In her history of forensic science, Dr. Ramsland explores the complex relationship between science and law. None of the new forensic techniques would be used today had they gone through the daunting debate and rigorous challenges we see in the courtroom today. For example, Ramsland uses the O.J. Simpson case. Damning forensic evidence should have returned a guilty verdict, but a jury, unfamiliar with DNA and other technology presented during the trial, was unable to process and accept the scientific evidence for what it was. The unfortunate result was that Simpson was acquitted, but there was an upside as well — the vast audience that followed the trial was exposed to fascinating new crime-solving science. This influenced the origin of popular television series today, like CSI, Forensic Files, The Investigators, etc.

For anyone who wants to know the story behind the science that is shown every day on TV, this is the book to buy.

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