This guide lists selected forensic information sources available to SFU faculty, students, and staff. It provides supplementary information to the main Criminology Research Guide.

Forensic topic overviews

Encyclopedias are a great resource for gaining an overview of a topic before you delve into more specific research found in journal articles. They may also point you to key terminology, authors, and articles/books in your research area.

• APA Handbook of Forensic Psychology. Vol. 1 (2015), and APA Handbook of Forensic Psychology. Vol. 2 (2015)
• Elsevier Encyclopedia of Forensic Sciences (2013) (2nd edition)
• Encyclopedia of Insects (2009) (2nd edition).
• Handbook of Digital Forensics and Investigation.
• Handbook of Forensic Psychology (2013) (4th ed.) [online or print]
• Spitz and Fisher's medicolegal investigation of death : guidelines for the application of pathology to crime investigation, (2020), (5th edition)
• World of Forensic Science, 2nd ed. (2016)

The above list is not comprehensive. See also Forensic Sciences--Encyclopedias. Or, try keyword searches in the Library Catalogue using the keywords encyclopedia + [your topic].

Books

Browse FORENSICnetBASE, a collection of ebooks on many forensics topics such as arson & fire investigation, computer crime investigation, forensic pathology, and more.

Journal articles

Research Forensic Library  (Florida International University - created 2022)

FORENSICnetBASE / LawENFORCEMENTnetBASE
Ebooks on forensic science, law enforcement, and criminal justice.

Web of Science
Search citations and abstracts for journal articles, conference proceedings, and other resources in the sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities. Can also used for cited reference searches, and citation analysis of research.

Criminal Justice Abstracts with Full Text
Covers all aspects of criminal justice, including psychological. Includes journal articles, books, government and non-government reports, magazines, newspapers, dissertations and unpublished papers.

Zoological Record plus Zoological Record Archive
Articles, magazines, books, and dissertations covering a wide range of subjects including biodiversity, conservation, environmental science, marine and freshwater biology, parasitology, and new laboratory and field techniques.

More Criminology databases

Help finding journal articles

Statistics

Search in the Library Catalogue by these subject headings for books on statistical analysis for forensic scientists:

• Forensic Sciences - Statistical Methods
• Forensic Statistics
• Forensic Genetics - Statistical Methods

SFU Library Research Guide: Crime and Justice Statistics

Anatomy

Primal Pictures Interactive Anatomy
Primal Pictures is a detailed and accurate 3D model of human anatomy. The database contains rotatable 3D models of the human body and anatomical layers which may be stripped away. Also included are common pathologies.

The Internet Pathology Laboratory for Medical Education
A series of images demonstrating gross and microscopic pathological findings.

Associations and organizations

Association websites may provide conference proceedings, lists of essential readings on forensic topics, and accreditation requirements, amongst other helpful information.

• American Academy of Forensic Sciences
• American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors
• American Board of Criminalistics
• American Society of Forensic Odontology
• Canadian Identification Society
• Canadian Police College
• Canadian Society of Forensic Sciences
• Entomological Society of America
• Entomological Society of B.C.
• Entomological Society of Canada
• International Association of Identification
• The Society of Forensic Toxicologists
• US fish and Wildlife Service Forensics Lab

There are too many organizations to list here; please review the American Academy of Forensic Science's list of organizations for many more specific organizations.

Government publications

There is unfortunately no single, centralized database that contains all Canadian (or US) government publications.  There are two key strategies for locating on-topic publications:

1. Search a database that includes some government documents (even if not comprehensive)
2. Search specific government departmental websites for publications

Canada

 Suggested databases for government-authored forensics information

• Canadian Electronic Library
• Canadian Research Index
• British Columbia Government Publications Index. Then, check our Library Catalogue to see if SFU Library has the publication.

Select departments

• Public Safety Canada - Publications and Reports
• Correctional Service of Canada - Publications
• British Columbia Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General

United States

Select Departments

• National Institute of Justice
  • Sample report from NIJ: Test Results for Mobile Device Acquisition Tool (January 2011)
• U.S. Department of Justice

If you need help, please contact Yolanda Koscielski, Liaison Librarian for Criminology, Psychology & Philosophy at or ysk6@sfu.ca or Ask a librarian