Integrated computer-aided forensic case analysis, presentation, and documentation based on multimodal 3D data.

PubMed

Bornik, Alexander; Urschler, Martin; Schmalstieg, Dieter; Bischof, Horst; Krauskopf, Astrid; Schwark, Thorsten; Scheurer, Eva; Yen, Kathrin

2018-06-01

Three-dimensional (3D) crime scene documentation using 3D scanners and medical imaging modalities like computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are increasingly applied in forensic casework. Together with digital photography, these modalities enable comprehensive and non-invasive recording of forensically relevant information regarding injuries/pathologies inside the body and on its surface. Furthermore, it is possible to capture traces and items at crime scenes. Such digitally secured evidence has the potential to similarly increase case understanding by forensic experts and non-experts in court. Unlike photographs and 3D surface models, images from CT and MRI are not self-explanatory. Their interpretation and understanding requires radiological knowledge. Findings in tomography data must not only be revealed, but should also be jointly studied with all the 2D and 3D data available in order to clarify spatial interrelations and to optimally exploit the data at hand. This is technically challenging due to the heterogeneous data representations including volumetric data, polygonal 3D models, and images. This paper presents a novel computer-aided forensic toolbox providing tools to support the analysis, documentation, annotation, and illustration of forensic cases using heterogeneous digital data. Conjoint visualization of data from different modalities in their native form and efficient tools to visually extract and emphasize findings help experts to reveal unrecognized correlations and thereby enhance their case understanding. Moreover, the 3D case illustrations created for case analysis represent an efficient means to convey the insights gained from case analysis to forensic non-experts involved in court proceedings like jurists and laymen. The capability of the presented approach in the context of case analysis, its potential to speed up legal procedures and to ultimately enhance legal certainty is demonstrated by introducing a number of representative forensic cases. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Possibilities for retracing of copyright violations on current video game consoles by optical disk analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irmler, Frank; Creutzburg, Reiner

2014-02-01

This paper deals with the possibilities of retracing copyright violations on current video game consoles (e.g. Microsoft Xbox, Sony PlayStation, ...) by studying the corresponding optical storage media DVD and Blu-ray. The possibilities of forensic investigation of DVD and Blu-ray Discs are presented. It is shown which information can be read by using freeware and commercial software for forensic examination. A detailed analysis is given on the visualization of hidden content and the possibility to find out information about the burning hardware used for writing on the optical discs. In connection with a forensic analysis of the Windows registry of a suspects PC a detailed overview of the crime scene for forged DVD and Blu-ray Discs can be obtained. Optical discs are examined under forensic aspects and the obtained results are implemented into automatic analysis scripts for the commercial forensics program EnCase Forensic. It is shown that for the optical storage media a possibility of identification of the drive used for writing can be obtained. In particular Blu-ray Discs contain the serial number of the burner. These and other findings were incorporated into the creation of various EnCase scripts for the professional forensic investigation with EnCase Forensic. Furthermore, a detailed flowchart for a forensic investigation of copyright infringement was developed.

Course constructions: A case-base of forensic toxicology.

PubMed

Zhou, Nan; Wu, Yeda; Su, Terry; Zhang, Liyong; Yin, Kun; Zheng, Da; Zheng, Jingjing; Huang, Lei; Wu, Qiuping; Cheng, Jianding

2017-08-01

Forensic toxicology education in China is limited by insufficient teaching methods and resources, resulting in students with adequate theoretical principles but lacking practice experience. Typical cases used as teaching materials vividly represent intoxication and provide students with an opportunity to practice and hone resolving skills. In 2013, the Department of Forensic Pathology at Zhongshan School of Medicine began to construct top-quality courses in forensic toxicology, with its first step, creating a base containing typical cases of intoxication. This essay reviews the construction process of said cases-base, which is intended to set an example of forensic toxicology education. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Survival of Atherosclerotic Calcifications in Skeletonized Material: Forensic and Pathological Implications.

PubMed

Biehler-Gomez, Lucie; Cappella, Annalisa; Castoldi, Elisa; Martrille, Laurent; Cattaneo, Cristina

2018-03-01

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease creating calcifying plaques in the arterial walls. Because its paleopathological diagnosis remains little studied on skeletal remains, its impact on forensic and archeological data is completely underestimated. Here, 24 skeletal remains from the Milano Cemetery Skeletal Collection have been studied to evaluate the chance of atherosclerotic calcification survival, retrieval, and identification. Through direct comparison with a known autopsy collection and literature, the identification and categorization of several types of calcifications were performed. Clothing elements such as tights or socks played a definitive role in the preservation of the calcifications; hence they are more likely to be found in forensic cases than in archeological ones. Therefore, vascular calcifications are possible to collect and identify in skeletal remains if sufficient care is given to their recovery. Consequently and as markers of the disease, such identification can provide valuable pathological information for forensic and archeological cases. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

A researcher's review of adherence to forensic examination principles in homicide cases in Poland.

PubMed

Juszka, K; Juszka, K

The purpose of this paper is to verify adherence to forensic examination principles in homicide cases by analyzing the results of the author's own study of 90 court and prosecution cases from the period 2000-2010. The analyzed cases were sampled using the so-called multi-stage cluster sampling method, commonly used in social sciences in Poland. The cases were held in 17 organizational judiciary and prosecution units reporting to the Court of Appeal in Krakow and Appellate Prosecutor's Office in Krakow, respectively. The research tool was a questionnaire containing 40 relevant guidelines, covering both qualitative and quantitative features. In the 90 analyzed cases, a total of 251 forensic examination reports were prepared, including 110 site examination reports, 20 separate corpse examination reports, 29 personal examination reports and 92 object examination reports. The research aspects of forensic examinations will be analyzed from the perspective of adherence to the principles of conducting the same. As regards postulates de lege ferenda with respect to the implementation of forensic examination principles one should emphasize the need for using the appropriate form of description of corpse examination; the need for a more responsible attitude towards sealing off crime scenes and for recording information on sealing-off procedures in the examination report; the need for clear distinction of examination stages in drafting the examination report; the need for a detailed analysis of the examination carried out at its final stage at all times; the need for using professional vocabulary in all descriptions of examination activities in each case and the need for regular monitoring (by the person in charge of examination) also with regard to the tactical requirement to sign each sheet of the examination report. The tactical and procedural development of forensic examination principles, taking into account also the postulates de lege ferenda presented herein, will contribute to further development of forensic examination studies and will thus make examination a more common practice in criminal procedures.

Forensic Analysis of a Contact Lens in a Murder Case.

PubMed

Zwerling, Charles S

2016-03-01

Contact lenses have had rare relevance in trials and/or investigations. After 5 years of burial, orbital remnants were retrieved from an exhumed body and subsequently identified as a key piece of material evidence in a murder trial. The exhumed case materials were evaluated under laboratory conditions and were determined to be contact lens remnants. Contact lens fracture and burial simulation studies were performed to provide additional corroboration of the physical findings of the exhumed contact lens remnants. This material evidence was instrumental in providing factual proof refuting the defendant's testimony in the murder trial. A brief history of contact lens composition and use is provided for understanding the methods and observational results. This forensic case study represents the first published documentation of a contact lens from an exhumed body being used in a murder investigation and establishes an operational procedure for future forensic contact lens examinations. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Australian oral health case notes: assessment of forensic relevance and adherence to recording guidelines.

PubMed

Stow, L; James, H; Richards, L

2016-06-01

Dental case notes record clinical diagnoses and treatments, as well as providing continuity of patient care. They are also used for dento-legal litigation and forensic purposes. Maintaining accurate and comprehensive dental patient records is a dental worker's ethical and legal obligation. Australian registered specialist forensic odontologists were surveyed to determine the relevance of recorded case note items for dental identification. A dental case notes sample was assessed for adherence with odontologist nominated forensic value and compiled professional record keeping guidelines of forensic relevance. Frequency of item recording, confidence interval, examiner agreement and statistical significance were determined. Broad agreement existed between forensic odontologists as to which recorded dental items have most forensic relevance. Inclusion frequency of these items in sampled case notes varied widely (e.g. single area radiographic view present in 75%, CI = 65.65-82.50; completed odontogram in 56%, CI = 46.23-65.33). Recording of information specified by professional record keeping guidelines also varied, although overall inclusion was higher than for forensically desired items (e.g. patient's full name in 99%, CI = 94.01 - >99.99; named treating practitioner in 23%, CI = 15.78-32.31). Many sampled dental case notes lacked details identified as being valuable by forensic specialists and as specified by professional record keeping guidelines. © 2016 Australian Dental Association.

Neglect of the elderly: forensic entomology cases and considerations.

PubMed

Benecke, Mark; Josephi, Eberhard; Zweihoff, Ralf

2004-12-02

Wounds of living persons are a potential target for the same flies that live, or feed early on corpses. This can lead to complications in estimation of PMI but also allows to determine additional information that might be valuable in a trial, or during the investigations [e.g., M. Benecke, R. Lessig, Child neglect and forensic entomology, Forensic Sci. Int. 120 (2001) 155-159]. With forensic entomology, and forensic entomologists being more and more present, even lower profile cases like the neglect of elderly people (without violence being used against them; i.e., natural death) comes to our attention. Furthermore, much more people grow older than in the past years which leads to increased awareness of malpractice of caregivers in the professional, and personal environment [DPA (German Press Agency), Studie an 17000 Leichen: Jeder Siebte vor Tod falsch gepflegt (Every seventh elderly person not cared for sufficiently), German Press Agency dpa # 051402, Jan 3, Jan 5, 2003] . We briefly sketch three cases in which forensic entomology helped to better understand the circumstances of death, and the type and intensity of neglect before death.

The benefits and pitfalls of post-mortem computed tomography in forensic external examination: A retrospective study of 145 cases.

