Mass Fatality Incidents: A Guide for Forensic Identification

Message From the DirectorEvery action taken by public safety personnelat a death scene can have a profoundimpact on victim identification and anysubsequent criminal investigation. Coordinatingthe work of the many agencies thatmust respond to mass fatality incidentspresents a particularly complex set ofdemands. Even large States and municipalitiescan find themselves overburdenedwith many operational requirements inresponding to a major transportation accidentor terrorist incident. Whether for thepurpose of preserving evidence for a criminalinvestigation or effectively managing theidentification of victims, a well-designedplan could be an invaluable response tool.Recent events and the emergent threat ofcontinued terrorist activity emphasize theneed for public-sector agencies to plan fora coordinated response to a mass fatalityevent. Agencies small and large, urban andrural, need to be prepared for an eventthat will exceed their operational capacity.In an effort to support excellence acrosslocal and State public safety agencies, theNational Institute of Justice, the research,development, and evaluation arm of theU.S. Department of Justice, initiated anational effort through the National Centerfor Forensic Science to develop a consensusdocument that would offer guidancefor the development of coordinated plansfor responding to an incident involvingmass fatalities. I commend the work ofthe 49 experienced public officials andother professionals from across the UnitedStates and Canada who came togetherand formed the Technical Working Groupthat developed this guide. I applaud theircommitment and determination in creatingthis consensus document.This guide is designed to assist all jurisdictionsin creating new mass fatality plansor reviewing existing plans. I encourageevery jurisdiction to give careful considerationto the recommendations in the guide.Regardless of the number of people killed,victims and their loved ones deserve ourbest efforts to provide accurate identificationof the victims and effective investigationof the crime. I believe this guide willhelp us attain that goal.Sarah V. HartDirector, National Institute of Justiceiii