Recent Book: Forensic Medicine
| Date | 01 October 1989 |
| Published date | 01 October 1989 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X8906200420 |
| Subject Matter | Recent Book |
not intended as a criticism, for the detailed analyses provided make
fascinating reading. How many know, for example, the difference
betweenthe
rank:
of Inspectorin the UK and Inspectorin the New York
force?
The historical exegesisis not too long, the main body of the book
beingdevotedto organisation andpracticalities ofpolicing. In chapter 10,
'The Shape of Things to Come', the authors suggest therehas been slow
butindentifiable movementofthetraditional Britishmodelofpolicing,i.e.
ordermaintenancewithaddedpublicservice,towardsthatoftheAmerican,
namely law enforcement with an added social role. They provide as
groundsfor this the settingup of the Crown Prosecution Serviceand the
passingofsuchlegislationas thePoliceandCriminalEvidenceAct,1984,
both of which are seen as diluting the independence of the police and
makingthemmoreenableto thedictatesof authority. Whetheror notthey
are correct, or whether the developments on this side of the Atlantic are
merelythe meansbywhichpolicingis adjusted to meet thechangingface
ofsocietyanditsneeds,isdebatable. Whatmustbe saidis that bookssuch
as this will assist the
.debate
to the benefitof all.
FORENSIC MEDICINE - A Handbook for Professionals by Alan A.
Watson - Publishedby Gower. Hardback.
AlanWatsonis
Regius
ProfessorofForensic
Medicine
attheUniversity
ofGlasgowanda frequentlectureron forensic medicine to police, nurses,
midwives, lawyersand other professionalgroups.
Thisishisattempt to encapsulate in handbookformenoughmaterial,
based on lectures given, to meet the general needs of the professional
worker who stands alongsidethe doctor or lawyer. He has reduced the
enormousfieldofforensic pathologyto amanageablesizebyemphasizing
broad,butpracticalprinciples,which,he hopes,willenablepoliceofficers
and the like to gain a clearer understanding of the subject and thus assist
them in their professional approachto an investigation.
'Everyman's Guide to Forensic Pathology', as it should be called,
shouldbe the next book purchaseof every detectiveofficer!
October 1989 353
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