You are the first to arrive at the scene. You secure the area, and record what the human eye can see so far. You begin your search. You come across what appears to be physical evidence, and proceed to carefully document, package, and transport it to the lab. You fill out the routine paperwork, and feel secure in the knowledge that you have done everything possible to uncover every piece of crucial evidence - but have you? Co-authored by two seasoned forensic professionals, the Illustrated Guide to Crime Scene Investigation is an essential reference that explains the protocols used in successful crime scene investigation. It presents straightforward and scientifically supported procedures in a vivid pictorial format that explain how to accurately and efficiently document what has been left behind at the scene of a crime. This comprehensive resource presents the concept of SCRIPT: the Searching for and Collection of, Recording, Initializing, Packaging, and Transporting of physical evidence from the scene of a forensic inquiry to a forensic laboratory. It outlines this methodology by providing step-by-step instructions, over 400 photographs, other illustrations, and short narrative segments that guide you through crime scene investigations involving burglary, homicide, robbery, sex crime, and arson or explosion.

If you want to be confident that you have uncovered and carefully processed every bit of potential physical evidence on the scene, then the Illustrated Guide to Crime Scene Investigation is the one reference to have with you every time.