PubMed

Willaume, Thibault; Farrugia, Audrey; Kieffer, Estelle-Marie; Charton, Jeanne; Geraut, Annie; Berthelon, Laurent; Bierry, Guillaume; Raul, Jean-Sébastien

2018-05-01

Nowadays, post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) has become an integral part of Forensic practice. The purpose of the study was to determine PMCT impact on diagnosis of the cause of death within the context of the external examination of the body, when autopsy has, at first, not been requested. We reviewed the records of 145 cases for which unenhanced PMCT was performed in addition to the external examination of the body from January 2014 to July 2015 at the Institute of Forensic medicine in Strasbourg (France). We confronted final reports from forensic pathologist to the corresponding PMCT reports. Data were collected in a contingency table and the impact of PMCT on the final conclusions of the forensic pathologist was evaluated via a Chi 2 test. PMCT results significantly impact the final conclusions of forensic pathologist (p<0,001). In some cases, PMCT permits etiological diagnosis by revealing a cause of death hidden from external examination (mainly natural death) or by supporting the clinical findings of the forensic pathologist. In other cases (traumatic death), PMCT enables fast and exhaustive lesion assessment. Lastly, there are situations where PMCT may be ineffective (intoxication, hanging or some natural deaths). Performing PMCT within the context of the external examination of the body when autopsy has, at first, not been requested could bring significant benefits in diagnosing the cause of death. The impact of PMCT varies depending on the circumstances of death. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Patterns of trauma induced by motorboat and ferry propellers as illustrated by three known cases from Rhode Island.

PubMed

Semeraro, Dominique; Passalacqua, Nicholas V; Symes, Steven; Gilson, Thomas

2012-11-01

Understanding patterns of trauma is important to determining cause and manner of death. A thorough evaluation of taphonomy, trauma, and bone fracture mechanisms is necessary to reconstruct the circumstances of the death. This study examines the skeletal trauma caused by boat propeller strikes in terms of wound characteristics and location based on three cases from Rhode Island. These case studies review the traumatic characteristics caused by propeller injuries and highlight the anatomic regions most likely to sustain skeletal trauma. With this information, investigators may be able to identify propeller trauma even in severely decomposed remains. The discussion of boat propeller trauma also raises issues regarding how forensic anthropologists and forensic pathologists classify trauma (specifically blunt force vs. sharp) and highlights semantic issues arising in trauma classification. The study also discusses why these propeller cases should be classified as blunt trauma rather than sharp or chop/hack trauma. Ultimately, the authors urge consistency and communication between pathologist and forensic anthropologists performing trauma analyses. © 2012 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

The broad field of forensic pharmacy.

PubMed

Anderson, Peter D

2012-02-01

Forensic pharmacy is application of the sciences of drugs to legal issues. Forensic pharmacists engage in work relating to litigation, the regulatory process, and the criminal justice system. Forensic pharmacy overlaps with many other forensic fields. Pharmacists hold a variety of positions with local, state, and federal governments. Many pharmacists do freelance work as forensic litigation consultants. A forensic pharmacist can be a valuable resource in legal cases relating to malpractice, adverse drug reactions, drunk and drugged driving, health care fraud, poisoning, and numerous other types of civil and criminal cases.

Positive Bacteriological Analyses in Individuals With Diabetes Mellitus: Preliminary Results From a Forensic Study.

PubMed

Palmiere, Cristian; Tettamanti, Camilla

2018-06-01

Increased infection susceptibility in the diabetic population is a controversial issue in the clinical field. The greater frequency of infections in diabetic patients has been speculated as caused by the hyperglycemic environment that favors immune dysfunction. The aim of this study was to investigate the proportion of positive bacterial cultures in a series of diabetic individuals who underwent forensic investigations and assess the frequency of hyperglycemia at the time of death in these cases as well as the percentage of diabetics with cause of death due to bacterial infection. Forensic autopsy cases characterized by positive bacterial cultures and pre-existing diagnosis of diabetes mellitus were included in the study. Initial findings revealed that 12% (7/58 cases) of positive bacterial cultures concerned individuals with a pre-existing diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. Bacterial infection was considered to be the cause of death in 22% (7/31 cases) of diabetics with positive bacterial cultures. Hyperglycemia could be identified in 1 case only at the time of death. These preliminary results highlight the usefulness of systematically performing postmortem bacteriology in the forensic setting to more precisely characterize infectious risk factors in diabetics.

Forensic intelligence framework--Part I: Induction of a transversal model by comparing illicit drugs and false identity documents monitoring.

PubMed

Morelato, Marie; Baechler, Simon; Ribaux, Olivier; Beavis, Alison; Tahtouh, Mark; Kirkbride, Paul; Roux, Claude; Margot, Pierre

2014-03-01

Forensic intelligence is a distinct dimension of forensic science. Forensic intelligence processes have mostly been developed to address either a specific type of trace or a specific problem. Even though these empirical developments have led to successes, they are trace-specific in nature and contribute to the generation of silos which hamper the establishment of a more general and transversal model. Forensic intelligence has shown some important perspectives but more general developments are required to address persistent challenges. This will ensure the progress of the discipline as well as its widespread implementation in the future. This paper demonstrates that the description of forensic intelligence processes, their architectures, and the methods for building them can, at a certain level, be abstracted from the type of traces considered. A comparative analysis is made between two forensic intelligence approaches developed independently in Australia and in Europe regarding the monitoring of apparently very different kind of problems: illicit drugs and false identity documents. An inductive effort is pursued to identify similarities and to outline a general model. Besides breaking barriers between apparently separate fields of study in forensic science and intelligence, this transversal model would assist in defining forensic intelligence, its role and place in policing, and in identifying its contributions and limitations. The model will facilitate the paradigm shift from the current case-by-case reactive attitude towards a proactive approach by serving as a guideline for the use of forensic case data in an intelligence-led perspective. A follow-up article will specifically address issues related to comparison processes, decision points and organisational issues regarding forensic intelligence (part II). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The introduction of forensic advisors in Belgium and their role in the criminal justice system.

PubMed

Bitzer, Sonja; Heudt, Laetitia; Barret, Aurélie; George, Lore; Van Dijk, Karolien; Gason, Fabrice; Renard, Bertrand

2018-05-01

Forensic advisors (FA) at the National Institute for Criminalistics and Criminology (NICC), generalists in forensic science, act as an advising body to the magistrate to improve communication between the various parties involved in the investigation: magistrate, police and crime scene investigators, and forensic experts. Their role is manifold, but their main objectives are to optimise trace processing by selecting the most pertinent traces in the context of the case and by advising magistrates on the feasibility of forensic analyses in particular circumstances in regards to the latest technical advances. Despite the absence of a legal framework governing their role and involvement in judicial cases, the demand for their services has increased over the years. Initially, forensic advisors were called for complex homicide cases. Due to the proximity with the Public Prosecutor's Office, the types of offences for which their expertise was sought have become more diverse (mainly including robbery, burglary and sexual assault cases), leading to a diversity in the types of cases handled by the forensic advisors (complex, simple and review). In many of the cases they are requested for, in addition to consulting on the best analytical strategy, forensic advisors also assume the role of case coordinator regarding the seized objects and their respective analyses. Indeed, in the majority of cases treated by the FAs, two or more types of expertise have been requested and performed, either at the internal laboratories of NICC or at external laboratories. This paper explains the role of the forensic advisors in Belgium, the path that let to their current status and problems encountered. Copyright © 2017 The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Clothing damage analysis in alleged sexual assaults--the need for a systematic approach.

PubMed

Boland, C A; McDermott, S D; Ryan, J

2007-04-11

Clothing damage analysis is an integral part of the examinations carried out in sexual assault type cases. This analysis can be used to corroborate different versions of events and is at its most powerful in elucidating false allegation cases and consent cases. The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent people with varying levels of forensic awareness, experience and training could correctly carry out damage analysis. Two participant groups were asked to take part in this study. Group A ('forensic group') comprised participants at a forensic science conference, and Group B ('student group') comprised students undertaking a degree course in Forensic Science. Each group was given a practical workshop consisting of a lecture outlining common fabric types and general features observed in different damage types. Each participant was subsequently shown 25 pieces of 'damage' and asked to identify both the type of fabric construction (knit or weave) and the type of damage (cut, tear, rip, wear and tear). The ability to identify fabric construction and damage types varied within the two groups studied and across the groups. The forensic group performed better both in fabric and damage assessment than the student group. This paper suggests a systematic approach to clothing damage analysis to maximise the benefits that can be obtained from this area of forensic science and to minimise the subjectivity within the field.

An Interdisciplinary Guided Inquiry Laboratory for First Year Undergraduate Forensic Science Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cresswell, Sarah L.; Loughlin, Wendy A.

2015-01-01

An effective guided inquiry forensic case study (a pharmacy break-in) is described for first-year students. Four robust introductory forensic chemistry and biology experiments are used to analyze potential drug samples and determine the identity of a possible suspect. Students perform presumptive tests for blood on a "point of entry…

Forensic Medicine in South Africa: Associations between Medical Practice and Legal Case Progression and Outcomes in Female Murders

PubMed Central

Abrahams, Naeemah; Jewkes, Rachel; Martin, Lorna J.; Mathews, Shanaaz

2011-01-01

Background Forensic medicine has been largely by-passed by the tide of health systems research and evidence based medicine. Murder victims form a central part of forensic medical examiners' case load, and women murdered by intimate partners are an important subgroup, representing the most severe form and consequence of intimate partner violence. Our aim was to describe the epidemiology of female murder in South Africa (by intimate and non-intimate partners); and to describe and compare autopsy findings, forensic medical management of cases and the contribution of these to legal outcomes. Methods We did a retrospective national study in a proportionate random sample of 25 medico-legal laboratories to identify all homicides in 1999 of women aged 14 years and over. Data were abstracted from the mortuary file and autopsy report, and collected from a police interview. Findings In 21.5% of cases the perpetrator was convicted. Factors associated with a conviction for the female murders included having a history of intimate partner violence 1.18 (95%CI: 0.16–2.20), weapon recovered 1.36 (95% CI:0.58–2.15) and a detective visiting the crime scene 1.57 (95% CI:0.14–3.00). None of the forensic medical activities increased the likelihood of a conviction. Conclusion The findings raise important questions about the role of forensic medicine in these cases. PMID:22194868

Forensic medicine in South Africa: associations between medical practice and legal case progression and outcomes in female murders.

PubMed

Abrahams, Naeemah; Jewkes, Rachel; Martin, Lorna J; Mathews, Shanaaz

2011-01-01

Forensic medicine has been largely by-passed by the tide of health systems research and evidence based medicine. Murder victims form a central part of forensic medical examiners' case load, and women murdered by intimate partners are an important subgroup, representing the most severe form and consequence of intimate partner violence. Our aim was to describe the epidemiology of female murder in South Africa (by intimate and non-intimate partners); and to describe and compare autopsy findings, forensic medical management of cases and the contribution of these to legal outcomes. We did a retrospective national study in a proportionate random sample of 25 medico-legal laboratories to identify all homicides in 1999 of women aged 14 years and over. Data were abstracted from the mortuary file and autopsy report, and collected from a police interview. In 21.5% of cases the perpetrator was convicted. Factors associated with a conviction for the female murders included having a history of intimate partner violence 1.18 (95%CI: 0.16-2.20), weapon recovered 1.36 (95% CI:0.58-2.15) and a detective visiting the crime scene 1.57 (95% CI:0.14-3.00). None of the forensic medical activities increased the likelihood of a conviction. The findings raise important questions about the role of forensic medicine in these cases.

