Forensic DNA Typing, Second Edition: Biology, Technology, and Genetics of STR Markers
"When they write the history of forensic science for our times, Forensic DNA Typing will be cited as the classic text on the subject. John Butler's organizational and communication skills have created a book unsurpassed in its abilities to guide a reader through the principles and practices of this complex but critical subject. This book is must reading for forensic educators and their students, and requires a prominent place on the shelf of every forensic and legal practitioner.”-Richard Saferstein, Ph.D., Author and Forensic Science Consultant"The much-anticipated second edition of Dr. John Butler's Forensic DNA Typing provides an enormous amount of new and valuable information about DNA typing and the issues associated with this technology.  It is a 'must read' for scientists, lawyers, academics, students, police officers or anyone who wants to understand modern DNA testing and the ways in which it has transformed criminal justice systems in the United States and around the world.”-Stephen Hogan, Esq., Instructor, Forensic Biology, SUNY-Albany; Faculty Member, DNA Forensics Program, American Prosecutors Research Institute...it will be clear that the book is an exceptionally comprehensive reference, touching on every relevant aspect of current forensic DNA typing practice. Apart from coverage, the book is well edited, attractively laid out, and makes productive use of its four-color format. Abundant figures and tables help explain and enumerate basic concepts as needed. A feature that is found in several parts of the book that I found particularly appealing is the detailed sourcing of information. This is a very good book, and will serve many practitioners and students of forensic DNA typing as a single source reference. It could also serve as a text for a one semester graduate level course in forensic DNA typing and technology. It is hard to think of a topic in forensic DNA typing that is not treated in the book. Accordingly, it will be a sort of standard reference book in the area. If there are plans to keep the book up to date every few years, it has the potential to become the standard reference, perhaps something akin to Clarke in drugs and toxicology. A final point is that the book is a phenomenal bargain in this day and age at around $80 a copy. There are probably minor things about which one could quibble, but it doesn't seem productive to do so when the overall product is so good. - Journal of Forensic Sciences"Students, lecturers and laboratory workers will all welcome this new edition.  At 660 pages it is double the size of the former edition and clearly contains a great deal of new material as well as having been re-arranged.  Dr. Butler's book goes far beyond dealing just with high profile cases and mass disasters.  He has taken the opportunity in the expanded volume to explain all aspects of DNA typing in greater detail and has produced a volume which is not only informative but high readable.  It is as much a book to be enjoyed by the scientist as one to educate and inform.  This is a volume which contains something of value to all forensic scientists.  It does not talk down to the reader but serves as a balanced guide through the rapidly developing field of DNA studies.  It is a book that should be purchased rather than borrowed or just referred to as it is an outstanding guide to the subject. - Journal of Clinical Forensic Medicine