Book rec: "Howdunit: How Crimes Are Committed And Solved."

Edited by John Boertlein, Writer's Digest Books, copyright 2001.

I found this a couple of years ago while trying to write a mystery novel, when I wanted some perspective on what to ask the law enforcement professionals I was interviewing for the project about their work. I'm glad I checked out this book, which I now own and keep on the shelf next to my desk, because I was able to find out from the cops I talked to that the information in it is totally spot on. I think it's actually best to describe it as a collection of essays by Boertline (an Ohio cop who had a lot of different jobs in law enforcement throughout his twenty years in that state) and other individuals on police procedures and the legal system, as well as statistics about crimes and criminals.

I highly recommend this to anyone interested in the "fine print" of your average crime analysis. The essays in it are well-written, accessible and engaging, even for folks who are only casual fans of TC. Also, I was shocked at how progressive the viewpoints expressed by its authors and editors are (example: It was obvious to me that while they acknowledge the reasons its supporters feel it necessary to keep it legal, the authors of "Howdunit" are against the death penalty). Not to mention that the stats in it are quite enlightening. Most of them come from the FBI's database of violent crime, although Boertline fleshes out some of them with other crime stat sources. Did you know that in 25% of rape cases in which both the victim and the assailant are male, the victim will report that he encountered his attacker as the result of picking him up as a hitch-hiker? That one was really interesting to me, and the reason I tell all the men I know that although they might feel safe doing something like that, the FBI would caution them against it.

$19.99 plus tax. I would say that it's definitely worth your time and money, even if you consider yourself an expert in this TC stuff. :-)