Medical death certification by forensic physicians in the Netherlands: Validity and interdoctorvariation.

PubMed

Dorn, Tina; Ceelen, Manon; Reijnders, Udo; Das, Kees

2016-10-01

The aim of the study was to assess interdoctorvariation and validity in death certification by forensic physicians using 19 written scenarios. The scenarios described typical cases from forensic-medical practice. Physicians were asked to determine the manner of death (natural/unnatural) and to provide an ICD-10 code for the cause of death. In contrast to most studies on this topic, the measure of agreement among physicians was chance-corrected and a standard was used to assess the correctness of the assigned cause and manner of death. Forty-seven physicians participated in the survey. The study demonstrated that forensic physicians varied widely in their conclusions. With respect to manner of death, adequate agreement (defined as kappa>0.70) was achieved in six scenarios (32% of all scenarios). Concerning the underlying cause of death, adequate agreement was reached in three cases (16% of all scenarios). Furthermore, predictors for the correctness of manner and cause of death were studied using logistic regression. Years of experience as a forensic physician significantly predicted the correctness of cause of death (p < 0.05). Other predictors remained insignificant. With regard to manner of death, none of the studied predictors proved to be significant. To conclude, there appears to be a lack of consistency among forensic physicians regarding death certification. The ICD-10 coding of causes of death applied by forensic physicians is questionable. Less experienced physicians need supervision by more experienced colleagues when making judgments concerning the cause of death. Altogether, there is an urgent need to work out consensus-based guidelines for forensic physicians on how to certify deaths. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Cardiac Implantable Electronic Device Interrogation at Forensic Autopsy: An Underestimated Resource?

PubMed

Lacour, Philipp; Buschmann, Claas; Storm, Christian; Nee, Jens; Parwani, Abdul Shokor; Huemer, Martin; Attanasio, Philipp; Boldt, Leif-Hendrik; Rauch, Geraldine; Kucher, Andreas; Pieske, Burkert; Haverkamp, Wilhelm; Blaschke, Florian

2018-06-19

Postmortem interrogations of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), recommended at autopsy in suspected cases of sudden cardiac death, are rarely performed, and data on systematic postmortem CIED analysis in the forensic pathology are missing. The aim of the study was to determine whether nonselective postmortem CIED interrogations and data analysis are useful to the forensic pathologist to determine the cause, mechanism, and time of death and to detect potential CIED-related safety issues. From February 2012 to April 2017, all autopsy subjects in the department of forensic medicine at the University Hospital Charité who had a CIED underwent device removal and interrogation. Over the study period, 5368 autopsies were performed. One hundred fifty subjects had in total 151 CIEDs, including 109 pacemakers, 35 defibrillators, and 7 implantable loop recorders. In 40 cases (26.7%) time of death and in 51 cases (34.0%) cause of death could not be determined by forensic autopsy. Of these, CIED interrogation facilitated the determination of time of death in 70.0% of the cases and clarified the cause of death in 60.8%. Device concerns were identified in 9 cases (6.0%), including 3 hardware, 4 programming, and 2 algorithm issues. One CIED was submitted to the manufacturer for a detailed technical analysis. Our data demonstrate the necessity of systematic postmortem CIED interrogation in forensic medicine to determine the cause and timing of death more accurately. In addition, CIED analysis is an important tool to detect potential CIED-related safety issues. © 2018 American Heart Association, Inc.

The Individual Experience of Aging Patients and the Current Service Provision in the Context of Italian Forensic Psychiatry: A Case Study.

PubMed

Di Lorito, Claudio; Castelletti, Luca; Tripi, Giuseppa; Gandellini, Maria Gloria; Dening, Tom; Völlm, Birgit

After the recent development of residential units for the execution of security measures managed by the National Health Service and the closing down of forensic psychiatric hospitals, no study has been conducted to investigate the individual experience of aging patients and to assess whether the new service is adequately meeting their needs. We aimed to explore the experience of the service of a sample of patients aged 50 years and above living in one of the Italian residential units for the execution of security measures. We adopted a case study design and included a sample of five patients. We collected their basic demographic data, administered the Camberwell Assessment Needs Forensic Short Version and carried out in-depth qualitative semi-structured interviews. Results from the Camberwell Assessment Needs Forensic Short Version evidenced that met needs were more prevalent than unmet needs. The qualitative interviews demonstrated high levels of satisfaction around accommodation, healthcare provision, activities, availability of benefits and company, and lower levels of satisfaction around psychological and practical support. This study gave voice to aging forensic psychiatric patients and provided through personal accounts, based on their lived experience, preliminary evidence around the benefits and limitations of the Italian residential forensic psychiatric system for this age group. Implications for clinical nursing forensic practitioners operating within different service frameworks are discussed.

Alleged biological father incest: a forensic approach.

PubMed

Gomes, Vânia; Jardim, Patrícia; Taveira, Francisco; Dinis-Oliveira, Ricardo J; Magalhães, Teresa

2014-01-01

Paternal incest is one of the most serious forms of intrafamilial sexual abuse with clinical, social, and legal relevance. A retrospective study was performed, based on forensic reports and judicial decisions of alleged cases of biological paternal incest of victims under 18 years old (n = 215) from 2003 to 2008. Results highlight that in a relevant number of cases: victims were female; the abuse begun at an early age with reiteration; the alleged perpetrator presented a history of sexual crimes against children; sexual practices were physically poorly intrusive, which associated with a forensic medical evaluation performed more than 72 h after the abuse, explain partially the absence of physical injuries or other evidence-these last aspects are different from extrafamilial cases. In conclusion, observations about paternal incest are likely to exacerbate the psychosocial consequences of the abuse and may explain the difficulty and delay in detect and disclose these cases. Few cases were legally prosecuted and convicted. © 2013 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

An Evidence-Based Forensic Taxonomy of Windows Phone Communication Apps.

PubMed

Cahyani, Niken Dwi Wahyu; Martini, Ben; Choo, Kim-Kwang Raymond; Ab Rahman, Nurul Hidayah; Ashman, Helen

2018-05-01

Communication apps can be an important source of evidence in a forensic investigation (e.g., in the investigation of a drug trafficking or terrorism case where the communications apps were used by the accused persons during the transactions or planning activities). This study presents the first evidence-based forensic taxonomy of Windows Phone communication apps, using an existing two-dimensional Android forensic taxonomy as a baseline. Specifically, 30 Windows Phone communication apps, including Instant Messaging (IM) and Voice over IP (VoIP) apps, are examined. Artifacts extracted using physical acquisition are analyzed, and seven digital evidence objects of forensic interest are identified, namely: Call Log, Chats, Contacts, Locations, Installed Applications, SMSs and User Accounts. Findings from this study would help to facilitate timely and effective forensic investigations involving Windows Phone communication apps. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Parasites in Forensic Science: a historic perspective

PubMed

Cardoso, Rita; Alves, Helena; Richter, Joachim; Botelho, Monica C

Parasites show a great potential to Forensic Science. Forensic Science is the application of any science and methodology to the legal system. The forensic scientist collects and analyses the physical evidence and produce a report of the results to the court. A parasite is an organism that lives at the expense of another and they exist in any ecosystem. Parasites are the cause of many important diseases. The forensic scientists can use the parasites to identify a crime scene, to determine the murder weapon or simply identify an individual. The applications for parasites in the Forensic Science can be many and more studies should be made in Forensic Parasitology. The most important parasites in Forensic Science are helminths specifically schistosomes. Through history there are many cases where schistosomes were described in autopsies and it was related to the cause of death. Here we review the applications of parasites in Forensic Science and its importance to the forensic scientist.

Saprinus planiusculus (Motschulsky' 1849) (Coleoptera: Histeridae), a beetle species of forensic importance in Khuzetan Province, Iran.

PubMed

Fakoorziba, M R; Assareh, M; Keshavarzi, D; Soltani, A; Moemenbellah-Fard, M D; Zarenezhad, M

2017-01-01

Medico legal forensic entomology is the science and study of cadaveric arthropods related to criminal investigations. The study of beetles is particularly important in forensic cases. This can be important in determining the time of death and also obtain qualitative information about the location of the crime. The aim of this study was to introduce the Saprinus planiusculus on a rat carrion as a beetle species of forensic importance in Khuzestan province. This study was carried out using a laboratory bred rat (Wistar rat) as a model for human decomposition. The rat was killed by contusion and placed in a location adjacent to the Karun River. Observations and collections of beetles were made daily during May to July 2015. Decomposition time for rat carrion lasted 38 days and S. planiusculus was seen in the fresh to post decay stages of body decomposition and the largest number of this species caught in the decay stage. The species of beetle found in this case could be used in forensic investigations, particularly during the warm season in the future.

Tasks of research in forensic medicine - different study types in clinical research and forensic medicine.

PubMed

Madea, Burkhard; Saukko, Pekka; Musshoff, Frank

2007-01-17

In the last years the research output of forensic medicine has sometimes been regarded as insufficient and as of poor quality, especially when parameters as impact factors and external funding were taken into account. However, forensic medicine has different tasks compared to clinical medicine. The main difference between basic subjects, clinical and forensic medicine is not a lack of scientific efficiency in forensic medicine but is a result of the questions asked, the available methods and specific aims. In contrast to natural-scientific research, forensic science has furthermore important intersections with arts and socio-scientific disciplines. Etiologic and pathogenetic research is of only limited relevance in forensic medicine. Thus, forensic medicine is excluded from these research fields, which are mainly supported by external funding. In forensic medicine research mainly means applied research regarding findings, the probative value and reconstruction as well as examination at different points of intersection between medicine and law. Clinical types of research such as controlled randomised, prospective cross-sectional, cohort or case-control studies can only rarely be applied in forensic medicine due to the area specific research fields (e.g. thantatology, violent death, vitality, traffic medicine, analytical toxicology, hemogenetics and stain analysis). The types of studies which are successfully established in forensic medicine are comparison of methods, sensitivity studies, validation of methods, kinetic examinations etc. Tasks of research in forensic medicine and study types, which may be applied will be addressed.

Nuclear forensics of a non-traditional sample: Neptunium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Doyle, Jamie L.; Schwartz, Daniel; Tandon, Lav

Recent nuclear forensics cases have focused primarily on plutonium (Pu) and uranium (U) materials. By definition however, nuclear forensics can apply to any diverted nuclear material. This includes neptunium (Np), an internationally safeguarded material like Pu and U, that could offer a nuclear security concern if significant quantities were found outside of regulatory control. This case study couples scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with quantitative analysis using newly developed specialized software, to evaluate a non-traditional nuclear forensic sample of Np. Here, the results of the morphological analyses were compared with another Np sample of known pedigree, as well as other traditionalmore » actinide materials in order to determine potential processing and point-of-origin.« less

Nuclear forensics of a non-traditional sample: Neptunium

DOE PAGES

Doyle, Jamie L.; Schwartz, Daniel; Tandon, Lav

2016-05-16

Recent nuclear forensics cases have focused primarily on plutonium (Pu) and uranium (U) materials. By definition however, nuclear forensics can apply to any diverted nuclear material. This includes neptunium (Np), an internationally safeguarded material like Pu and U, that could offer a nuclear security concern if significant quantities were found outside of regulatory control. This case study couples scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with quantitative analysis using newly developed specialized software, to evaluate a non-traditional nuclear forensic sample of Np. Here, the results of the morphological analyses were compared with another Np sample of known pedigree, as well as other traditionalmore » actinide materials in order to determine potential processing and point-of-origin.« less

Which sexual abuse victims receive a forensic medical examination? The impact of Children's Advocacy Centers.

PubMed

Walsh, Wendy A; Cross, Theodore P; Jones, Lisa M; Simone, Monique; Kolko, David J

2007-10-01

This study examines the impact of Children's Advocacy Centers (CAC) and other factors, such as the child's age, alleged penetration, and injury on the use of forensic medical examinations as part of the response to reported child sexual abuse. This analysis is part of a quasi-experimental study, the Multi-Site Evaluation of Children's Advocacy Centers, which evaluated four CACs relative to within-state non-CAC comparison communities. Case abstractors collected data on forensic medical exams in 1,220 child sexual abuse cases through review of case records. Suspected sexual abuse victims at CACs were two times more likely to have forensic medical examinations than those seen at comparison communities, controlling for other variables. Girls, children with reported penetration, victims who were physically injured while being abused, White victims, and younger children were more likely to have exams, controlling for other variables. Non-penetration cases at CACs were four times more likely to receive exams as compared to those in comparison communities. About half of exams were conducted the same day as the reported abuse in both CAC and comparison communities. The majority of caregivers were very satisfied with the medical professional. Receipt of a medical exam was not associated with offenders being charged. Results of this study suggest that CACs are an effective tool for furthering access to forensic medical examinations for child sexual abuse victims.

Controversial Suicide Case Using a Submachine Gun with a Sound Suppressor-The Need of Team Work of Forensic Chemistry and Firearm Examiners.

PubMed

Brożek-Mucha, Zuzanna; Zdeb, Krzysztof

2018-05-01

Evidence materials in a presumed suicide case were studied by a firearm examiner and a forensic chemist. The victim's body with double gunshot wounding in his forehead, a machine gun in the sustained fire mode with a silencer, and four cartridge cases were found. Examinations of the evidence, the case file studies, and experiments dedicated to the case were carried out. Relationships between the placement of cartridge cases and the gun were established using a fast camera. The distributions of gunshot residues on the evidence materials and within the comparative gunshot patterns were studied by means of optical and electron microscopy, X-ray microanalysis, and infrared spectroscopy. The shooting distance was assessed to be 30 cm or more, whereas the greatest distance that could have been achieved by the victim himself was about 11-13 cm. The obtained results supported the version of homicide rather than suicide. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Veterinary Forensic Pathology: The Search for Truth.

PubMed

McDonough, S P; McEwen, B J

2016-09-01

Veterinary forensic pathology is emerging as a distinct discipline, and this special issue is a major step forward in establishing the scientific basis of the discipline. A forensic necropsy uses the same skill set needed for investigations of natural disease, but the analytical framework and purpose of forensic pathology differ significantly. The requirement of legal credibility and all that it entails distinguishes the forensic from routine diagnostic cases. Despite the extraordinary depth and breadth of knowledge afforded by their training, almost 75% of veterinary pathologists report that their training has not adequately prepared them to handle forensic cases. Many veterinary pathologists, however, are interested and willing to develop expertise in the discipline. Lessons learned from tragic examples of wrongful convictions in medical forensic pathology indicate that a solid foundation for the evolving discipline of veterinary forensic pathology requires a commitment to education, training, and certification. The overarching theme of this issue is that the forensic necropsy is just one aspect in the investigation of a case of suspected animal abuse or neglect. As veterinary pathologists, we must be aware of the roles filled by other veterinary forensic experts involved in these cases and how our findings are an integral part of an investigation. We hope that the outcome of this special issue of the journal is that veterinary pathologists begin to familiarize themselves with not only forensic pathology but also all aspects of veterinary forensic science. © The Author(s) 2016.

Postmortem CT versus forensic autopsy: frequent discrepancies of tracheobronchial content findings.

PubMed

Zech, Wolf-Dieter; Jackowski, Christian; Schwendener, Nicole; Brencicova, Eva; Schuster, Frederick; Lombardo, Paolo

2016-01-01

In their daily forensic casework, the authors experienced discrepancies of tracheobronchial content findings between postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) and autopsy to an extent previously unnoticed in the literature. The goal of this study was to evaluate such discrepancies in routine forensic cases. A total of 327 cases that underwent PMCT prior to routine forensic autopsy were retrospectively evaluated for tracheal and bronchial contents according to PMCT and autopsy findings. Hounsfield unit (HU) values of tracheobronchial contents, causes of death, and presence of pulmonary edema were assessed in mismatching and matching cases. Comparing contents in PMCT and autopsy in each of the separately evaluated compartments of the respiratory tract low positive predictive values were assessed (trachea, 38.2%; main bronchi, 40%; peripheral bronchi, 69.1%) indicating high discrepancy rates. The majority of tracheobronchial contents were viscous stomach contents in matching cases and low radiodensity materials (i.e., HU < 30) in mismatching cases. The majority of causes of death were cardiac related in the matching cases and skull/brain trauma in the mismatching cases. In mismatching cases, frequency of pulmonary edema was significantly higher than in matching cases. It can be concluded that discrepancies in tracheobronchial contents observed between PMCT and routine forensic autopsy occur in a considerable number of cases. Discrepancies may be explained by the runoff of contents via nose and mouth during external examination and the flow back of tracheal and main bronchial contents into the lungs caused by upright movement of the respiratory tract at autopsy.

The role of histology in forensic autopsies: is histological examination always necessary to determine a cause of death?

PubMed

Fronczek, Judith; Hollingbury, Frances; Biggs, Michael; Rutty, Guy

2014-03-01

In England and Wales there is a conflict between the law and advice from regulatory bodies in relation to the sampling of human tissue for histological examination following medico-legal post-mortem examinations. Considering the results of previous publications, we performed a specific study to investigate the role of histology in determining the cause of death in cases at a forensic unit. A retrospective study of 500 adult forensic cases was performed. Cases were categorized by the role the histological examination played in determining a cause of death and its contributory factors. Furthermore, cause of death, manner of death, organ systems involved, and discrepancies were assessed. Of the 500 cases, histology was undertaken in 287 cases (58 %). Microscopic examination provided the cause of death in 2 % of cases where histology had been undertaken, and it added to the cause of death in 8 %. In 61 % of cases microscopy confirmed the macroscopic findings, and in 30 % it did not influence the medical cause of death. Histological examination of all organs in all forensic cases for the purpose of providing a medical cause of death is not supported. Practice guidance should be adjusted to reflect that, while histological examination is essential in certain circumstances, the decision to retain material for histology should be made on a case by case basis at the pathologist's discretion.

Analysis of forensic odontological examinations at the National Forensic Service of Korea from 2011 to 2015.

PubMed

Roh, Byung-Yoon; Lee, Won-Joon; Seo, Jeong-Uk; Lee, U-Young; Lee, Sang-Seob

2018-05-01

The National Forensic Service (NFS) of Korea is a government agency responsible for examining and evaluating evidence obtained at crime scenes. The Section of Forensic Odontology of the Medical Examiner's Office conducts forensic odontological analyses of human remains, and mainly criminal cases are handled. In this study, 588 forensic odontological cases referred to NFS during 2011-2015 were analyzed for referral pattern, evidence material, examination criteria, and other factors and were compared with respective data from 2007 to 2010. Majority of the requests were internal (further dental examinations after autopsy) rather than external (direct requests from other agencies such as police departments). Regarding evidence materials, "Teeth" (including teeth and resected jaws) were dominant evidences. Due to the seasonal effects in Korea, the highest number of requests was in September of each year, but the number of requests in April has recently increased. Evidence materials were mostly found in suburban and rural area, especially in mountainous area due to the geographic characteristics of Korea. Regarding specific examinations, profiling, including age estimation, accounted for majority of the requests; this number had increased relative to the findings of a previous study, whereas the number of requests for dental identification and bite mark analysis had decreased. With this analysis, trends in forensic odontology can be observed, and we expect that these trends would be served as a reference for designing study and making training protocol for forensic odontology. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Origin and development of forensic medicine in Egypt.

PubMed

Kharoshah, Magdy Abdel Azim; Zaki, Mamdouh Kamal; Galeb, Sherien Salah; Moulana, Ashraf Abdel Reheem; Elsebaay, Elsebaay Ahmed

2011-01-01

Egyptians are one of the first civilisations to practice the removal and examination of internal organs of humans. Their practices ranged from embalming to faith healing to surgery and autopsy. Modern radiological studies, together with various forensic techniques, allowed scientists unique glimpses of the state of health in Egypt 4000 years ago and discovered one of the earliest applications of autopsy, the main element of forensic medicine practice today. The Egyptian Forensic Medicine Authority handles a relatively large number of cases annually and depends on different assisting laboratories (forensic histopathology, microbiology, serology unit, DNA laboratory, forensic chemistry laboratory) as well as the Counterfeiting and Forgery unit. Crime scene investigations are performed mainly through the criminal laboratory related to the Ministry of Interior. Forensic Medicine is studied thoroughly in the faculty of medicine (undergraduates), as well as by forensic medical examiners at postgraduate level (diploma, master's and doctorate). This review recommends more scientific cooperation with universities in the field of forensic medicine and related sciences to solve various crimes with meticulous detail. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Dementia and cognitive disorder identified at a forensic psychiatric examination - a study from Sweden.

PubMed

Ekström, Anette; Kristiansson, Marianne; Björkstén, Karin Sparring

2017-09-18

Few studies have addressed the relationship between dementia and crime. We conducted a study of persons who got a primary or secondary diagnosis of dementia or cognitive disorder in a forensic psychiatric examination. In Sweden, annually about 500 forensic psychiatric examinations are carried out. All cases from 2008 to 2010 with the diagnoses dementia or cognitive disorder were selected from the database of the Swedish National Board of Forensic Medicine. Out of 1471 cases, there were 54 cases of dementia or cognitive disorder. Case files were scrutinized and 17 cases of dementia and 4 cases of cognitive disorder likely to get a dementia diagnosis in a clinical setting were identified and further studied. There were 18 men and 3 women; Median age 66 (n = 21; Range 35-77) years of age. Eleven men but no women had a previous criminal record. There were a total of 38 crimes, mostly violent, committed by the 21 persons. The crimes were of impulsive rather that pre-meditated character. According to the forensic psychiatric diagnoses, dementia was caused by cerebrovascular disorder (n = 4), alcohol or substance abuse (n = 3), cerebral haemorrhage and alcohol (n = 1), head trauma and alcohol (n = 2), Alzheimer's disease (n = 2), Parkinson's disease (n = 1), herpes encephalitis (n = 1) and unspecified (3). Out of four persons diagnosed with cognitive disorder, one also had delusional disorder and another one psychotic disorder and alcohol dependence. An alcohol-related diagnosis was established in ten cases. There were only two cases of Dementia of Alzheimer's type, one of whom also had alcohol intoxication. None was diagnosed with a personality disorder. All but one had a history of somatic or psychiatric comorbidity like head traumas, stroke, other cardio-vascular disorders, epilepsy, depression, psychotic disorders and suicide attempts. In this very ill group, the suggested verdict was probation in one case and different forms of care in the remaining 20 cases instead of prison. Few cases of dementia or cognitive disorder were identified by forensic psychiatric examinations. All but one suffered from a variety of serious mental and medical conditions affecting the brain. Alcohol abuse was prevalent.

Myiasis in pet animals in British Columbia: The potential of forensic entomology for determining duration of possible neglect

PubMed Central

2004-01-01

Abstract Results of a survey of veterinarians in British Columbia included 25 past cases of myiasis and 10 active cases. Most respondents received at least 5 to 10 cases per year, with some as high as 30 per year. This study revealed some advantages and disadvantages of using forensic entomology in living animals. PMID:15646845

Postmortem bone marrow analysis in forensic science: study of 73 cases and review of the literature.

PubMed

Tattoli, Lucia; Tsokos, Michael; Sautter, Julia; Anagnostopoulos, Joannis; Maselli, Eloisa; Ingravallo, Giuseppe; Delia, Mario; Solarino, Biagio

2014-01-01

In forensic sciences, bone marrow (BM) is an alternative matrix in postmortem toxicology because of its good resistance to autolysis and contaminations. Nevertheless, few studies have been focused on postmortem BM morphological changes after pathological stimuli. We examined 73 BM samples from forensic autopsies; causes of death were both natural and traumatic. BM samples were collected from the sternum by needle aspiration and biopsy; in selected cases, immunohistochemistry was performed. Few autolytic changes were found; BM cellularity decreased with increasing age and postmortem interval. Notable cell changes were detected in 45 cases (61.64%): neoplastic (n=4), and non-neoplastic BM findings (n=41), including multiorgan failure/sepsis (n=26), myelodisplastic-like conditions (n=11), and anaphylactic reactions (n=4). The results showed that BM cellularity supported circumstantial and autopsy findings, suggesting that BM samples could be a useful tool in forensic science applications. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Evidence-based Forensic Taxonomy of Windows Phone Dating Apps.

PubMed

Cahyani, Niken Dwi Wahyu; Choo, Kim-Kwang Raymond; Ab Rahman, Nurul Hidayah; Ashman, Helen

2018-05-21

Advances in technologies including development of smartphone features have contributed to the growth of mobile applications, including dating apps. However, online dating services can be misused. To support law enforcement investigations, a forensic taxonomy that provides a systematic classification of forensic artifacts from Windows Phone 8 (WP8) dating apps is presented in this study. The taxonomy has three categories, namely: Apps Categories, Artifacts Categories, and Data Partition Categories. This taxonomy is built based on the findings from a case study of 28 mobile dating apps, using mobile forensic tools. The dating app taxonomy can be used to inform future studies of dating and related apps, such as those from Android and iOS platforms. © 2018 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

[Histopathological analysis of organs submitted by legal medicine experts in Baojii City: 358 forensic identification cases].

PubMed

Dong, Du-xuan; Shi, Ping-xia; Li, Yun-li; Tian, San-hu; Yang, Jia; Gao, Gang; Zheng, Yun; Jia, Le; Ju, Hong-ya; Sun, Lu-ying; Chen, Ni; Wang, Xiao-bao

2014-08-01

To analyze pathological characteristics of organs recovered during forensic autopsy submitted by legal medicine experts. From Baoji city, 358 cases of forensic autopsy specimens from a series of routine exams were collected. And histopathological diagnoses were reviewed. Majority of the 358 cases were young men. The major causes of death were trauma, sudden death and poisoning. The cause of death was determined with histology in 250 cases. No typical histological changes were noted in 101 cases. The tissue autolysis and decomposition were present in 7 cases. The major pathological diagnosis was cardiovascular disease, followed by diseases in respiratory, nervous, and digestive systems. Forensic autopsy with its professional characteristics, is different from regular autopsy. When diagnosing cause of death by histopathological examination, pathologists should collaborate with legal medicine experts to know the details of the cases, circumstances surrounding the death, and specific forensic pathological characteristics.

[Research Progress on Forensic Entomotoxicology].

PubMed

Liu, Zhi-jiang; Zhai, Xian-dun; Guan, Ling; Mo, Yao-nan

2015-06-01

Forensic entomotoxicology is a branch of forensic medicine, which applies entomology, toxicology and other related studies to solve the poisoning cases. It has an obvious advantage in the investigation on poisoning death. Based on the expounding definition and research of entomotoxicology, this paper reviews research progress and application value in some aspects of forensic medicine, such as the effects of drugs/toxins on the growth and development of sarcosaphagous insects and the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the drugs/toxins in the poisoned body tissue.

Comparative fly species composition on indoor and outdoor forensic cases in Malaysia.

PubMed

Syamsa, Rizal Abdullah; Omar, Baharudin; Ahmad, Firdaus Mohd Salleh; Hidayatulfathi, Othman; Shahrom, Abd Wahid

2017-01-01

Forensic entomology refers to the science of collection and analysis of insect evidence in order to determine the minimum time period since death. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of forensically important flies on 34 human remains referred to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre over a period of three years. Entomological specimens were collected at the death scenes and/or during autopsies. Live specimens were reared into adults while preserved specimens were processed for species identification. Five families, seven genera and nine species of flies were identified from human remains. The results of the study showed Chrysomya megacephala (Calliphoridae) maggots occurred on corpses with the highest frequency (70.6%), followed by Ch. rufifacies (Calliphoridae) (44.1%), sarcophagid fly (Sarcophagidae) (38.2%), Synthesiomya nudiseta (Muscidae) (20.6%), Megaselia scalaris (Phoridae) (14.7%), Lucilia cuprina (Calliphoridae) (5.9%), Ch. nigripes (Calliphoridae) (5.9%), Eristalis spp. (Syrphidae) (5.9%) and Hydrotaea spinigera (Muscidae) (2.9%). The greatest fly diversity occurred on remains recovered indoors (eight species) compared to outdoors (three species). Whilst, single and double infestations were common for both indoor and outdoor cases, multiple infestation of up to six species was observed in one of the indoor cases. Although large numbers of fly species were found on human remains, the predominant species were still those of Chrysomya, while S. nudiseta was found only on human remains recovered from indoors. The present study provides additional knowledge in the context of Malaysian forensic entomology and the distribution of forensically important flies which is of relevance to forensic science. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

An assessment of scientific and technical aspects of closed investigations of canine forensics DNA – case series from the University of California, Davis, USA

PubMed Central

Scharnhorst, Günther; Kanthaswamy, Sree

2011-01-01

Aim To describe and assess the scientific and technical aspects of animal forensic testing at the University of California, Davis. The findings and recommendations contained in this report are designed to assess the past, evaluate the present, and recommend reforms that will assist the animal forensic science community in providing the best possible services that comply with court standards and bear judicial scrutiny. Methods A batch of 32 closed files of domestic dog DNA cases processed at the University of California, Davis, between August 2003 and July 2005 were reviewed in this study. The case files comprised copies of all original paperwork, copies of the cover letter or final report, laboratory notes, notes on analyses, submission forms, internal chains of custody, printed images and photocopies of evidence, as well as the administrative and technical reviews of those cases. Results While the fundamental aspects of animal DNA testing may be reliable and acceptable, the scientific basis for forensic testing animal DNA needs to be improved substantially. In addition to a lack of standardized and validated genetic testing protocols, improvements are needed in a wide range of topics including quality assurance and quality control measures, sample handling, evidence testing, statistical analysis, and reporting. Conclusion This review implies that although a standardized panel of short tandem repeat and mitochondrial DNA markers and publicly accessible genetic databases for canine forensic DNA analysis are already available, the persistent lack of supporting resources, including standardized quality assurance and quality control programs, still plagues the animal forensic community. This report focuses on closed cases from the period 2003-2005, but extends its scope more widely to include other animal DNA forensic testing services. PMID:21674824

An assessment of scientific and technical aspects of closed investigations of canine forensics DNA--case series from the University of California, Davis, USA.

PubMed

Scharnhorst, Günther; Kanthaswamy, Sree

2011-06-01

To describe and assess the scientific and technical aspects of animal forensic testing at the University of California, Davis. The findings and recommendations contained in this report are designed to assess the past, evaluate the present, and recommend reforms that will assist the animal forensic science community in providing the best possible services that comply with court standards and bear judicial scrutiny. A batch of 32 closed files of domestic dog DNA cases processed at the University of California, Davis, between August 2003 and July 2005 were reviewed in this study. The case files comprised copies of all original paperwork, copies of the cover letter or final report, laboratory notes, notes on analyses, submission forms, internal chains of custody, printed images and photocopies of evidence, as well as the administrative and technical reviews of those cases. While the fundamental aspects of animal DNA testing may be reliable and acceptable, the scientific basis for forensic testing animal DNA needs to be improved substantially. In addition to a lack of standardized and validated genetic testing protocols, improvements are needed in a wide range of topics including quality assurance and quality control measures, sample handling, evidence testing, statistical analysis, and reporting. This review implies that although a standardized panel of short tandem repeat and mitochondrial DNA markers and publicly accessible genetic databases for canine forensic DNA analysis are already available, the persistent lack of supporting resources, including standardized quality assurance and quality control programs, still plagues the animal forensic community. This report focuses on closed cases from the period 2003-2005, but extends its scope more widely to include other animal DNA forensic testing services.

