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Blood, Powder, and Residue: How Crime Labs Translate Evidence into Proof
A rare behind-the-scenes look at the work of forensic scientists
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.
Drawing on eighteen 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 screening and testing of evidence to making communal decisions about writing up the lab report, all while worrying about attorneys asking them uninformed questions in court. She shows how the work of forensic scientists is fraught with the tensions of serving justice―constantly having to anticipate the expectations of the world of law and the assumptions of the public―while also staying true to their scientific ideals.
Blood, Powder, and Residue offers a vivid and sometimes harrowing picture of the lives of highly trained experts tasked with translating their knowledge for others who depend on it to deliver justice.
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.
Drawing on eighteen 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 screening and testing of evidence to making communal decisions about writing up the lab report, all while worrying about attorneys asking them uninformed questions in court. She shows how the work of forensic scientists is fraught with the tensions of serving justice―constantly having to anticipate the expectations of the world of law and the assumptions of the public―while also staying true to their scientific ideals.
Blood, Powder, and Residue offers a vivid and sometimes harrowing picture of the lives of highly trained experts tasked with translating their knowledge for others who depend on it to deliver justice.
248 pages, Paperback
Published June 28, 2022
61 people are currently reading
403 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
February 26, 2021
All blurb and no substance. DNF'd after the requisite 50 pages . I thought this would be an interesting book, a behind-the-scenes look at forensic analysis made interesting by the people, the stories, the author's take on it.
The lab workers, some of whom have fairly minimal scientific qualifications, a bachelor's and on-the-job training, are called 'criminalists' and their work is detailed to the nth degree. Now if this was a book directed at people in the trade, as it were, this, and diagrams like "A sample electropherogram image with peaks representing alleles at multiple loci' would be possibly useful. But this book is a popular science book, else why call one of thetechnicians criminalists, Ellie? And calling a lab worker 'Ellie' but not in any way giving them a personality and story is pointless.
So I don't know what to make of it - popular science with no appeal or a very simplistic trade book from a journalist's perspective? Either way it is deadly dull and just got dnf'd.
The lab workers, some of whom have fairly minimal scientific qualifications, a bachelor's and on-the-job training, are called 'criminalists' and their work is detailed to the nth degree. Now if this was a book directed at people in the trade, as it were, this, and diagrams like "A sample electropherogram image with peaks representing alleles at multiple loci' would be possibly useful. But this book is a popular science book, else why call one of the
So I don't know what to make of it - popular science with no appeal or a very simplistic trade book from a journalist's perspective? Either way it is deadly dull and just got dnf'd.
June 14, 2021
BLOOD, POWDER, and RESIDUE: HOW CRIME LABS TRANSLATE EVIDENCE INTO PROOF is a bit more realistic than some readers are ready for. It reiterates the need for protocols, standards, and redundancy that is required to translate the evidence into proof that the evidence exists; was handled properly, and has not been contaminated.
CSI, 48 Hours and all the shows never really indicate how the evidence is translated through testimony and direct reasoning. I LOVED IT... but I understand that this almost boring book might be near textbook, but lacks the "back story" that the crime supplies.
I highly recommend it to anyone who believes they want to be work in a crime lab, do crime scenes or be an investigator. After all, it is the documentation that carries the day!
4 stars
Happy Reading!
CSI, 48 Hours and all the shows never really indicate how the evidence is translated through testimony and direct reasoning. I LOVED IT... but I understand that this almost boring book might be near textbook, but lacks the "back story" that the crime supplies.
I highly recommend it to anyone who believes they want to be work in a crime lab, do crime scenes or be an investigator. After all, it is the documentation that carries the day!
4 stars
Happy Reading!
February 3, 2021
If you were planning to read this book to know the scientific and procedural methods to satisfy your nerdy curiosity, you'll be disappointed.
This is a book not much about 'how crime labs translate evidence into proof', but about 'the work of criminalists and the general working and problems of the US justice system'.
It's a good read, but just a little misleading with the subtitle.
This is a book not much about 'how crime labs translate evidence into proof', but about 'the work of criminalists and the general working and problems of the US justice system'.
It's a good read, but just a little misleading with the subtitle.
October 5, 2021
I found the information about the lab testing done on different samples really interesting, and was also interested in reading about the challenges criminalists face in our justice system. However, it felt very repetitive, and one sided, without expanding on or exploring how criminalists can be complicit in problems in our justice system. Kind of glossing over reports of misconduct from other labs, and explaining it away.
I suppose I was hoping for a more critical and objective voice, but felt it was subjective and without critical analysis of criminalists work and short comings.
