Take a moment and check out some of the kind words our critics have had  for the first edition of CRIME LAB

SCIENCE & JUSTICE
The author is to be congratulated on this highly readable account of basic crime scene investigation and forensic laboratory analysis. The book has given this reviewer a much greater appreciation of a number of the forensic science sub-disciplines. The text also reminds the reader of the importance of thinking outside your immediate area of expertise when analysing a forensic case. John Houde's long-standing experience as a criminalist and educator clearly shows through with his superb ability to explain various difficult concepts with considerable clarity.

The foreword reminds us that although this book is dedicated to 'The Juror'- its worth extends far beyond this group, as "police officers, attorneys, judges and journalists will find this an interesting read". Healthcare professionals involved in delivering expert opinions for a criminal investigation or trial, will also benefit from reading this volume.

The print is clear, and the illustrations are complimentary to the underlying text. There are chapters on assessing the crime scene, blood splatter analysis, perishable evidence, microscopic evidence, analytical equipment, trace evidence, blood and DNA testing, drug and chemical analysis, detection and investigation of impressions, and finally, issues regarding expert testimony and credibility are discussed. The writer takes you on a tour of the criminalist sciences using the investigation of a highly complex hypothetical crime scene as a template. This is a very successful and entertaining approach; with many interesting illustrative anecdotes included as well. A short bibliography is given at the end of the book for those seeking suitable extra reading. The text is up to date, and includes some thoughts on the OJ Simpson trial's impact on criminalist professionalism, particularly as it relates to the United States. Forensic science educators will value this book for both its illustrative examples, and clear explanations about complex science issues. Although this book is written from a US perspective, the content is  directly transferable to forensic practice in most developed countries.

The concluding paragraph reminds us that a number of forensic topics were not covered, such as soil comparison and questioned document examination, though this detracts little from the quality of the volume as a whole. The book was a pleasure to read and review; and will definitely remain in the frequently used portion of my book collection.  CRIME LAB: A Guide for Nonscientists deserves a place on the library shelf of anyone even remotely interested in criminalistics.


MICROSCOPE
John Houde is a veteran criminalist who has spent much of his time educating  juries, attorneys and crime lab investigators on the intricacies of forensic  science. This is a textbook on that subject even though written ostensibly for  non-scientists. It reads extremely well and will serve both audiences very well.  Its narrative style, based on a variety of individual cases makes for  interesting reading.
*     *     *
. . .this is the best book that I have ever seen on criminalistics. It's a  joy to read and will surely promote John's effort to educate us all. . Dr.  Walter C. McCrone, Founder, McCrone Research Institute. Author, "Judgement Day  for the Turin Shroud."

BOOKLIST
Dedicated to "the juror," this illustrated tour of the criminalist's  laboratory will also appeal to mystery and true crime fans and to criminal  justice professionals whose specialties complement the crime lab team's skills.  Houde traces a fictional crime's evidence through different parts of the crime  lab; he also comments on high-visibility trials where the work of forensic  scientists was subject to criticism. notably, in his discussion of  "creditability," the O. J. Simpson criminal trial. Not essential, but should  have some appeal for a fairly wide range of readers. .Booklist (American  Library Association )

THE BLOOMSBURY REVIEW
In language accessible to both adults and young adults, forensic scientist  John Houde takes readers behind the scenes of a criminal investigation. Focusing  on a rape/murder case, CRIME LAB progresses, step by step, from the crime scene  to courtroom testimony. More than 100 color and black-and-white reproductions  illustrate the scientific techniques and equipment used in a typical  investigation. At the end of the book, the confession, the eyewitness account,  and the evidence do not match, unfortunately, so the reader never learns the  outcome of the case. On the other hand, Crime Lab is about the real world of  criminalistics, where the experts deal with facts and leave dramatic conclusions  and tidy endings to others. .The Bloomsbury Review

INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER
CRIME LAB invites readers to tag along with John Houde and his professional  cronies as they investigate a brutal murder. This particular crime, a  fictionalized composite of actual cases and circumstances, introduces readers to  the range of evidence and procedures routinely encountered and performed by  criminalists. "Professional criminalists," says Houde, "don't have a personal  stake in winning convictions or acquittals. We only care that our  interpretations of the evidence will be correct and lead the judge and jury to  make the right decision." As a board certified 20-year veteran criminalist,  publisher of California Association of Criminalists' CACNews, and author  of numerous articles on forensic science, John Houde could have easily buried  the reader under mounds of scientific jargon and technique. Instead, he applies  a mixture of history, knowledge, fact, and conjecture to potential clues prior  to mounting them under a microscope. Photographs and anecdotes from similar  cases illuminate each specimen while diagrams of the fictionalized crime bring  them into focus. Whether readers are jurors, journalists, or mystery fans, once  they've peered through the lens, they'll eagerly reach for the next slide. .Independent Publisher

THE BOOK READER
Everybody wants to be a detective. From Sherlock Holmes to James Bond to the  latest TV spectacular, dramatic stories propel ordinary people toward the clues.  This fascinating book takes them into the crime lab, where criminalists and  other forensic specialists apply science to the law. It. s no graduate course in  criminology or forensic chemistry, but then it. s a lot more exciting than a text  book. The author has been a criminalist for more than 20 years in Southern  California (remember the disputes over OJ evidence?) and shares background on  how trace evidence collected at crime scenes, how it. s prepared, analyzed,  preserved, filed. He shows how a murder scene is tested for evidence, how blood  is matched, how labs use DNA. Ballistics tests on bullets, the isolation and  identification of illegal drugs, the issues surrounding private and government  crime labs. Houde reviews the history of modern day lab work, and unleashes 130  illustrations and photos that clarify details of today. s equipment and  procedures. He addresses the need to be objective. "We don. t have a personal  stake in winning convictions or acquittals. We only care that our  interpretations will be correct." The author examines blood and its telltale  clues, gags and ashes and footprints and other evidence at crime scenes. The  handling of fingerprints, semen, hair and other perishable evidence. "Sperm  cells from fourteen different animals (magnified 900 times) reveal the diversity  in nature." Fascinating background on things removed from victim. s clothing,  paint chips, a handy paper clip. Impact of various weapons, illicit drugs, the  weather. A spectacular new version of blood, sweat and tears. .The Book  Reader

DR. RICHARD SAFERSTEIN
I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It. s well written, extremely well illustrated,  and most importantly well organized. I was particularly pleased to see that it  stayed in-focus and did not lose sight of the intended audience. the  non-scientist. I can. t identify anything that comes close to competing. This is  a very noteworthy addition to the forensic literature. . Richard Saferstein,  Ph.D. Former Chief Forensic Scientist, New Jersey State Police Crime Lab,  author, CRIMINALISTICS: An Introduction to Forensic Science, author, Forensic  Science Handbook, Editor, Journal of Forensic Sciences.

THE CACNews
The California Association of Criminalists recently reviewed this  book:

This is a book organized in the conventional way with the chapters on blood  spatter interpretation, crime scene investigation, perishable evidence,  instrumental analysis, trace evidence, blood analysis, DNA, controlled  substances and alcohol, and firearms and toolmarks with each area discussed  well, but at a level understandable to the investigator, attorney, and juror. In  short, for the non-scientist specified in the title. If it were just that, it  would be a worthwhile book, but it is more.

The author ties the chapters together with the thread of a single crime  investigation giving life to what can be in the hands of some authors merely a  collection of stand-alone chapters. Such entities, while interesting and  technically correct, miss some of the value of forensic science is assembling a  set of information derived from physical evidence and certainly bypasses the fun, or more properly the challenge, which makes the profession of  criminalistics more than a job. Detailed points are illustrated with examples  clearly gleaned from an experienced criminalist. s collection of . war stories..

What this book is NOT, is another of a raft of either print or television  versions of the wonders of forensic science in which what CAN be done is left  with the reader/viewer as what is ALWAYS done. These, I fear, lead customers,  investigators and attorneys, to expect criminalists to pull a rabbit from every  hat and jurors to believe there must be major physical evidence analyses on  every case which comes to trial. This book has an injection of realism, which  accurately reflects the working crime lab. The final chapter also distinguishes  this book from the run of the mill; . Credibility. serves both to review the  evidence assembled during the preceding chapters and discusses report writing  and the criminalist. s expert witness testimony. Accreditation, certification,  and quality assurance round out the chapter, which brings this book right to the  present moment.