Integrating the Forensic Sciences in Wildlife Case Investigations: A Case Report of Pentobarbital and Phenytoin Toxicosis in a Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus).

PubMed

Viner, T C; Hamlin, B C; McClure, P J; Yates, B C

2016-09-01

The application of medical knowledge to the purpose of law is the foundation of forensic pathology. A forensic postmortem examination often involves the expertise of multiple scientific disciplines to reconstruct the full story surrounding the death of an animal. Wildlife poses additional challenges in forensic investigations due to little or no associated history, and the disruptive effects of decomposition. To illustrate the multidisciplinary nature of wildlife forensic medicine, the authors outline a case of secondary pentobarbital/phenytoin toxicosis in a bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). The eagle was the single fatality in a group of 8 birds that fed on euthanized domestic cat remains that had been improperly disposed of in a landfill. Cooperation between responding law enforcement officers, pathologists, and other forensic scientists led to the successful diagnosis and resolution of the case. © The Author(s) 2016.

Further occurrences of Dohrniphora cornuta (Bigot) (Diptera, Phoridae) in forensic cases indicate likely importance of this species in future cases.

PubMed

Disney, R Henry L; Garcia-Rojo, Ana; Lindström, Anders; Manlove, John D

2014-08-01

Dohrniphora cornuta (Bigot), an oriental species of scuttle fly, has been transported around the world by man. We report it from forensic cases in England, Spain and Sweden. It is likely to feature in forensic cases elsewhere in the world. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Triazolam blood concentrations in forensic cases in Canada.

PubMed

Joynt, B P

1993-01-01

Triazolam has been a controversial drug since its appearance on world markets as a hypnotic more than ten years ago. Whole blood concentrations of triazolam as found in forensic cases are cited in several categories; that is, impaired driving: 17 cases; sexual assault: four cases; death due to drugs: 45 cases; drug-related death (drugs contributed to the death but were not the ultimate cause): 20 cases; drug-involved death (drugs were present but were not felt to be a contributing factor): six cases; miscellaneous: one case. The data was gleaned from a forensic toxicology database designed and used by the Forensic Toxicology Sections of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) laboratories in Canada. Triazolam concentrations from selected references are included for comparison.

Forensic psychiatric evaluations: an overview of methods, ethical issues, and criminal and civil assessments.

PubMed

Sher, Leo

2015-05-01

Forensic psychiatry is frequently defined as the branch of psychiatry that deals with issues arising in the interface between psychiatry and the law. Psychiatrists are called on by the legal system to provide testimony in a wide variety of cases, criminal and civil. In criminal cases, forensic psychiatrists may be asked to comment on the competence of a person to make decisions throughout all the phases of criminal investigation, trial, and punishment. These include the competence to stand trial, to plead guilty, to be sentenced, to waive appeal, and to be executed. In civil cases, forensic psychiatric experts are asked to evaluate a number of civil competences, including competence to make a will or contract or to make decisions about one's person and property. Psychiatrists are also called on to testify about many other issues related to civil cases. Forensic psychiatrists who work with children and adolescents are frequently involved in evaluations and testimonies concerning juvenile delinquency, child custody, termination of parental rights, and other issues. As such, forensic psychiatric experts have now developed into a reputable and well-known group of professionals. Forensic evaluation methods, ethical issues related to forensic psychiatric practice, and some common criminal and civil forensic psychiatric evaluations are discussed in this overview.

[Forensic entomology].

PubMed

Açikgöz, Halide Nihal

2010-01-01

Odour of the animal or human corpses immediately after death is very attractive for insects and other invertebrates. Blue and green bottle flies from the Calliphoridae family are the first colonizers of cadaver and immediately later necrophagous Diptera from the Sarcophagidae family settle on the same corpse. It is essential to determine the time past after death for elucidating the event in case of the homicide or suspicious death, and it is directly proportional to the post mortem interval expected time, which is based upon the speed of the larval growth. In this article, we purposed to stress the special interest of forensic entomology for the scientists who will apply this science in their forensic researches and case studies, and also to provide information to our judges, prosecutors and law enforcement agents in order to consider the entomological samples to be reliable and applicable evidences as biological stains and hairs. We are of the opinion that if any forensic entomologist is called to the crime scene or if the evidences are collected and then delivered to an entomologist, the forensic cases will be elucidated faster and more accurately.

Sudden death victims <45 years: Agreement between cause of death established by the forensic physician and autopsy results.

PubMed

Ceelen, Manon; van der Werf, Christian; Hendrix, Anneke; Naujocks, Tatjana; Woonink, Frits; de Vries, Philip; van der Wal, Allard; Das, Kees

2015-08-01

The goal of this study was to ascertain accordance between cause of death established by the forensic physician and autopsy results in young sudden death victims in the Netherlands. Sudden death victims aged 1-45 years examined by forensic physicians operating in the participating regions which also underwent an autopsy between January 2006 and December 2011 were included (n = 70). Cause of death established by the forensic physician based on the external medicolegal examination was compared with autopsy findings using the ICD10-classification. Autopsy findings revealed that the majority of sudden death victims have died from a cardiac disease (n = 51, 73%). Most of the presumed heart disease related cases were confirmed by autopsy (n = 13, 87%). On the contrary, a large number of deaths caused by circulatory diseases were not recognised by the forensic physician (n = 38, 75%). In most of these cases, the forensic physician was forced to report an undetermined cause due to the lack of a solid explanation for death. Cause of death reported by the forensic physician appeared to be in agreement with the autopsy results in 12 cases (17%). Cause of death determination in young sudden death victims is a difficult task for forensic physicians due to the limited tools available during the medicolegal examination. An effort should be made to standardize extensive post-mortem investigation after sudden death in the young. Autopsy can provide valuable information regarding the cause of death, which is of great importance in view of the identification of inheritable diseases among decedents and their families. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Expanding forensic science through forensic intelligence.

PubMed

Ribaux, Olivier; Talbot Wright, Benjamin

2014-12-01

Research and Development ('R&D') in forensic science currently focuses on innovative technologies improving the efficiency of existing forensic processes, from the detection of marks and traces at the scene, to their presentation in Court. R&D approached from this perspective provides no response to doubts raised by recent criminological studies, which question the effective contribution of forensic science to crime reduction, and to policing in general. Traces (i.e. forensic case data), as remnants of criminal activity are collected and used in various forms of crime monitoring and investigation. The aforementioned doubts therefore need to be addressed by expressing how information is conveyed by traces in these processes. Modelling from this standpoint expands the scope of forensic science and provides new R&D opportunities. Twelve propositions for R&D are stated in order to pave the way. Copyright © 2014 Forensic Science Society. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Distribution of body mass index in the forensic victim population: comparison with the general population and relation to manner of death.

PubMed

Godin, Anny; Redpath, Margaret; Guay, Jean-Pierre; Sauvageau, Anny

2010-07-01

Despite a dramatic increase in the worldwide prevalence of overweight and obese people in recent years, the implication of this epidemic on forensic practice has barely been studied. Over a one-year period, all autopsy cases performed on adult victims in the province of Quebec (Canada) were retrospectively reviewed (582 cases). In the forensic population, manner of death differed in relation to BMI: underweight people most commonly died of natural causes, whereas normal weight, overweight and obese individuals most commonly died as the result of an accident. Results also revealed an over-representation of underweight victims and under-representation of overweight victims in the forensic population compared to the population of both Quebec and Canada. The latter is particularly worrisome considering it suggests that overweight corpses are less frequently referred for an autopsy. It is important to emphasize to forensic teams that just because an obese person is more likely to suffer from health problems that can lead to death, does not mean a natural death has occurred. Obese people are equally susceptible to unnatural causes of death and it is crucial to maintain an adequate level of suspicion while investigating the cases of these individuals. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Forensic entomology and main challenges in Brazil.

PubMed

Gomes, Leonardo; Von Zuben, Cláudio J

2006-01-01

Apart from an early case report from China (13th century), the first observations on insects and other arthropods as forensic indicators were documented in Germany and France during mass exhumations in the 1880s by Reinhard, who is considered a co-founder of the discipline. After the French publication of Mégnin's popular book on the applied aspects of forensic entomology, the concept quickly spread to Canada and United States. At that time, researchers recognized that the lack of systematic observations of insects of forensic importance jeopardized their use as indicators of postmortem interval. General advances in insect taxonomy and ecology helped to fill this gap over the following decades. After World Wars, few forensic entomology cases were reported in the scientific literature. From 1960s to the 1980s, Leclercq and Nuorteva were primarily responsible for maintaining the method in Central Europe, reporting isolated cases. Since then, basic research in the USA, Russia and Canada opened the way to the routine use of Entomology in forensic investigations. Identifications of insects associated with human cadavers are relatively few in the literature of the Neotropical region and have received little attention in Brazil. This article brings an overview of historic developments in this field, the recent studies and the main problems and challenges in South America and mainly in Brazil.

Approach of forensic medicine to gossypiboma.

PubMed

Karakaya, M Arif; Koç, Okay; Ekiz, Feza; Ağaçhan, A Feran

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the risk factors and preventive measures for gossypibomas and their medico-legal implications in forensic medicine in the Turkish legal system. This study involved a retrospective analysis of the records of 39 patients with gossypiboma. Records were available from the Istanbul Forensic Medicine Institution and were surveyed for faulty treatment between 2008 and 2012. Parameters such as distribution of the cases according to specializations, elective and emergency procedures, surgical procedures, radio-opaque sponge and fluoroscopy availability, routine sponge and instrument counting, number of nurses for counting, and control of the operative field by a second surgeon were investigated. All cases were evaluated by the Istanbul Forensic Medicine Institute 3rd Expertise Committee. This committee comprised of specialists from the departments of forensic medicine, orthopedics and traumatology, general surgery, neurology, internal medicine, pediatrics, chest disease, and infectious diseases. All cases were considered as poor medical practice (malpractice) and surgeons were found to be responsible. In 16 of these 39 cases (41%) emergency procedures were performed. No unexpected event was reported in any procedure. In 16 cases (41%), sponge count was performed and was reported to be complete. Operation notes were available in 16 (41%) cases. Control of the operative field was performed by 1 surgeon, and sponge and instrument count was performed by 1 scrub nurse. Radio-opaque sponge and fluoroscopy were available in 9 (23%) centers in these cases. Gossypiboma can be prevented not only with surgeons' care but also with adequate support of medical device and material. However, it is considered as a poor medical practice. Presence of only 1 general surgeon in the expertise committee and ignorance of the working conditions by the surgeons should be questioned.