I suppose I was hoping for a more critical and objective voice, but felt it was subjective and without critical analysis of criminalists work and short comings.
May 9, 2025
The book isn't that bad as it gives you a brief introduction of the functional units of crime labs as well as examples of the difficulties they encounter. I do have an issue with the title though, as it's more of an summary of onsite interviews and observations of some lab than a systematic presentation of how they translate evidence into proof.
dnf
January 7, 2024Alas I tried to enjoy this book... But its an odd sociological view of the criminal justice system and what ifs... Well this is one way to clear my TBR with the DNFs
June 1, 2021
This was a very informative but exceedingly dry read. It read like a technical review and did not engage the people involved in the work as fully developed people. It also was limited in its illustrations of case work. This may have been a function of privacy concerns.
October 12, 2022
XXXXX
REVEALING THE CRIME LAB'S FUNCTION: TRANSLATING SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE INTO LEGAL PROOF
XXXXX
"In this book, I will describe how those relationships [between the world of science and the world of law that includes investigators, prosecutors, courts, and police] play out, the ways in which they lead to tensions in the work of forensic scientists, and their implications for criminal justice as a whole...This book is not a study of the entire justice system. This is a study of criminalists [or forensic scientists], their perspectives, and the work that they do...my hope is that by describing in detail the world of forensic science, you can see what is important (and representative) about the work of criminalists."
The above quote (in italics) comes from this compelling, well-researched, and well-written book by Beth Bechky. She is a professor of management and organizations as well as professor of sociology at New York University. Bechky calls herself an "organizational ethnographer" meaning her goal is to try to understand and portray the daily life of the people working in an organization.
Forensic science, also known as criminalistics, is the application of science to mainly criminal law during criminal investigation, as governed by the legal standards of admissible evidence and criminal procedure. It is a very broad field.
Forensic scientists or criminalists collect, preserve, and analyze scientific evidence during the course of an investigation. In addition to their laboratory role, forensic scientists may have to testify as an expert witness and can work for either the prosecution or the defense.
This book is based on Bechky's eighteen months of field work within a mid-sized crime lab of a major metropolitan area in the western U.S. She was given full access to the lab and visited about three days a week for six to seven hours a day. She focused her attention on four forensic science units:
(1) Biology: the application of science to the examination and comparison of biological evidence.
(2) Chemistry: study of the detection of illicit drugs, gun residue, etc.
(3) Comparative evidence: the application of visual comparison techniques to verify similarity of physical evidence (like fingerprints).
(4) Toxicology: study of the effects of drugs and poisons on the human body.
Besides informing us about the work of forensic scientists, the author also details their culture and most importantly, their struggles. In doing this, Bechky succeeds admirably at demystifying forensic science, a little-known but intriguing world that outsiders rarely see.
Finally, before reading this book, be sure that you are not being affected by the "CSI effect." If you are, you may be disappointed.
The CSI effect refers to the CSI television franchise, in which super scientists, who also function as intrepid investigators, solve crimes. It's all glamorous. This is an unrealistic portrayal of forensic science. This book is for those who want to learn about the messy but essential business of translating science for people in the justice system who make life and death decisions.
In conclusion, this is an excellent book about scientists who work in the criminal justice system and the numerous challenges they face.
XXXXX
(2020; preface; introduction; 3 parts or 6 chapters; conclusion; main narrative 190 pages; appendix; acknowledgments; notes; references; index)
XXXXX
REVEALING THE CRIME LAB'S FUNCTION: TRANSLATING SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE INTO LEGAL PROOF
XXXXX
"In this book, I will describe how those relationships [between the world of science and the world of law that includes investigators, prosecutors, courts, and police] play out, the ways in which they lead to tensions in the work of forensic scientists, and their implications for criminal justice as a whole...This book is not a study of the entire justice system. This is a study of criminalists [or forensic scientists], their perspectives, and the work that they do...my hope is that by describing in detail the world of forensic science, you can see what is important (and representative) about the work of criminalists."
The above quote (in italics) comes from this compelling, well-researched, and well-written book by Beth Bechky. She is a professor of management and organizations as well as professor of sociology at New York University. Bechky calls herself an "organizational ethnographer" meaning her goal is to try to understand and portray the daily life of the people working in an organization.
Forensic science, also known as criminalistics, is the application of science to mainly criminal law during criminal investigation, as governed by the legal standards of admissible evidence and criminal procedure. It is a very broad field.
