Of all crimes, murder fascinates the public more than any other. While considered a detestable act, for which society reserves its severest punishments, homicide still captivates the American public. But the way homicide and its investigation are depicted in our media fail to capture just how murders get solved. Here, Snow takes us on a tour of murder, its investigation, and its prosecution from the perspective of a seasoned homicide detective. From the commission of the crime to the collection of evidence, examination of the crime scene, roundup of suspects, interrogation, and resolution, he leads readers from the scene to the courtroom, stopping along the way to consider all the elements that go into a murder investigation. He considers the culprits, the motives, the victims and their families, and offers readers a glimpse into the actual techniques and methods used to solve real crimes. This volume will fascinate and inform anyone interested in knowing the truth behind the scene of the crime of murder.

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Now in its second edition, Forensic Investigation of Explosions draws on the editor’s 30 years of explosives casework experience, including his work on task forces set up to investigate major explosives incidents. Dr. Alexander Beveridge provides a broad, multidisciplinary approach, assembling the contributions of internationally recognized experts who present the definitive reference work on the subject.

Topics discussed include:

• The physics and chemistry of explosives and explosions
• The detection of hidden explosives
• The effect of explosions on structures and persons
• Aircraft sabotage investigations
• Explosion scene investigations
• Casework management
• The role of forensic scientists
• Analysis of explosives and their residues
• Forensic pathology as it relates to explosives
• Presentation of expert testimony

With nearly 40 percent more material, this new edition contains revised chapters and several new topics, including:

• A profile of casework management in the UK Forensic Explosives Laboratory, one of the world’s top labs, with a discussion of their management system, training procedures, and practical approaches to problem solving
• Properties and analysis of improvised explosives
• An examination of the Bali bombings and the use of mobile analytical techniques and mobile laboratories
• The collection, analysis, and presentation of evidence in vehicle-borne improvised explosive device cases, as evidenced in attacks on US overseas targets

This volume offers valuable information to all members of prevention and post-blast teams. Each chapter was written by an expert or experts in a specific field and provides well-referenced information underlying best practices that can be used in the field, laboratory, conference room, classroom, or courtroom.

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This new edition of a standard in the field is the most complete treatment available on modern methods of accident investigation. The investigation process is divided into three phases: preparation and planning, analytical methods and reporting, and corrective actions designed to prevent recurrence. Techniques discussed are general and can be applied to a wide range of industrial accidents. Topics covered include investigation concepts, the pitfalls of government intervention, legal aspects, multilinear events sequencing, and management oversight and risk tree (MORT). There is new material on the electronic and computer industries and on S-T-E-P accident investigation. A new chapter, “A Generic Approach to Mishap Investigation,” puts the entire process in perspective.

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Written by a former NYPD cyber cop, this is the only book available that discusses the hard questions cyber crime investigators are asking.

The book begins with the chapter “What is Cyber Crime?” This introductory chapter describes the most common challenges faced by cyber investigators today. The following chapters discuss the methodologies behind cyber investigations; and frequently encountered pitfalls. Issues relating to cyber crime definitions, the electronic crime scene, computer forensics, and preparing and presenting a cyber crime investigation in court will be examined. Not only will these topics be generally be discussed and explained for the novice, but the hard questions -the questions that have the power to divide this community- will also be examined in a comprehensive and thoughtful manner.

This book will serve as a foundational text for the cyber crime community to begin to move past current difficulties into its next evolution.

* This book has been written by a retired NYPD cyber cop, who has worked many high-profile computer crime cases

* Discusses the complex relationship between the public and private sector with regards to cyber crime

* Provides essential information for IT security professionals and first responders on maintaining chain of evidence

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If you spent your childhood reading detective novels and thinking how amazing it would be to start your own, or if you just decided it is time to retire from your current job in the police, military, or other investigative agency and start your own company, the concept of owning and operating your own Private Investigation Business is probably very enticing. With a massive upside and potential for growth, the industry has been booming for years. With all self-employment opportunities up and private investigation in particular up by more than 16% according to the IRS statistics on small businesses, now is the time to get into the industry. This book was written for anyone who has looked at the idea of private investigation and decided that it would be ideal for them. You will learn everything you need to know about working in the private investigation field, starting with the basics of what you can expect and what preconceptions you may have that are just Hollywood fancy. You will learn how to choose a niche of investigation and how to start thinking in the abstract, questioning everything but recognizing facts for what they are. You will learn the key differences between a private investigator and a police officer and why those who want to be the latter should consider all their options before getting into private work. You will learn how to investigate a case and how to perform all of your necessary actions legally. Whether you will be operating out of your home or you are looking to buy or rent office space, this book can help you with a wealth of start-up information, from how to form and name your business to deciding if this will be a joint venture or if you would rather work solo. Valuable information on forming a Partnership, LLC, Corporation, or becoming a Sole Proprietor, the four types of business formations, is included, and also the legal implications of each. This complete manual will arm you with everything you need, including sample business forms; contracts; worksheets and checklists for planning, opening, and running day-to-day operations; lists; plans and layouts; and dozens of other valuable, timesaving tools of the trade that no business owner should be without. While providing detailed instruction and examples, the author leads you through every detail that will bring success. You will learn how to draw up a winning business plan (the companion CD-ROM has the actual business plan you can use in Microsoft Word) and about basic cost control systems, copyright and trademark issues, branding, management, legal concerns, sales and marketing techniques, and pricing formulas. You will learn how to hire and keep a qualified professional staff, meet IRS requirements, manage and train employees, generate high profile public relations and publicity, and implement low cost internal marketing ideas. You will learn how to build your business by using low and no cost ways to satisfy customers, and also ways to increase sales, have customers refer others to you, and thousands of excellent tips and useful guidelines. You will learn how to hire contractors to help you and which licenses and liability insurance you will need. You will learn which contracts and forms, including privacy agreements, you must have on hand and which business structure is best for you. You will learn how to find clients and what tools you need, including the right camera and lenses. You will learn how modern computer equipment can accent your investigations and how to start using internet searches through public records, private databases and courthouse records to speed up the process. Learn how to perform background investigations, interviews, and surveillance and what the basics of each kind of investigation entails.