A well illustrated, reasonably priced, good book for anyone who explains  criminalistics to the layman, as indeed we all do when we get to the witness  stand, it will be the basis of my own reorganization of my own . Basic Academy.   lectures. The book. s dedication, . For the juror. really says it all; would that  we could make it required reading by every member of the jury. . Hiram Evans, CACNews (California Assoc. of Criminalists)

E. J. WAGNER
I have read "Crime Lab: A Guide for Non-Scientists" with pleasure, finding it  clear, concise, and challenging enough to hold the interest of the intelligent  lay person.The graphics are spectacular-demonstrating that criminalistics has an  aesthetic as well as an intellectual appeal. .E.J. Wagner, Author, The Science of Sherlock Holmes

WAYNE MOOREHEAD
CRIME LAB is a great read, couldn. t put it down. The premise of explaining  complicated things simply is well done. This should be required reading for  fiction crime writers, jurors, judges, attorneys, crime lab managers,  criminalists, and anyone wishing to pursue a career in criminalistics.

The approach of a book written around the analytical methods used to solve a  crime is both novel and welcome. It takes the reader from crime scene to trial  from the viewpoint of the criminalist, describing in simple, understandable  terms and concepts, the science "behind the yellow tape" and affording the  reader a rare peak into the oft unexplained world of crime scene analysis. This  format captures the readers attention, informs them of what usually happens at a  crime scene, and explains some of the pitfalls that can occur both at the crime  scene and the lab.

The journey through logical thinking of the scientist is developed and  explored. How and why a particular item of evidence once thought to be  significant is not or how it may lead in a new direction totally different from  where the analyst started. It clearly illustrates how DNA is simply one tool of  many, useful in the solving of a crime. Further, it shows that thinking about  the evidence, its significance and interpretation, is more important than any  analytical technique. The "technician mentality" can ruin a case as quickly as  improperly collected evidence.

The answers to the ever present questions, what evidence do you collect and  why, what gets left behind, what is the significance of a particular item, does  this item possess class or individual characteristics, what is the theory behind  the analytical techniques used to analyze evidence and their particular  advantages, and what is the meaning hidden in a criminalist's report are all  brought to light in understandable terms.

No other book in this arena so carefully exemplifies points with case  studies, making the reading exciting. While exploring aspects of the book. s  homicide, each area has accounts of other cases, given in a friendly, story  telling manner, that further characterizes topics in the text. The photographs  and diagrams are clear, timely placed, and illustrate concepts being made  throughout the book.I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. . Wayne Moorehead,  Fellow, American Board of Criminalistics, (over 20 years as a professional  criminalist)

CRIME LAB BULLETIN
Fear not, science-phobes, for a fun-to-read, exceptionally well-illustrated  comprehensive book on what goes on inside a crime lab has finally been  published. Crime Lab: A Guide for Nonscientists by John Houde accurately and  thoroughly depicts what criminalists encounter in their profession. It offers  engaging reading to the layperson and professional alike, placing them  first-hand into the processing of a crime scene. . . . Throughout, concepts come  alive through well-chosen snippets of real-life cases.

The breadth of instrumentation and analyses that the author presents is  impressive. He explains DNA typing, bloodstain pattern interpretation, gas  chromatography, electrophoresis, ultraviolet spectrometry, Fourier transform  infrared spectrometry, microscopy, DRUGFIRE, mass spectrometry, impression  evidence, microcrystal tests, and scanning electron microscopy, to name only  some. . .

Although written for the layperson, those in the profession will find this  valuable reading. There is currently a trend towards specialization in  criminalistics. It is not unusual to find lab personnel fully competent in their  specialty, yet woefully ignorant about their coworker's areas of expertise. This  book provides a breadth of basic knowledge that any good criminalist should  have. It starts with the processing of the crime scene, then presents real-life  problems and solutions encountered by every lab regarding packaging and sample  collection. Resources every good criminalist should be aware of are listed and  some of the "big players" in the field are mentioned. Courtroom testimony,  accreditation, certification, and professional associations are also addressed.  . . .

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it to potential  jurors, those searching for a career, and forensic scientists. .Carolyn  Gannett, Criminalist

(The views, expressions and opinions of those writing for the  Crime Lab Bulletin do not necessarily express the opinions and views of the San  Diego Sheriff's Crime Laboratory, Newsletter Committee or any official body or  agent of the County of San Diego.)