Arson Investigations

This book introduces the techniques that determine the presence of ignitable liquid residues (ILRs) at fire scenes. It bridges the disciplines of investigation and forensic chemistry, enabling effective communication during critical periods of evidence detection, collection, packaging, and transport.

This book presents comprehensive information related to the investigation of various types of fire scenes and describes the analysis and interpretation of fire debris in a chemical laboratory. Techniques are presented for fire scene investigation, and the importance and relevance of fire scene reconstruction is discussed in detail.

This re-written Second Edition contains more than 40% new material. This book is a significantly revised, updated, and expanded new edition of this best-selling book in the Practical Aspects of Criminal and Forensic Investigations series, edited by Vernon Geberth. As in the first edition, specific details on the basic principles are presented, and advanced applied techniques for conducting a thorough fire and arson investigation are detailed.

This book discusses a range of basic and advanced techniques such as fingerprinting, dealing with trauma victims, photofit technology, the role of the pathologist and ballistic expert, and signal processing. It also reviews specialist crime scene examinations including clandestine laboratories, drug operations, arson, and explosives.