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Aimed at the busy professional who aspires to become certified in the field, Criminal Investigation for the Professional Investigator is a single source guide that details essential techniques a trained investigator will be called upon to perform during the course of a career. Comprehensive and accessible, the book is authored by a veteran of the NYPD who gained extensive training and experience and went on to launch and operate two successful private investigation agencies.

The book covers crucial topics such as crime scenes, how to document and secure them upon arrival, how to interact with witnesses and suspects, and how to correctly obtain search warrants; death investigations…how to conduct them when they involve natural causes, suicide, homicide, accidents, and gunshot and stab wounds; the art of interrogation…warrants, techniques, and how to interrogate juveniles; and specific criminal investigations…robbery, burglary, narcotics, and sex crimes. The book also provides important strategies for making arrests and testifying in courtrooms, details the most effective investigative tools to use, and explains the role of criminal defense investigators.

Criminal Investigation for the Professional Investigator is part of the Professional Investigators series that is intended to provide all present and future members of the investigative community with the knowledge and insight to reach the height of their profession.

Author Warren J. Sonne wrote an article entitled “The Ashley Gang: What Really Happened” in the Fort Pierce-based Indian River Magazine. This article sheds new light on the exploits of one of Florida’s most notorious crime families and their shooting deaths on the Sebastian Bridge in 1924. The magazine subsequently won the Best In-Depth Reporting Award for this story during the annual Florida Magazine Association meeting in Orlando.

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Serial killers like Seattle’s Ted Bundy, Maryland’s Beltway Sniper, Atlanta’s Wayne Williams, or England’s Peter Sutcliffe usually outsmart the task forces on their trail for long periods of time. Keppel and Birnes take readers inside the operations of serial killer task forces to learn why. What is the underlying psychology of a serial killer and why this defeats task force investigations?

This is the first book of its kind that combines state-of-the-art psychological assessment experience with the expertise of a homicide investigator who has tracked some of this country’s most notorious serial killers. The author also brings to the book hands-on best practices gleaned from the experience of other task forces.

Readers, both professionals and students, will benefit from the comprehensive and critical case reviews, the analysis of what went wrong, what went right, and the after-action recommendations of evaluators in the US, UK, and Canada.

The book covers:
* The nature of the psychology of a serial killer
* How crime assessment profiling reveals that psychology
* Why psychological profiles fail
* How serial killer task forces defeat themselves
* How the media can, and usually does, undermine the task force operation
* The big secret of all serial killer investigations: police already have the killer’s name
* The best practices for catching a serial killer

* Comprehensive case reviews of some of the US’s and UK’s most baffling serial killer cases
* A list of best practices for serial killer task force investigators
* Recommendations for how to manage comprehensive files and computer records
* Practical advice on how to manage the media: what to say and not to say
* Insight into what a serial killer might be thinking and doing to stay away from police
* Recommendations for setting up and administering long-term investigations
* Practical tips on how to maintain a task force’s psychological edge and avoid defeatism

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With “L’Avventura” he piqued the world’s curiosity. With “La Notte and L’Eclisse”, he mystified audiences and broke hearts. With “Red Desert”, his first color picture, he blurred all the lines between art, cinema, and still photography. Continuing his creative explosion with “Blow-Up”, “Zabriskie Point”, “The Passenger”, and “The Identification of a Woman”, Michelangelo Antonioni cemented his reputation as the most innovative and artistic filmmaker of his generation. With a plethora of illustrations, drawn in part from Antonioni’s own archives, this book explores his life and career from his earliest documentaries to his latest collaborations.Every book in “Taschen’s Basic Film” series features: an introduction to the director and coverage of every film he or she directed; over 100 scenes from the movies, shots of the director at work, and film posters, with explanatory captions; rare images from around the world; informative text by acknowledged experts; and, a chronology, filmography, and bibliography.

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Learn the process of investigative response to a fire scene with the practical explanations and insightful case studies offered in this book. Straight-forward and reader-friendly Fire Investigation provides the student as well as the practicing firefighter and fire officer with the essential information to successfully respond to, investigate, and report on, a fire scene. With clear and concise explanations and illustrative examples, Fire Investigations walks the reader through the logical steps necessary to determine the fire origin and cause – from understanding the roles and responsibilities of the investigator on scene and how the investigator works with other response teams, to information gathering based on clues, interviews and other resources, to the final documentation, conclusion, and report. In addition, this book places an emphasis on safety and focuses on the skills necessary to understand human behavior, establish strong interviewing techniques and create and deliver accurate reports.

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