Forensic scientists or criminalists collect, preserve, and analyze scientific evidence during the course of an investigation. In addition to their laboratory role, forensic scientists may have to testify as an expert witness and can work for either the prosecution or the defense.
This book is based on Bechky's eighteen months of field work within a mid-sized crime lab of a major metropolitan area in the western U.S. She was given full access to the lab and visited about three days a week for six to seven hours a day. She focused her attention on four forensic science units:
(1) Biology: the application of science to the examination and comparison of biological evidence.
(2) Chemistry: study of the detection of illicit drugs, gun residue, etc.
(3) Comparative evidence: the application of visual comparison techniques to verify similarity of physical evidence (like fingerprints).
(4) Toxicology: study of the effects of drugs and poisons on the human body.
Besides informing us about the work of forensic scientists, the author also details their culture and most importantly, their struggles. In doing this, Bechky succeeds admirably at demystifying forensic science, a little-known but intriguing world that outsiders rarely see.
Finally, before reading this book, be sure that you are not being affected by the "CSI effect." If you are, you may be disappointed.
The CSI effect refers to the CSI television franchise, in which super scientists, who also function as intrepid investigators, solve crimes. It's all glamorous. This is an unrealistic portrayal of forensic science. This book is for those who want to learn about the messy but essential business of translating science for people in the justice system who make life and death decisions.
In conclusion, this is an excellent book about scientists who work in the criminal justice system and the numerous challenges they face.
XXXXX
(2020; preface; introduction; 3 parts or 6 chapters; conclusion; main narrative 190 pages; appendix; acknowledgments; notes; references; index)
XXXXX
March 22, 2021
The pretty cover lured me in. However, it was rather repetitive at times, and also shallow. One could skip some things the author repeated verbatim, that is why the rating is so low.
Maybe it would be helpful to know that the author is an ethnographer. I personally found it interesting that in order to be admitted to laboratories in the US -- because this is where Bechky's studies take place -- one has to complete a background check.
Some points thate are iterated again and again:
- funding for laboratories is dependent on the law enforcement agency that is the superior of the scientists and their supervisors
- do not believe what is conveyed in the CSI franchise -- of course, there are no immediate results etc.
- law enforcement (district attorneys, lawyers etc.) often belittles the efforts made by criminalists; they are not interested in how the workings proceed within the lab.
- DNA analysis is regarded highly and perceived as "the most objective and scientific" in contrast to ballistics, for example.
What I did not know is that the procedure in the east and the west of the US differs.
Maybe it would be helpful to know that the author is an ethnographer. I personally found it interesting that in order to be admitted to laboratories in the US -- because this is where Bechky's studies take place -- one has to complete a background check.
Some points thate are iterated again and again:
- funding for laboratories is dependent on the law enforcement agency that is the superior of the scientists and their supervisors
- do not believe what is conveyed in the CSI franchise -- of course, there are no immediate results etc.
- law enforcement (district attorneys, lawyers etc.) often belittles the efforts made by criminalists; they are not interested in how the workings proceed within the lab.
- DNA analysis is regarded highly and perceived as "the most objective and scientific" in contrast to ballistics, for example.
What I did not know is that the procedure in the east and the west of the US differs.
July 29, 2024
Took awhile to read it feels like, but it was well worth it so I can prepare myself for my program this Fall.
What I can say is that this book definitely requires some research and thought into what is being discussed in the chapters and sections. I find that, as much as Chapter 4-5 discuss how much forensic scientists need to use layman’s terms to describe their evidence, the author doesn’t seem to do the same. I kind of felt like I was stumbling a bit trying to understand the different subjects associated with each chapter.
Also, I feel the idea of this being an ethnography kind of gets lost in the book itself, but maybe it’s due to differences of what I’ve written for my archaeology/anthropology classes versus ethnography. I highly recommend going to the appendix FIRST, read up and stop at “Expectations (and Fieldwork) Disrupted”, and THEN go back to the first chapter to get a good idea as to who is doing the research, what it is, why, where, etc.
It sort of pieced things together at the end, but I do feel this is a good book for those who know more about Forensic Science/Criminalist Labs.
What I can say is that this book definitely requires some research and thought into what is being discussed in the chapters and sections. I find that, as much as Chapter 4-5 discuss how much forensic scientists need to use layman’s terms to describe their evidence, the author doesn’t seem to do the same. I kind of felt like I was stumbling a bit trying to understand the different subjects associated with each chapter.
