What do you think?
Rate this book
Practical Aspects of Criminal and Forensic Investigations
Practical Homicide Investigation, Fourth Edition
Renowned for being THE definitive source of homicide investigation, Practical Homicide Investigation: Tactics, Procedures, and Forensic Techniques is the recognized protocol used by investigative divisions of major police departments throughout the world. It is also the text used in most police academies, including the prestigious FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. It emphasizes essential procedures, combines detailed techniques with instructive case studies, and outlines the foundation on which to build a solid, prosecutable case.
The fundamental criminal investigative techniques stressed in the Fourth Edition are crucial for effective inquiry into sudden and violent death. Eminent author, lecturer, consultant, and expert witness Vernon J. Geberth begins the book with a comprehensive discussion of homicide crime scenes. The book evolves chronologically from initial police notification, the correct police response that follows, and the subsequent steps necessary to conduct an intelligent investigation. It then delves into more technical aspects of homicide investigation, augmented with numerous pictures and full-color illustrations that involve pertinent case histories.
The book features two new chapters along with major revisions of those from the previous edition. In addition it contains 675 photos and illustrations - including 300 new entries that incorporate depictions of wound structures and procedures that portray exactly what to do and how to do it. All illustrations are presented in full color, including new medical-legal drawings for instruction and courtroom testimony. Vernon Geberth was featured in an interview on News 14 Carolina in Fayetteville discussing his 3-day seminar on Practical Homicide Investigation. He also discusses the book in a video on the CRC Press YouTube channel. Vernon Geberth was recently interviewed for an article entitled, The Hunt for a Serial Killer: Revisting the Gilgo Beach Murders.
The fundamental criminal investigative techniques stressed in the Fourth Edition are crucial for effective inquiry into sudden and violent death. Eminent author, lecturer, consultant, and expert witness Vernon J. Geberth begins the book with a comprehensive discussion of homicide crime scenes. The book evolves chronologically from initial police notification, the correct police response that follows, and the subsequent steps necessary to conduct an intelligent investigation. It then delves into more technical aspects of homicide investigation, augmented with numerous pictures and full-color illustrations that involve pertinent case histories.
The book features two new chapters along with major revisions of those from the previous edition. In addition it contains 675 photos and illustrations - including 300 new entries that incorporate depictions of wound structures and procedures that portray exactly what to do and how to do it. All illustrations are presented in full color, including new medical-legal drawings for instruction and courtroom testimony. Vernon Geberth was featured in an interview on News 14 Carolina in Fayetteville discussing his 3-day seminar on Practical Homicide Investigation. He also discusses the book in a video on the CRC Press YouTube channel. Vernon Geberth was recently interviewed for an article entitled, The Hunt for a Serial Killer: Revisting the Gilgo Beach Murders.
1072 pages, Hardcover
First published August 31, 1982
49 people are currently reading
742 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 14, 2007
I read the the third edition of this book for fun before I even decided to go back for my Criminal Justice/Biology degree. I kept it so long that I thought the EMU Library was going to send someone to break my legs.
The fourth edition is much improved, with mostly color photos,and updated science and psychology.
Especially interesting is the chapter on homosexual homicide. The purpose of the chapter is to educate the straight, uninformed police officer about gay culture, so that he or she can tell when something is amiss. This brings to mind the horrible misunderstanding that lead to the one of Jeffrey Dahmer's victims. The officers who were called to the scene were unfamiliar and uncomfortable dealing with a gay "lover's spat," and therefore just let Dahmer take his "drunk" "lover" back to his apartment, where he was murdered minutes later.
You should read this book if you want to know how real detective work is done.
The photos are quite disturbing.
The fourth edition is much improved, with mostly color photos,and updated science and psychology.
