Death Investigation: A Guide for the Scene Investigator - National ...

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xviii of the identification of the perpetrator. The guidelines will assist the actual investigators in following the proper protocol and consistently obtaining all available evidence to show that the death was the result of either unlawful or lawful activity. Proper adherence to the guidelines, coupled with proper training to implement the guidelines, will serve to satisfy finders of fact in criminal cases that the State has presented accurate, reliable, and trustworthy evidence. Additionally, it will serve to defuse attacks by defense counsel on the investigative methods and techniques, chain of custody, and the reliability of any testing that may have been conducted during the course of the investigation. It may also serve to prevent innocent people from being accused of criminal activity when, in fact, a crime was not committed, or the person suspected was not involved. The truth is the outcome sought, and the guidelines will assist the system in obtaining the truth. In a criminal investigation, when the government follows the rules and properly conducts its investigation, it will win most of the time. When it does not follow the rules or properly conduct its investigation, it should lose. Commentary Randy Hanzlick, M.D. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Atlanta, Georgia Variations in statutes, levels of funding, geography and population density, and death investigator education, training, and experience result in variations in the quality and extent of medicolegal death investigations. Front-line, on-scene death investigations are performed by people whose jobs range from part-time to full-time, and whose education, training, and experience vary substantially and range from minimal to extensive. The outcome of death investigations may impact personal liberty and well-being, adjudication of cases, public health and safety, mortality statistics, research capabilities, and governmental approaches to legislation and programs. Therefore, high-quality death investigation throughout the United States is a desirable goal for many reasons.
The creation of guidelines for medicolegal death investigations is one method of promoting uniformity in the approach to death investigations and improving or assuring their quality at the same time. Guidelines may also be used as a basis for developing educational programs, to evaluate work performance, and as a basis for credentialing or certification of death investigators. To those ends, the National Medicolegal Review Panel has taken an important step by developing this initial set of death investigation guidelines as a model for nationwide use, pursuant to a grant funded by the National Institute of Justice and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The development of such guidelines will not be enough in and of themselves, however. The best intended and designed guidelines will have little effect if death investigators are not provided with funds adequate to meet the provisions of the guidelines. Funding for the education and training of death investigation practices and for the implementation of the guidelines will be necessary, and funding needs pose a significant obstacle to the long-term goal of nationwide improvement in death investigation practices. Governments at every level of organization will need to explore methods for acquiring or providing funds and providing the education, training, and manpower to effectively implement these and any subsequent guidelines. In the meantime, these guidelines provide a starting point from which we can proceed. Commentary Richard C. Harruff, M.D., Ph.D. Associate Medical Examiner Seattle/King County Department of Public Health Seattle, Washington A competent and thorough death-scene investigation provides the basis for a comprehensive medicolegal autopsy, and together the scene investigation and autopsy provide the basis for an accurate determination of cause and manner of death. Furthermore, following specific guidelines xix
Page 1 and 2: U.S. Department of Justice Office o
Page 3 and 4: National Guidelines A Guide for for
Page 5 and 6: Message From the Attorney General T
Page 7 and 8: vi International Association of Cor
Page 9 and 10: viii The Director of NIJ, the Honor
Page 11 and 12: x Introduction ....................
Page 13 and 14: Foreword: Commentaries on the Need
Page 15 and 16: the tremendous importance of medico
Page 17: With many of the deaths today havin
Page 21 and 22: Commentary Mary Lou Kearns, R.N., M
Page 23 and 24: I would encourage the adoption and
Page 25 and 26: Commentary Thomas J. O’Loughlin C
Page 27 and 28: Introduction “Is it [death invest
Page 29 and 30: The following groups were formed fo
Page 31 and 32: The educational backgrounds of the
Page 33 and 34: defense needs, the technique is use
Page 35 and 36: Training Guidelines The purpose of
Page 37 and 38: Medicolegal Death Investigation Gui
Page 39 and 40: 14 29. Pocketknife. 30. Shoe-covers
Page 41 and 42: 16 1. Introduce and Identify Self a
Page 43 and 44: 18 3. Confirm or Pronounce Death Su
Page 45 and 46: 20 6. Establish Chain of Custody Pr
Page 47 and 48: Documenting and Evaluating the Scen
Page 49 and 50: C. Describe scene environments incl
Page 51 and 52: Procedure: After personal property
Page 53 and 54: Documenting and Evaluating the Body
Page 55 and 56: C. Document the decedent’s positi
Page 57 and 58: 4. Establish Decedent Identificatio
Page 59 and 60: 6. Participate in Scene Debriefing
Page 61 and 62: 8. Ensure Security of Remains Princ
Page 63 and 64: Establishing and Recording Decedent
Page 65 and 66: 3. Document Decedent Medical Histor
Page 67 and 68: 5. Document Social History Principl
Page 69 and 70:
46 2. Release Jurisdiction of the B
Page 71 and 72:
48 4. Assist the Family Principle:
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