[The contribution of N.I. Pirogov to the development of forensic medicine (on the occasion of his 200th birthday anniversary)].

PubMed

Isakov, V D; Tolmachev, I A; Ozeretskovskiĭ, L B; Tiurin, M V; Belousova, O D

2011-01-01

The main facets of professor N.I. Pirogov's professional activity are outlined. Forensic medicine (in the first place its organizational and practical aspects) was an integral component of his scientific and clinical work, along with applied anatomy and surgery. Landmark publications of N.I. Pirogov are listed with special reference to those concerned with forensic medical expertise of medical malpractice cases, postmortem inspection and intravital examination procedures, wound ballistics studies, the atlas of forensic pathology, etc. The surgeon and anatomist N.I. Pirogov can be justly regarded as a founder of forensic medicine in this country.

Holding Abusers Accountable: An Elder Abuse Forensic Center Increases Criminal Prosecution of Financial Exploitation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Navarro, Adria E.; Gassoumis, Zachary D.; Wilber, Kathleen H.

2013-01-01

Purpose: Despite growing awareness of elder abuse, cases are rarely prosecuted. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of an elder abuse forensic center compared with usual care to increase prosecution of elder financial abuse. Design and Methods: Using one-to-one propensity score matching, cases referred to the Los Angeles County…

The use of Megaselia abdita (Diptera: Phoridae) in forensic entomology.

PubMed

Manlove, J D; Disney, R H L

2008-02-25

This case study demonstrates the importance of the Phorid, Megaselia abdita (Schmitz), as an indicator for post-mortem interval estimation in criminal investigations involving forensic entomology where it is usually the more frequently occurring Calliphorids that are most useful. A case example is discussed where the temperatures were low for the period of time the deceased was missing.

Chronic alcoholism and bone remodeling processes: Caveats and considerations for the forensic anthropologist.

PubMed

Michael, Amy R; Bengtson, Jennifer D

2016-02-01

Clinical literature provides substantial information on the effects of chronic alcohol abuse on bone remodeling and related skeletal disease processes. This biomedical information is seldom considered in detail by forensic anthropologists, who often rely on normative macroscopic models of bone remodeling and traditional macroscopic age estimation methods in the creation of biological profiles. The case study presented here considers the ways that alcoholism disrupts normal bone remodeling processes, thus skewing estimations of age-at-death. Alcoholism affects bone macroscopically, resulting in a porous appearance and an older estimation of age, while simultaneously inhibiting osteoblastic activity and resulting in a younger microscopic appearance. Forensic anthropologists must also be cognizant of pathological remodeling stemming from alcoholism in cases where trauma analysis is critical to the reconstruction of events leading up to death, as fracture healing rates can be affected. Beyond the case study, we also consider how forensic anthropologists and practitioners can recognize and account for osteological signatures of alcoholism in medico-legal contexts. In order to best estimate age at death, a combined macroscopic and microscopic approach should be employed whenever possible alcohol and drug abuse is known or suspected. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

[Forensic Analysis of 20 Dead Cases Related to Heroin Abuse].

PubMed

Huang, W Q; Li, L H; Li, Z; Hong, S J

2016-08-01

To perform retrospective analysis on 20 dead cases related to heroin abuse, and to provide references for the forensic assessment of correlative cases. Among 20 dead cases related to heroin abuse, general situation, using method of drug, cause of death and result of forensic examination were analyzed by statistical analysis for summarizing the cause of death and pathologic changes. The dead were mostly young adults, with more male than female. The results of histopathological examinations showed non-specific pathological changes. There were four leading causes of death, including acute poisoning of heroin abuse or leakage （13 cases, 65%）, concurrent diseases caused by heroin abuse （3 cases, 15%）, inspiratory asphyxia caused by taking heroin （2 cases, 10%）, and heroin withdrawal syndrome （2 cases, 10%）. The forensic identification on dead related to heroin abuse must base on the comprehensive autopsy, and combine with the qualitative and quantitative analysis of heroin and its metabolites in death and the case information, as well as the scene investigation. Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Forensic Medicine

Forensic anthropology in Latin America.

PubMed

Işcan, M Y; Olivera, H E

2000-03-13

Forensic anthropology has been one of the fastest growing medico-legal disciplines both in its contribution to the practical needs of the legal system and research accomplishments. New anthropological standards were developed to apply to a specific population of a region. The purpose of this paper is to analyze a large sample of anthropological forensic cases and to review pertinent literature that deals with anthropological standards developed for the population of the continent of Central and South America. Using Uruguay as an example, there was not a single office or anthropologist assigned to analyze human skeletal remains in Uruguay. In 1991 the Laboratorio de Antropología Forense at the Morgue Judicial of Montevideo was created. A total of 189 forensic anthropological cases (276 individuals) were analyzed since this date. Twenty six percent of cases involving human remains were positively identified. The majority came from the Departamento de Montevideo, the largest population district of the country. Most of the cases fell into the 60 to 69 years old age range (35%). Females represented 32% of the total. Since the establishment of the laboratory, the number of forensic cases increased considerably from 20 in 1991 to 40 in 1997. The case studies were accompanied with skull-photo superimposition and facial reconstruction when no other evidence for positive identification was available. This service provided by the laboratory was quickly known to coroners, law enforcement agencies, and other legal authorities and thus utilized not only in Uruguay but also in several other countries in the continent. Because of the obvious need for an anthropologist, there are now university programs to provide forensic anthropological education. Yet, research has lagged behind considerably. Deficiencies are obvious in basic osteological standards of estimating age, calculating stature, determining sex and assessing race that can be applied to populations of the continent. Regional standards are also needed to estimate postmortem interval, to identify culture specific causes of trauma and other forensic phenomena. Some of these can be remedied if there is a database where the available literature is stored and osteometric information is shared.

Genetic analysis of sudden cardiac death victims: a survey of current forensic autopsy practices.

PubMed

Michaud, Katarzyna; Mangin, Patrice; Elger, Bernice S

2011-05-01

Autopsy-negative sudden cardiac deaths (SCD) seen in forensic practice are most often thought to be the result of sudden arrhythmic death syndrome. Postmortem genetic analysis is recommended in such cases, but is currently performed in only a few academic centers. In order to determine actual current practice, an on-line questionnaire was sent by e-mail to members of various forensic medical associations. The questions addressed routine procedures employed in cases of sudden cardiac death (autopsy ordering, macroscopic and microscopic cardiac examination, conduction tissue examination, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy, biochemical markers, sampling and storage of material for genetic analyses, toxicological analyses, and molecular autopsy). Some questions concerned the legal and ethical aspects of genetic analyses in postmortem examinations, as well as any existing multidisciplinary collaborations in SCD cases. There were 97 respondents, mostly from European countries. Genetic testing in cases of sudden cardiac death is rarely practiced in routine forensic investigation. Approximately 60% of respondents reported not having the means to perform genetic postmortem testing and 40% do not collect adequate material to perform these investigations at a later date, despite working at university hospitals. The survey demonstrated that many of the problems involved in the adequate investigation of SCD cases are often financial in origin, due to the fact that activities in forensic medicine are often paid by and dependent on the judicial authorities. Problems also exist concerning the contact with family members and/or the family doctor, as well as the often-nonexistent collaboration with others clinicians with special expertise beneficial in the investigation of SCD cases, such as cardiologists and geneticists. This study highlights the importance in establishing guidelines for molecular autopsies in forensic medicine.

[The new law on strengthening the rights of victims of sexual abuse and its implications for the forensic-psychiatric assessment of sexual offenders].

PubMed

Bumb, Jan Malte; Foerster, Klaus; Dressing, Harald

2014-07-01

Highlighting practical implications and research aspects of forensic-psychiatric assessments in the context of the new law on strengthening the rights of victims of sexual abuse. Based on a clinical case we report implications for the forensic-psychiatric assessment. The new law now requires an expert to evaluate the necessity and the subject's motivation to receive a given treatment. Up to now, the majority of sexual offenders were assumed to be responsible for their actions and in most cases a forensic-psychiatric assessment was not required. For this reason, guidelines for forensic-psychiatric assessments are urgently needed. The number of forensic-psychiatric assessments is likely to increase substantially and a relevant-case law is still lacking. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Case report: on the use of the HID-Ion AmpliSeq™ Ancestry Panel in a real forensic case.

PubMed

Hollard, C; Keyser, C; Delabarde, T; Gonzalez, A; Vilela Lamego, C; Zvénigorosky, V; Ludes, B

2017-03-01

In the absence of any other conclusive forensic evidence, DNA profiling is the method of choice for body identification. This study focuses on the case of a carbonized corpse whose complete autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) profile could not lead to direct identification by the investigators. To assist in the progress of investigation, we endeavoured to determine the biogeographical origin and eye colour of the deceased individual. Along with Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA analyses, we applied a next-generation sequencing (NGS) approach to the study of ancestry informative markers (AIMs) using the HID-Ion AmpliSeq™ Ancestry Panel launched by Thermo Fisher Scientific. This work gave us the opportunity to test this new technology in a real forensic case. Although this study highlights the benefits of such a combined approach, as it markedly improves the specificity of the biogeographical profile, it also underlines the need for the accurate characterization of a larger collection of reference populations and the necessity of caution in data interpretation.

Incidence of Low Body Mass Index in the Elderly in Forensic Cases-A Possible Marker for Frailty Syndrome?

