Looking at letters
2
references would be better placed at the end of the relevant chapters rather than collected together at the end of the book. Furthermore this reviewer would not agree with the author's comments upon modern vehicle suspensions and their ability to insulate the driver from the presence of a flat tyre. The book is aimed at accident investigators but is written and presented in such a way as to be of value and interest to people not directly involved in this field. I suspect that the book will often be produced or referred to in court and ought to form part of any accident investigator's library. SIX MINUTES TO SPARE? Practical F i e and Arson Investigation John 07Connor (Elsevier Science Publishing Co Inc, New York, 1987, 314pp, index, ISBN 0 444 00874 8, price unknown) The preface states that the average reader will spend just five to six minutes thumbing through the text of this book, which was written by a New York City Police lieutenant. The book is of value to those who already have experience in investigating causes of fires; insights into the American experience of arson and psychology are particularly interesting. The chapter presenting brief details of building construction is also welcome, and encourages the reader to give greater consideration to evidence that may be elicited from examination of automatic fire detection and extinguishing systems. The book was primarily intended for the American market where procedures are very different from those in the UK and elsewhere. Sections on surveillance, interviewing and interrogation and the New York law concerning arson are therefore superfluous in many other parts of the world. The section on electrical fires is also based on US practice. The real weakness of the book, however, stems from the fact that the author, while no doubt being an experienced and able fire investigator, is no scientist. This cannot be ignored, especially in such instances as when quoting benzene and acetylene as examples of unsaturated hydrocarbons with a tendency for spontaneous combustion. One has also to assume that temperatures, where not defined, are in Fahrenheit. Published in 1987, this book is of interest rather than immediate practical value outside the United States, but fire investigators will pick it up and certainly read it for more than five or six minutes. FASL LOOKING AT LE7TERS The Scientific Examination of Documents. Methods and techniques David Ellen (Ellis Horwood Limited, Chichester, 1989, 182pp, index, ISBN 074580551-5, £39.95) This work is intended for the use of lawyers, police officers, and other investigators. The author aims to describe in outline the principles, methods and techniques employed in forensic document examination. There is a useful clarification of the various descriptions applied to those involved in forensic document examination, 364 JFSS 1989; 29(5): 363-365
Transcript of Looking at letters
references would be better placed at the end of the relevant chapters rather than collected together at the end of the book. Furthermore this reviewer would not agree with the author's comments upon modern vehicle suspensions and their ability to insulate the driver from the presence of a flat tyre.
The book is aimed at accident investigators but is written and presented in such a way as to be of value and interest to people not directly involved in this field. I suspect that the book will often be produced or referred to in court and ought to form part of any accident investigator's library.
SIX MINUTES TO SPARE?
Practical F i e and Arson Investigation John 07Connor (Elsevier Science Publishing Co Inc, New York, 1987, 314pp, index, ISBN 0 444 00874 8, price unknown)
The preface states that the average reader will spend just five to six minutes thumbing through the text of this book, which was written by a New York City Police lieutenant. The book is of value to those who already have experience in investigating causes of fires; insights into the American experience of arson and psychology are particularly interesting. The chapter presenting brief details of building construction is also welcome, and encourages the reader to give greater consideration to evidence that may be elicited from examination of automatic fire detection and extinguishing systems. The book was primarily intended for the American market where procedures are very different from those in the UK and elsewhere. Sections on surveillance, interviewing and interrogation and the New York law concerning arson are therefore superfluous in many other parts of the world. The section on electrical fires is also based on US practice. The real weakness of the book, however, stems from the fact that the author, while no doubt being an experienced and able fire investigator, is no scientist. This cannot be ignored, especially in such instances as when quoting benzene and acetylene as examples of unsaturated hydrocarbons with a tendency for spontaneous combustion. One has also to assume that temperatures, where not defined, are in Fahrenheit.
Published in 1987, this book is of interest rather than immediate practical value outside the United States, but fire investigators will pick it up and certainly read it for more than five or six minutes.
FASL
LOOKING AT LE7TERS
The Scientific Examination of Documents. Methods and techniques David Ellen (Ellis Horwood Limited, Chichester, 1989, 182pp, index, ISBN 074580551-5, £39.95)
This work is intended for the use of lawyers, police officers, and other investigators. The author aims to describe in outline the principles, methods and techniques employed in forensic document examination. There is a useful clarification of the various descriptions applied to those involved in forensic document examination,
364 JFSS 1989; 29(5): 363-365
and an explanation of training and qualifications, emphasizing the need for finding the right person for the job.
The chapters on handwriting discuss the variable features of normal handwriting and the accidental or deliberate modification of such features. The scientific examination of handwriting is discussed in sufficient depth to enable the lay reader to grasp essential principles, and the author devotes a whole chapter to the collection of samples-vital since failure properly to collect samples may adversely affect a case in court.
The chapter on typewriting offers interesting explanations of the way in which the machines mark the material typed on, and it was fascinating to learn that even an adding machine can have individual characteristics. For me, the chapter on analysis of materials was the most interesting, with descriptions of the techniques given in terms that the non-scientist could readily understand. This should be invaluable to those lawyers involved in the preparation of cases. The chapter dealing with courts offers sensible advice, particularly for inexperienced forensic document examiners or trainees.
A good feature of the book is the wealth of additional reference material cited, and it promises to be a very useful addition to the reference library of those for whom it was intended.
JFSS 1989; 29(5): 363-365
