Gothic Forensics: Criminal Investigative Procedure in Victorian Horror & Mystery (Semiotics and Popular Culture)

This book explores a number of foundational Victorian Gothic texts that have either predicted or prefigured key investigative methods used by police today. It also critically assesses the legislative, procedural, and forensic implications of crime fiction and horror produced during the Victorian era. Titles ranging from Bleak House to Dracula are demonstrated to be driving forces behind the professional standards and investigative methods used by police departments in the United States and United Kingdom, both then and now. Gothic Forensics explains how and why the Gothic served as the unlikely but irrefutable creative engine for advances in forensics made in the following century--techniques and technologies taken for granted today--as well as the literary progenitor of the prevailing methodologies now used in criminal investigation and profiling, the collection of evidence, and the administration of justice. Semiotics and Popular Culture Studies -- How to Use This Book -- Acknowledgments -- Contents -- About the Author -- List of Figures -- List of Tables -- Chapter 1: Introduction: The Forensic Gothic -- References -- Chapter 2: The House of the Seven Gables: Wrongful Convictions and Secondary Deviation -- References -- Chapter 3: Bleak House: Authorship Attribution and Suspectology -- References -- Chapter 4: "The Murders in the Rue Morgue": Forensic Interviewing and Crime Scene Continuity -- Forensic Interviewing-Non-accusatory Techniques -- Forensic Interviewing-Accusatory Techniques -- References -- Chapter 5: "The Mystery of Marie Rogêt": Holdback Evidence and the Copycat Effect -- References -- Chapter 6: Dracula: Criminal Paraphilia and Expert Witnesses -- References -- Chapter 7: Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: Criminal Responsibility and Psychogeography -- References -- Chapter 8: The Picture of Dorian Gray: The Psychopathy Checklist and the Dark Triad -- References -- Chapter 9: The House by the Churchyard: Forensic Anthropology and Investigative Countermeasures -- References -- Chapter 10: Trilby: Forensic Victimology and the Svengali Defense -- References -- Chapter 11: Conclusion: Toward a Literary Criminology -- References -- Glossary -- Index Front Matter....Pages i-xxv Introduction: The Forensic Gothic....Pages 1-12 The House of the Seven Gables: Wrongful Convictions and Secondary Deviation....Pages 13-32 Bleak House: Authorship Attribution and Suspectology....Pages 33-54 “The Murders in the Rue Morgue”: Forensic Interviewing and Crime Scene Continuity....Pages 55-78 “The Mystery of Marie Rogêt”: Holdback Evidence and the Copycat Effect....Pages 79-103 Dracula: Criminal Paraphilia and Expert Witnesses....Pages 105-134 Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: Criminal Responsibility and Psychogeography....Pages 135-160 The Picture of Dorian Gray: The Psychopathy Checklist and the Dark Triad....Pages 161-184 The House by the Churchyard: Forensic Anthropology and Investigative Countermeasures....Pages 185-204 Trilby: Forensic Victimology and the Svengali Defense....Pages 205-221 Conclusion: Toward a Literary Criminology....Pages 223-226 Back Matter....Pages 227-253 Introduction: The Forensic Gothic -- The House Of The Seven Gables: Wrongful Convictions And Secondary Deviation -- Bleak House: Authorship Attribution And Suspectology -- The Murders In The Rue Morgue: Forensic Interviewing And Crime Scene Continuity -- The Mystery Of Marie Roget: Holdback Evidence And The Copycat Effect -- Dracula: Criminal Paraphilia And Expert Witnesses -- Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde: Criminal Responsibility And Psychogeography -- The Picture Of Dorian Gray: The Psychopathy Checklist And The Dark Triad -- The House By The Churchyard: Forensic Anthropology And Investigative Countermeasures -- Trilby: Forensic Victimology And The Svengali Defense -- Conclusion: Toward A Literary Criminology. Michael Arntfield. This Palgrave Macmillan Imprint Is Published By Springer Nature--title Page Verso. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Michael Arntfield interrogates the legacy of Victorian-era crime fiction and Gothic horror on investigative forensic methods used by police today.