Exploring the broad spectrum of the forensic sciences practiced both inside and outside of a crime lab, this text investigates forensic sciences that are used both in criminal and civil contexts, along with non-traditional and new applications such as occupational fraud, wildlife protection, and homeland security. The approach is unifying in that it seeks to explain the underlying theoretical and practical concepts that unite all forensic science as well as the individual challenges of each of the forensic sciences. The scientific concepts that underly the forensic sciences are explained in a manner that is understandable by readers without a science background.