Ideal as both an instructional guide for professionals and as a laboratory manual for students, this comprehensive reference takes an in-depth look at the theory of polarized light microscopy and its modernization into mainstream forensic applications. Specifically, the authors examine the numerous benefits of using polarized light microscopy for drug and explosive analysis. The text presents over 500 color photographs and photomicrographs that illustrate the various compounds that are described in the book. A brief historical timeline as well as detailed discussions of practical techniques and procedures provide what's needed by scientists to perform this type of analysis.