Especially interesting is the chapter on homosexual homicide. The purpose of the chapter is to educate the straight, uninformed police officer about gay culture, so that he or she can tell when something is amiss. This brings to mind the horrible misunderstanding that lead to the one of Jeffrey Dahmer's victims. The officers who were called to the scene were unfamiliar and uncomfortable dealing with a gay "lover's spat," and therefore just let Dahmer take his "drunk" "lover" back to his apartment, where he was murdered minutes later.
You should read this book if you want to know how real detective work is done.
The photos are quite disturbing.
April 19, 2020
Trigger warning, which is not something I usually do: I strongly recommend that if you have *any* suicidal ideation that you avoid this book. This book contains hundreds of graphic images of actual deaths, and lots that I won't forget in a hurry.
A thorough training manual for real-life homicide police detectives, from crime scene to management techniques, over a thousand pages (in the latest edition) of the crushing weight of investigating one homicide after another. I'm reading it for research as a writer; I have not found any other resource that goes into this much depth or provides such a roadmap for further research.
Again, please be careful before picking this up. I am carefully not describing how bad this gets. But I do recommend for wrters who feel safe doing the research.
A thorough training manual for real-life homicide police detectives, from crime scene to management techniques, over a thousand pages (in the latest edition) of the crushing weight of investigating one homicide after another. I'm reading it for research as a writer; I have not found any other resource that goes into this much depth or provides such a roadmap for further research.
Again, please be careful before picking this up. I am carefully not describing how bad this gets. But I do recommend for wrters who feel safe doing the research.
March 23, 2013
Every detective should read this book, regardless if you are investigating homicides or thefts. This book causes investigators to think through the logical steps of an investigation so much that the practical principles become routine in the investigator's life.
April 15, 2019
Decent but outdated introduction to the understandings of a crime scene from a practical perspective.
August 6, 2024
How many times can a person write “in my opinion” in a textbook?
October 26, 2024
Great Book
This book is well written, it gives you great insight on how investigations work. Also the fact that the author input his personal experience made it a great book.
This book is well written, it gives you great insight on how investigations work. Also the fact that the author input his personal experience made it a great book.
Read
December 9, 2024A book you will want to lock up. It’s a very good book, but contains lots of EXTREMELY GRAPHIC photos.
December 17, 2024
This one was open for most of the year. This edition was published in 1983, which helped greatly with my debut novel, set in the late 80s.
July 28, 2015
Not for the faint of heart. If you're wondering what happens to a fella's head after shooting himself through the mouth with a rifle, here's the book for you. The wealth of descriptions of procedures and techniques are great for crime/mystery/thriller writers, and the multitude of full-color photos will help with descriptions of victims.
October 28, 2019
Most books are rated related to their usefulness and contributions to my research.
Overall, a good book for the researcher and enthusiast.
Read for personal research
- found this book's contents helpful and inspiring - number rating relates to the book's contribution to my needs.
Overall, a good book for the researcher and enthusiast.
Read for personal research
- found this book's contents helpful and inspiring - number rating relates to the book's contribution to my needs.
August 28, 2007
The only book I wish I could ' unread ' somehow ~
January 31, 2008
extremely informative and well written with many checklists and bulleted sections. Very good crime scene photos.
gave-up-on
October 11, 2011This book has gruesome pictures in it. Ugh. What was I thinking
May 15, 2009
Everything you ever wanted to know (and many things you would rather not see!!) concerning death investigation.
May 17, 2011
Great resource for Criminal Justice/Forensic Science students. Very thorough. Actual case histories (with explicit photographs) for real-life, practical, death scene investigation.
January 18, 2012
Excellent procedural guide for any mystery/suspense writer. This book is never more than an arm's length from my computer.
July 20, 2013
This is the BIBLE of homicide investiagations. This manual is a must for any cop, patrol traffic or detective it doesn't matter. Nothing compares with this manual for clear cut no nonsense cop speak.
September 6, 2015
An incredible collection of knowledge, and a meditation on order combating chaos. Not for the faint of heart. But it has a literary value to its technique and philosophy.
January 17, 2016
The "bible" of homicide investigations. Very good reference; a "must read."
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews