Forensic Sciences Resource Guide
Search the Library Catalog to determine what books, journals and audiovisual materials the Libraries own and where they are located.
- Search by author or title when you have this information.
- When you are looking for books on a topic do a keyword anywhere search first.
example: genetic engineering. - When you identify a book from the results list that is appropriate, view the full record and take a look at the subject headings.
- Choose one of the listed subject headings that best represents your topic and click on this link. This will provide a focused list of other books in the collection which also deal with the subject you have selected.
- Where do I find things? Check out where things are in the Cabell and Tompkins-McCaw libraries.
- Do other libraries have what you need?
Interlibrary Loan: VCU Libraries will get the items that you need if they are not in the collections. You do not need to identify which library has the required item - we'll do that for you. See what you need to do. To search for materials in other libraries, use the Worldcat VCU database or check the catalogs of other Virginia libraries.
Dictionaries
- Biology Dictionary
- BioTech's Life Science Dictionary
Over 8000 terms used in biochemistry, biotechnology, botany, cell biology, ecology, genetics, medicine, pharmacology, and toxicology. - Glossary of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Defines more than 3000 terms used in biochemistry and molecular biology. - Online Medical Dictionary
Defines over 65,000 terms used in biochemistry, cell biology, chemistry, medicine, molecular biology, physics, plant biology, radiobiology, science and technology - Online forensic psychology dictionary
- Forensic Files : Glossary of terms (CourtTV.com)
Good sources to get an overview or outline of a topic.
Encyclopedia
of Forensic Sciences VCU
Covers topics A-Z from accident investigation, ballistics to voice analysis. Use the Contents List and click on the folder to see all the topics within the letter range. This encyclopedia is also available in 3 volumes in the Cabell Library Reference collection - Ref HV 8073 E517 2000. Graphics, data and references are integrated with the topics in both formats.
Encyclopedias in Print
- Encyclopedia of Criminology and Deviant Behavior Cabell Ref HV 6017 E53 2001
Volume I covers historical, conceptual and theoretical issues; Volume II : crime and juvenile delinquency; Volume III : sexual deviance and Volume IV : self-destructive behavior and disvalued identity.
- Encyclopedia of Crime & Justice Cabell Ref HV6017 E52 2002
A three-volume set of essays covering topics related to criminal conduct, crime prevention and punishment. References to related materials are provided. Sample topics : age and crime, amnesty and pardon, burden of proof, careers in criminal justice, criminal law reform, drugs and crime, police, prisons, rehabilitation, stalking, urban crime and victims and victim's rights.
- Forensic medicine sourcebook : basic consumer information Cabell Ref RC636 .M57 2001
Basic consumer information for the layperson about forensic medicine, crime scene investigation, evidence collection and analysis, DNA profiling, drugs and explosives tampering, questioned document examination, plus other areas.
- Handbook of Forensic Services (FBI)
The Handbook is available to provide guidance and procedures for safe and efficient methods of collecting and preserving evidence and to describe the forensic examinations performed by the FBI Laboratory. Some of the areas covered : evidence submission and examinations, crime scene searches and safety issues.
- Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence 2nd edition (Federal Judical Center, 2000)
This manual looks at the role of scientific evidence in ligitation. Some of the topics addressed are the management of expert evidence and guides on toxicology, medical testimony and DNA evidence. A print copy is also available in Cabell Documents: call number JU 13.8:2000023496.
- National Academies Press
Over 2,500 online books in the areas of science, engineering and medicine. Browse the titles by subject categories or search for a topic. Sample titles from a search for the term forensic: - The Age of Expert Testimony: Science in the Courtroom, Report of a Workshop (2002)
- Black and Smokeless Powders: Technologies for Finding Bombs and the Bomb Makers (1998)
- Containing the Threat from Illegal bombings (1998)
- The Evaluation of Forensic DNA Evidence (1996)
- The Polygraph and Lie Detection (2003)
- netLibrary VCU
Another collection of over 13,000 electronic books from leading university, trade and professional publishers available via the Internet 24 hours a day. For full access, VCU faculty, students and staff must first create free individual user accounts.
Create a netLibrary user account
More about netLibrary
Some available titles:
- Bone voyage (1998) VCU (also in print)
- The clinical and forensic assessment of psychopathy (2000) VCU
- Clinical forensic medicine (1996) VCU (also in print)
- The evaluation of forensic DNA evidence (1996) VCU (also in print)
- Faulk's basic forensic psychiatry 3rd ed. (2000) VCU (also in print)
- Forensic DNA profiling protocols VCU (also in print)
- Forensic mental health nursing current approaches (1999) VCU
- Human osteology in archaeology and forensic science (2000) VCU (also in print)
- Memory and suggestibility in the forensic interview (2002) VCU (also in print)
NCJRS Virtual Library
A collection of 7,000+ full-text publications from the National Criminal Justice System Research Service as well as publications from Web sites of the agencies of the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.
Be sure to check the library catalog for other books!
Journal Searches : Checking to see what journals are available at VCU
- Online Journal Search
This search will let you know whether an electronic version of a journal is available from VCU. Links to journals are provided.
Alternative : Go to the VCU Libraries Catalog, select a title search, type in the title of the journal.
Advantage: In one step you will see if the journal is available in print or online, with a link to the online version.
Online Journal Collections Full-text
Journal Abbreviations
Some databases use abbreviations for the journal titles. Searching in Library Catalog requires the full title name, so try some of these sources to clear things up.
- All that JAS : Journal Abbreviation Sources
- Biological Journals and Abbreviations
- ISI Master Journal List (ISI)
- Biological
Sciences VCU 1982
- present
Abstracts of a wide variety of research in entomology, biotechnology and bioengineering, microbiology, genetics and toxicology and many other fields. Click on the subfiles link to choose specific sub-disciplines.
Citations: Yes; Abstracts: Yes; Full-text: No
- BIOSIS
Previews VCU 1970
- present
The foremost reference database in the life sciences; provides abstracts of literature in biological and biomedical areas. Includes Biological Abstracts, Biological Abstracts/RRM, and BioResearch Index.
Earlier years: 1985 - 1989 1970 - 1984 1924-1998 Cabell Reference QH301 .B37
Citations: Yes; Abstracts: Yes; Full-text: Limited links to text
BIOSIS
Quick Reference Card (pdf)
Journals
covered in BIOSIS
Journal Titles & abbreviations (BIOSIS format)
- Criminal
Justice Abstracts VCU 1968
- present
Coverage of the major journals in criminology and related disciplines. Topics include crime trends, prevention projects, corrections, juvenile delinquency, police, courts, offenders, victims, and sentencing.
Citations: Yes; Abstracts: Yes; Fulltext: No
- FORENSICnetBASE VCU
Full-text searchable database of CRC Press forensic science and criminal justice handbooks and reference books. Search individual or multiple books. Texts are in interactive PDF format.
Citations: Yes; Abstracts: Yes; Fulltext: Yes
- Infotrac
OneFile VCU 1980
- present
Information in science, humanities, social sciences and current events from general interest magazines to scholarly journals. Good for introductory searches on topics. Text for many articles, some with images. Updated daily.
Citations: Yes; Abstracts:Yes; Fulltext: Some
- LexisNexis
Academic VCU Fulltext
Legal, business and news information with national and international coverage. List of sources covered in LexisNexis Academic.
Citations: Yes; Abstracts: No; Fulltext: Yes
- MEDLINE:
PubMed VCU
This MEDLINE search interface from the National Library of Medicine provides links to publishers' web sites for over 1100 journals. Many of the VCU Libraries Online Subscriptions are linked from within PubMed. You must display the citation or the abstract record view to see the link to the VCU Libraries subscription.
Citations: Yes Abstracts: Variable; Fulltext: Some
- NCJRS
(National Criminal Justice Reference Service) Abstracts Database
Contains summaries of more than 170,000 criminal justice publications. See also the NCJRS Virtual Library.
Citations: Yes; Abstracts: Yes; Fulltext: No
- SciFinder
Scholar Available
in either Library 1969 - present
SciFinder Scholar is the online version of Chemical Abstracts. SciFinder Scholar provides access to CAplus, CASReact, and Registry databases. Searches can be performed for chemical substances and reactions, research topics, authors, and CA abstract number or patent number. Log off when finished.
Citations: Yes; Abstracts: Yes; Link to Fulltext (Not available Sat 10 pm - Sun 1 am; 1st Saturday of each month, not available Sat 5 pm - Sun 1 am).
- TOXLINE VCU past
5 years
The database provides citations and abstracts from journal articles, monographs, technical reports and other relevant sources on subject such antidotes, biological and adverse effects of drugs, chemically-induced diseases, hazardous materials, human and animal toxicity, industrial and household chemicals and risk information.
Citations: Yes; Abstracts: Yes; Fulltext: No
- Web
of Science VCU 1969
- present
This online version of Science Citation Index enables searching by topic, author and cited reference. Researchers can identify who is referencing (citing) their research or the number of times a particular article is cited, locate cited authors and analyze the impact of key publications. The database is a useful tool in identifying related articles by entering details of a known article and retrieving a list of more recent articles which have included the known article in their bibliographies. Web of Science also includes the Arts & Humanities Citation Index and Social Sciences Citation Index.
Citations: Yes; Abstracts: Some; Fulltext: No
Web
of Science Tutorial
Web
of Science Online Help
List
of Journals covered in Web of Science
Journal
Abbreviations Index
- Criminal Justice Resources : lists other indexes to use for legal information
- Complete list of Science & Technology databases
- List of databases in the Health Science
Forensic Entomology
- Directory of World Wide Forensic Entomologists
- Forensic Entomology: The Use of Insects in Death Investigations (Royal Canadian Mounted Police Online University)
Other Forensic Areas
- AFTE Forensic/Ballistics Links
Links to background information and sites on ballistics and firearms. - Firearms & Ballistics
- Firearms Tutorial (University of Utah)
Agencies, Associations and Organizations
Government Agencies
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms
- Drug Enforcement Agency
- Federal Bureau of Investigation | Forensic Laboratory
- National Institute of Justice
- United States Department of Justice
- United States Secret Service
Virginia Agencies
- Commonwealth of Virginia, Department of Criminal Justice Services: Forensic Services
- Virginia Institute of Forensic Science and Medicine
Selected Associations or Societies
- Academy of Behavioral Profiling
- American Academy of Forensic Psychology
- American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS)
- American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (AAPL)
- American Association of Physical Anthropology
- American Board of Criminalistics (ABC)
- American Board of Forensic Document Examiners (ABFDE)
- American Board of Forensic Anthropology (ABFA)
- American Board of Forensic Entomology (ABFE)
- American College of Forensic Examiners (ACFE)
- American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD)
- American Society of Forensic Odontology (ASFO)
- American Society of Questioned Document Examiners
- American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM)
- Association of Firearms and Toolmarks Examiners (AFTE)
- Canadian Society of Forensic Science
- Forensic Science Society (UK)
- International Association for Identification (IAI)
- International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN)
- International Association of Forensic Toxicologists (TIAFT)
- National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME)
- National Center for Forensic Science
- National Forensic Science Technology Center
- Society of Forensic Toxicologists (SOFT)
Regional / State Associations
- Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists
- Midwestern Association of Forensic Scientists
- Northeastern Association of Forensic Scientists
- Southern Association of Forensic Scientists
- Southwestern Association of Forensic Scientists
Education and University Departments
Virginia Commonwealth University Programs
- VCU Biology
- VCU Department of Criminal Justice
- VCU Forensic Science
- VCU Life Sciences
- VCU School of Medicine Fellowship in Legal Med/Forensic Pathology