We ve all watched the TV shows, forensic scientists have really glamorous jobs, don t they?
I usually lead off telling people about this project by saying the exact opposite.
You mentioned in your book no one wears leather pants and the crime lab.
No. And no high heels either.
What got you interested in understanding the real challenges facing forensic scientists?
Actually two things. I ve always been really interested in how different folks in technical jobs managed to communicate the different knowledge and expertise that they have with one another. And, you know, a few years ago, I was kind of a CSI and Bones addict. And watching those shows made me think, you know, I m pretty positive that it doesn t happen the way we see it on TV. But it could be really interesting to look at what forensic scientists actually do.
The findings of forensic science from DNA profiles and chemical identifications of illegal drugs to comparisons of bullets, fingerprints, and shoeprints are widely used in police investigations and courtroom proceedings. While we recognize the significance of this evidence for criminal justice, the actual work of forensic scientists is rarely examined and largely misunderstood. Blood, Powder, and Residue goes inside a metropolitan crime laboratory to shed light on the complex social forces that underlie the analysis of forensic evidence, says a review on the Princeton University Press website.
Drawing on 18 months of rigorous fieldwork in a crime lab of a major metro area, Beth Bechky tells the stories of the forensic scientists who struggle to deliver unbiased science while under intense pressure from adversarial lawyers, escalating standards of evidence, and critical public scrutiny. Bechky brings to life the daily challenges these scientists face, from the painstaking screeni