Also, I feel the idea of this being an ethnography kind of gets lost in the book itself, but maybe it’s due to differences of what I’ve written for my archaeology/anthropology classes versus ethnography. I highly recommend going to the appendix FIRST, read up and stop at “Expectations (and Fieldwork) Disrupted”, and THEN go back to the first chapter to get a good idea as to who is doing the research, what it is, why, where, etc.
It sort of pieced things together at the end, but I do feel this is a good book for those who know more about Forensic Science/Criminalist Labs.
February 26, 2024
Rather than digging into the drama of the NCIS of the forensic scientists’ world, this book breaks down the pressures on them from their environment. What is the sociology of this career, how do they see themselves and how does their environment push them to play a role in the system? The proof in the title looks at the processes the criminalists go through to make the case for the evidence. A bit of this is hard-core science stuff, but more of it is stuff like chain of custody, tool calibration, and how they interact with other parts of the criminal justice system. They need to be experts in their field, but more importantly, this expertise is going to be put to the test in a court via testimony, and their deportment on the stand can determine the fate of their career, regardless of how talented and well trained their work in the lab has been.
September 16, 2022
This is an interesting, academic look at crime labs, the work of criminalists, and the place that criminalists occupy in the criminal justice system. It was definitely interesting, and I learned a lot about what criminalists do and how they interact with other members of the criminal justice system (lawyers, etc.).
However, it's really important to note that this is an academic, anthropological book -- it's not a pop-science book. It's fairly dry (though the audiobook was enjoyable enough on my commute) and definitely hammers home its main points. Good for what it is, and I definitely learned a lot, but it wasn't really what I expected it to be when I picked it from my library's online catalog.
However, it's really important to note that this is an academic, anthropological book -- it's not a pop-science book. It's fairly dry (though the audiobook was enjoyable enough on my commute) and definitely hammers home its main points. Good for what it is, and I definitely learned a lot, but it wasn't really what I expected it to be when I picked it from my library's online catalog.
January 20, 2023
This is an ethnography of crime lab technicians and how they spend their days. The information was interesting, but it was definitely obvious that the book was a writeup of an academic research study. No real narrative, nothing to make the subjects personally interesting, and no information at all about the crimes being investigated. Just a step-by-step explanation of the technicians' qualifications, how they process evidence and write their reports, and the line they walk between science and criminal justice. If you want something about forensic science with narrative trajectory and more information about actually solving crimes, The Inheritor's Powder or The Poisoner's Handbook will be better choices.
February 28, 2021
Clear and interesting... In line with my own experiences with forensic science. A few malapropisms may have been due to reader error, as I listened to the audiobook. The only iffy thing I would point out, so far as the content is concerned, is that she expresses concerns about the effects of technology on the fate of expert work. People have been expressing these concerns since technology began. As my husband is a GC-MS expert, I have some insight here. Technology does not decrease the need for expert work. It just requires the experts to grow and adapt their expertise to incorporate the changing technological landscape.
April 18, 2024
Bechky dives into the work of criminologists with an eye towards their place in the intersection of science and law. She focuses on how the expertise of forensic science is used, and sometimes abused, by the legal system. She chronicles the criticism laid on the field by other scientists and the necessary distance that criminologist themselves must put between their work and the aims of law enforcement. She also shows the slow evolution of the field towards the standards set by DNA analysis and the success this subdiscipline has enjoyed in court cases. Definitely interesting and a great resource for anyone curious on working in the field.
March 14, 2023
2.5
I appreciate some of the technical points but the perspective on the legal system and process was biased. And very American, without that really being acknowledged. I appreciated hearing how evidence was analysed, it was fascinating, but the idealisation of criminalists was weird. Experts are excellent, and part of many criminal cases, but there is not this agenda to distort pure science by lawyers. Data is not definitive, and pure science is not any more pure than pure law. Of course this shows my own bias in this process as a lawyer.
I appreciate some of the technical points but the perspective on the legal system and process was biased. And very American, without that really being acknowledged. I appreciated hearing how evidence was analysed, it was fascinating, but the idealisation of criminalists was weird. Experts are excellent, and part of many criminal cases, but there is not this agenda to distort pure science by lawyers. Data is not definitive, and pure science is not any more pure than pure law. Of course this shows my own bias in this process as a lawyer.
March 1, 2021
I agree with most of the other reviews. This is a book about how the workers in a crime lab interact with the outside world told in a somewhat tedious and repetitive way. It is not a book about methods used to solve crime --so if you are looking for a sluicing book, etc. or a book about "real life" CSI--this book is not for you. It seems more like a book written by an ethnographer for the audience of crime lab workers than the general public.
July 31, 2021
Blood, Powder, and Residue was an incredibly interesting read regarding the world of forensic science. It was very technically written, which could be a turn off for someone not of the world of the criminal justice system. For someone who worked as a prosecutor for a few years, it was well-written and engaging. I appreciated having a better understanding of the world of forensics and the methods used when processing evidence.
July 14, 2023
This person picked up a page of content while watching in these labs and stretched what little she had across this horrendously repetitive book.
She offered nothing deeper than textbook vocab about what goes on and is dreadfully boring about everything.
Open your eyes, pay attention, and give your readers some real information. Anyone who’s ever watched, listened, or read about a true crime already knows this drop of information you’ve smeared across 8 hours worth of pages.
She offered nothing deeper than textbook vocab about what goes on and is dreadfully boring about everything.
Open your eyes, pay attention, and give your readers some real information. Anyone who’s ever watched, listened, or read about a true crime already knows this drop of information you’ve smeared across 8 hours worth of pages.
September 30, 2024
Complete and utter garbage. The author has written a love note to her beloved Criminalists. The banality of her analysis is only outdone by her penchant for repetition. There’s zero information about Forensics and less than zero information about the science behind the field. Absolute piece of garbage book and what a wasted opportunity to finally give the readers a good glimpse into the workings of forensic science.
May 8, 2021
Thinking this would be a book about how crime labs worked translating evidence info a real world CSI....it isn't that at all. This non-fiction book is almost entirely about how criminologists attempt to deliver their findings to adversarial lawyers and critical public scrutiny. Much of it was very repetitive.
May 25, 2021
It's a good book to know about the life of a Criminologist on a daily basis; prepares you for the reality if you are planning to take that up as a career, in the sense that it's not even half as glamorous as its made out to be in True-Crime shows. But for me it was pretty boring, I was looking for something more interesting.
July 22, 2021
A challenging read and not at all enjoyable. Not written for the general public. Written by an ethnologist studying the criminalists as lab animals.
Probably something everyone in every DA’s office in the country should read, as well as others in the criminal justice system, but not recommended for the general public who just want a peak into the crime lab.
Probably something everyone in every DA’s office in the country should read, as well as others in the criminal justice system, but not recommended for the general public who just want a peak into the crime lab.
August 28, 2021
I definitely went into this book expecting some NCIS twists and turns, but that is not this book.
However, I have to say this was a very interesting deep dive into the world of crime labs. It took me a little while to get into Bechky’s drier, more scientific writing style, but once I did it was a really good read.
However, I have to say this was a very interesting deep dive into the world of crime labs. It took me a little while to get into Bechky’s drier, more scientific writing style, but once I did it was a really good read.
November 26, 2021
Abandoned because the library loan ran out and I have too many other books I'd rather read. I picked this up on the recommendation of a forensics genealogist who thought it was a good primer for anyone interested in investigative genealogy using DNA evidence and public family trees. I think I read the most relevant chapters. May come back to it later. Probably not.
November 20, 2022
This book was not what I expected. I was thinking more along the lines of following cases & seeing how the forensic science helped solve the case.
This book is more in tune with the scientists themselves - what their work entails & how they interact among themselves, the legal system & the public.
I did learn some things, but it was more technical than what I would've liked.
This book is more in tune with the scientists themselves - what their work entails & how they interact among themselves, the legal system & the public.
I did learn some things, but it was more technical than what I would've liked.
August 19, 2023
My fellow book club readers, and I are quite perplexed by such a low review rating. We found this to be one of the most enlightening books. A very fascinating read! Leading you through the process of how each step in a crime lab works and how organized they are. While some may feel it reads like a textbook we found it to be very very fascinating!
February 1, 2021
A rare and fascinating behind the scenes look at a real crime lab. Renowned ethnographer Beth Bechky spends 18 months studying what really happens in the high stakes work of a forensics lab. A vivid and timely account.
June 23, 2021
This book is an ethnographic journey by a sociology professor. Once you get past that you’ll find that this is a super illuminating text! I honestly did not find it boring at all. But to be fair I have a BA in sociology and at currently a law student so this is right up my alley.
dnf
January 1, 2023DNF @15%
I could not finish this book just because it wasn't what I thought it would be. It was a bit more academic than I thought. It wasn't engaging, so I don't think I would even get the eBook and read over time. It gave off the textbook vibe.
I could not finish this book just because it wasn't what I thought it would be. It was a bit more academic than I thought. It wasn't engaging, so I don't think I would even get the eBook and read over time. It gave off the textbook vibe.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews