. The collection and forensic evaluation of that evidence, however, requires specialized knowledge, training, and expertise.
Drawing from the author’s 34 years of experience, first as an FBI examiner and currently as a private consultant in the area of tire evidence, Tire and Tire Track Evidence: Recovery and Forensic Examination is the most comprehensive and up-to-date volume available on the subject. Covering all aspects of the field, the book begins with general information on the modern pneumatic tire and basic terminology. For both the crime scene technician and the forensic examiner, the author addresses information on both how to recover tire track evidence and how to photograph and cast the individual tread detail from those impressions.
The book explains and illustrates the necessary information on obtaining known exemplars; tire manufacturing, and retreading tires. It explains important aspects of tires including their tread design and dimension, noise treatment, general wear and individual acquired characteristics. The author instructs on applying that knowledge while conducting a structured examination procedure, resulting in the final evaluation of evidence and report writing as well as the presentation of tire evidence in court. He provides information on databases and resources along with case examples, including the Oklahoma City bombing.
Informative and useful, this book gives crime scene technicians and forensic examiners the tools to accurately and reliably collect, recover, and examine tire evidence. ... Read more

Product Description
A thumb print left at the scene of a grisly murder. Fingerprints taken from a getaway car used in a bank robbery. A palm print recovered from the shattered glass door of a burglarized home. Indeed, where crimes are committed, careless perpetrators will invariably leave behind the critical pieces of evidence-most likely in the form of fingerprints-needed to catch and convict them. But the science of fingerprint identification isn't always as cut and dry as detective novels and movies make it out to be.Quantitative-Qualitative Friction Ridge Analysis, a new book in the ongoing Practical Aspects of Criminal and Forensic Investigations series, examines the latest methods and techniques in the science of friction ridge identification, or ridgeology. David R. Ashbaugh examines every facet of the discipline, from the history of friction ridge identification and its earliest pioneers and researchers, to the scientific basis and the various steps of the identification process.The structure and growth of friction skin and how it can leave latent or visible prints are examined, as well as advanced identification methods in ridgeology, including Poroscopy, Edgeoscopy, Pressure Distortion andComplex or Problem Print Analysis. The book, which features several detailed illustrations and photographs, also includes a new method for Palmar Flexion Crease Identification (palm lines) designed by the author and which has helped solve several criminal cases where fingerprints were not available. For crime scene technicians, forensic identification specialists, or anyone else pursuing a career in forensic science,this book is arguably the definitive source in the science of friction ridge identification. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Depends on the purpose
As an instructor of Imprint Analysis, I have mixed emotions about this book.If you are in the profession it is a MUST have.However, if you are thinking about using this in an introductory course, I would advise against it.My students have a very difficult time with his writing style.Also, as a professional you can see past the arrogance as well as understand it.As a student, it comes across to many as snobbish and dry.I am having a very hard time teaching from the book.
I agree with the previous reviewer as well that he needs to leave his agenda out of the book and let the reader come to that conclusion based off the facts.
I stress, for a professional or advanced student this is a book filled with knowledge that will assist you for years to come.As a teacher, NOT a good bet for introductory level students.

Forensic Science
Thanks to books like this and Amazon, I am now a Criminalist without being broke.

Understanding friction ridge
Well worth reading if you are preparing for the IAI Certification Test.I have learned a tremendous amount of information from this book, from ACE-V to distortions in fingerprints.Recommend this book to anyone that works with fingerprints.

Thrilled
This was an amazing book and the quality was everything I expected.SErvice was great.

Excellent!
I don't feel the need to reiterate the praises that have been given this book as to its usefulness for latent print examiners.

I can say, however, that this book is great for students of forensic science (like myself) or the average reader as well. Unlike popular accounts of forensic science, it is not thrilling or adventurous. Those types of books will tell you that a person can leave a fingerprint at a scene, an investigator can find it, and then match it up in a database. Slim on the details, high on the "excitement" scale.And unlike the average MFS class, it is not dry, boring, and intended to give you only enough knowledge to do some damage.

So, for those of us interested in how forensic science -actually- works, and in depth, this book is a great textbook covering all aspects of fingerprint analysis. It includes a particularly good chapter detailing nothing but the ways that fingerprints are formed in vitro - their creation, topology, and cross-section. It includes detail on the many ways that a print can be deposited, as well as the different substrates and surfaces they can be deposited on, and the types of distortion that each of these can cause. This book is not light reading, but if you are truly interested in learning more about how fingerprints work, and how analysts can identify them, then you should have no trouble enjoying this book.

If I were to point out only one flaw, it would be thatAshbaugh's agenda is too much in the fore. I would rather read about how fingerprints are analyzed than hear propaganda backing up the field as a legitimate science. His analysis in and of itself is adequate to illustrate the scientific principles underlying latent print analysis. It would have been more interesting for him to mention some of the reasons people believe that it is -not- a legitimate science, and refute those through simply through the precision of his text. ... Read more