PubMed

Byard, Roger W; Bellis, Maria

2016-05-01

Diagnosing frailty syndrome at autopsy may be difficult if no adequate clinical history is provided. As low body mass index (BMI) may be associated with frailty in the elderly, the following study was undertaken to determine the percentage of medicolegal cases with BMIs < 18.5 in decedents aged over 75 years. Review was undertaken over three time periods: January to December 1986, January to December 2006, and January to December 2012. In 1986, 16% (15 of 93) of individuals aged ≥75 years had BMIs < 18.5, in 2006, 15% (50 of 336), and in 2012, 13% (35 of 274). In no case was frailty syndrome mentioned. This study demonstrates that frailty syndrome appears to be an underappreciated diagnosis in forensic practice despite a significant percentage of elderly decedents (13-16% over a 27-year period) having low BMIs. Prospective assessment of this group is required to determine the incidence and contribution to mortality of frailty syndrome in a forensic context. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

3D-MSCT imaging of bullet trajectory in 3D crime scene reconstruction: two case reports.

PubMed

Colard, T; Delannoy, Y; Bresson, F; Marechal, C; Raul, J S; Hedouin, V

2013-11-01

Postmortem investigations are increasingly assisted by three-dimensional multi-slice computed tomography (3D-MSCT) and have become more available to forensic pathologists over the past 20years. In cases of ballistic wounds, 3D-MSCT can provide an accurate description of the bullet location, bone fractures and, more interestingly, a clear visual of the intracorporeal trajectory (bullet track). These forensic medical examinations can be combined with tridimensional bullet trajectory reconstructions created by forensic ballistic experts. These case reports present the implementation of tridimensional methods and the results of 3D crime scene reconstruction in two cases. The authors highlight the value of collaborations between police forensic experts and forensic medicine institutes through the incorporation of 3D-MSCT data in a crime scene reconstruction, which is of great interest in forensic science as a clear visual communication tool between experts and the court. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Poisoning deaths in Central China (Hubei): A 10-year retrospective study of forensic autopsy cases.

PubMed

Zhou, Lan; Liu, Liang; Chang, Lin; Li, Ling

2011-01-01

A retrospective study of autopsy cases was conducted at the Department of Forensic Medicine, Tongji Medical College (DFM-TMC), in Hubei, China to describe the characteristics of poisoning deaths from 1999 to 2008. A total of 212 poisoning deaths were investigated by DFM-TMC during the 10-year period. The poisoning deaths ranged from 17 cases in 1999 to 27 cases in 2008. Of the 212 cases, 82 deaths (38.7%) were from pesticides, 36 deaths (17.0%) from carbon monoxide, 34 deaths (16.0%) from drugs, 22 deaths (10.4%) from alcohol, 17 deaths (8.0%) from other chemicals, 15 deaths (7.1%) from poisonous plants and animals, and six deaths (2.8%) from heavy metals. Of the 82 pesticide poisoning deaths, 43 (52.4%) cases were caused by rodenticides, mainly tetramine (N = 39). The majority of poisoning deaths were accidents (63.7%), followed by suicides (25.9%) and homicides (3.8%). The manner of death could not be determined in 14 cases (6.6%). © 2010 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Limitations of cadaveric organ donation on judicial cases and problems confronted in autopsy: Istanbul data in comparative perspective.

PubMed

Arslan, M N; Esen Melez, I; Melez, D O; Cavlak, M; Gur, A

2014-04-01

Organ transplantation is one of the most important services of modern medicine to the humanity. In judicial death cases the interaction between judicial needs and transplantation needs is inevitable and both should be provided in a short time before the decomposition of the body. Thus, the description of this interaction and the algorithm which should be carried out to manage these cases are important. Aim of this study is to determine the problems confronted in forensic autopsies and to determine what to do for both judicial processes' and cadaveric organ donations' not becoming limited due to each other. With these aims, autopsy case archive of the Council of Forensic Medicine Istanbul Morgue Department was reviewed, between the years 2009 and 2011, to reveal the number of organ donors among autopsy cases and also to find out the judicial problems confronted during autopsies. Among 12,016 judicial death cases referred to Istanbul Morgue Department in 3 years, 35 cases were found to have undergone cadaveric solid organ harvesting procedure and 307 cases cornea-only harvesting procedure. Manner of deaths for organ donor cases were blunt trauma due to traffic accident in 20 cases, firearm injury in 3 cases, stabbing in 2 cases, suspicious criminal battery in 4 cases and fatal falls in 5 cases. Only 1 case was suspected to have died due to high dose insulin administration. Through the whole data presented in this study, it can be concluded that consulting with the Forensic Medicine Expert not only for the autopsies but also during the clinical process of a judicial case, who is a candidate to be an organ donor, is absolutely important. The early contribution of the Forensic Medicine Expert would provide help to plan both the judicial process and the transplantation process which needs urgent decisions. A Forensic Medicine Expert may be an organ harvest team member performing initial investigations on the cause of death and collecting some of the toxicological screening samples when needed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Records of the invisible: Visa reperta in 18th- and 19th-century forensic medicine and their role as promoters of pathological-anatomical knowledge].

PubMed

Müller, Irmgard; Fangerau, Heiner

2010-01-01

Case reports in medicine serve as a tool to collect and to transfer knowledge. A special kind of case report in forensic medicine during the 18th and 19th centuries was the so-called Visum repertum. This format of note-taking and of rendering an expert opinion without presuppositions has rarely investigated in the history of medicine. Analyzing Visa reperta the authors argue that due to their special structure and mode of representation Visa reperta not only shaped the practice of forensic medicine but also the standardized examination and documentation in pathological anatomy. Based on previous studies on medical case reports, medical expert witnesses in court and traditions in pathological anatomy the authors examine two examples from the 18th and 19th centuries in order to show how semiological, classifying methods of presenting forensic examinations were replaced by the material aspect of the observation of examination results itself. The examples are a forensic case report by Michael Alberti (1682-1757) from 1728 and a Visum repertum by Joseph Bernt (1770-1842) from 1827. The authors argue that Visa reperta transcended their original forensic purpose and served as a guideline for pathology leading to an understanding of the origin of diseases in organs. They served as a promoter of scientific medicine, and their persuasiveness was backed by factors such as (a) the extreme conditions of forensic practice, (b) the claim to act as a tool for the sound and precise recording of facts and c) the awareness that they documented objects that were destroyed during the process of documentation.

The (non)sense of routinely analysing beta-hydroxybutyric acid in forensic toxicology casework.

PubMed

Sadones, Nele; Lambert, Willy E; Stove, Christophe P

2017-05-01

Beta-hydroxybutyric acid (BHB) is a ketone body which is generated from fatty acids as an alternative energy source when glucose is not available. Determination of this compound may be relevant in the forensic laboratory as ketoacidosis - an elevated level of ketone bodies - may contribute to the cause of death. In this study, we aimed at determining the relevance of routinely implementing BHB analysis in the forensic toxicological laboratory, as BHB analysis typically requires an additional workload. We therefore performed an unbiased retrospective analysis of BHB in 599 cases, comprising 553 blood, 232 urine and 62 vitreous humour samples. Cases with BHB concentrations above 100mg/L (in blood, urine and/or vitreous humour) were invariably associated with elevated levels of acetone, another ketone body, the detection of which is already implemented in most forensic laboratories using the gas chromatographic procedure for ethanol quantification. Our retrospective analysis did not reveal any positive case that had been missed initially and confirms that BHB analysis can be limited to acetone positive cases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Forensic investigation of plutonium metal: a case study of CRM 126

DOE PAGES

Byerly, Benjamin L.; Stanley, Floyd; Spencer, Khal; ...

2016-11-01

In our study, a certified plutonium metal reference material (CRM 126) with a known production history is examined using analytical methods that are commonly employed in nuclear forensics for provenancing and attribution. Moreover, the measured plutonium isotopic composition and actinide assay are consistent with values reported on the reference material certificate. Model ages from U/Pu and Am/Pu chronometers agree with the documented production timeline. Finally, these results confirm the utility of these analytical methods and highlight the importance of a holistic approach for forensic study of unknown materials.

78 FR 28761 - Privacy Act of 1974: Implementation of Exemptions; Department of Homeland Security U.S...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-16

... comparative forensic examination and fraudulent document training, research, and analysis. The hard copies are... authentication; forensic examination; research, analysis, and training related to travel and identity documents... forensic document training, research, and analysis, the HSI-FL maintains case files, a case management...

A Systems Approach to Biometrics in the Military Domain.

PubMed

Wilson, Lauren; Gahan, Michelle; Lennard, Chris; Robertson, James

2018-02-21

Forensic biometrics is the application of forensic science principles to physical and behavioral characteristics. Forensic biometrics is a secondary sub-system in the forensic science "system of systems," which describes forensic science as a sub-system in the larger criminal justice, law enforcement, intelligence, and military system. The purpose of this paper is to discuss biometrics in the military domain and integration into the wider forensic science system of systems. The holistic system thinking methodology was applied to the U.S. biometric system to map it to the system of systems framework. The U.S. biometric system is used as a case study to help guide other countries to develop military biometric systems that are integrated and interoperable at the whole-of-government level. The aim is to provide the system of systems framework for agencies to consider for proactive design of biometric systems. © 2018 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Using environmental forensic microscopy in exposure science.

PubMed

Millette, James R; Brown, Richard S; Hill, Whitney B

2008-01-01

Environmental forensic microscopy investigations are based on the methods and procedures developed in the fields of criminal forensics, industrial hygiene and environmental monitoring. Using a variety of microscopes and techniques, the environmental forensic scientist attempts to reconstruct the sources and the extent of exposure based on the physical evidence left behind after particles are exchanged between an individual and the environments he or she passes through. This article describes how environmental forensic microscopy uses procedures developed for environmental monitoring, criminal forensics and industrial hygiene investigations. It provides key references to the interdisciplinary approach used in microscopic investigations. Case studies dealing with lead, asbestos, glass fibers and other particulate contaminants are used to illustrate how environmental forensic microscopy can be very useful in the initial stages of a variety of environmental exposure characterization efforts to eliminate some agents of concern and to narrow the field of possible sources of exposure.

The forensic aspects of sexual violence.

PubMed

Newton, Mary

2013-02-01

Complainants of sexual assault may disclose to different agencies, the police and health professionals being the most likely. It is possible for certain evidence types to be collected before a clinical forensic assessment takes place that do not require the need for a Forensic Medical Practitioner. If the time frames after the incident and the nature of assault warrant the need for a forensic medical examination of either a complainant or a suspect, this should only be conducted by doctors and nurses who have received relevant, up-to-date specialist theoretical and practical training. Clear evidence shows that few other criminal offences require as extensive an examination and collection of forensic evidence as that of a sexual assault. The forensic evidence in a case may identify an assailant, eliminate a nominated suspect(s), and assist in the prosecution of a case. The elements of forensic medical examination, reviewed in this chapter, are those that are the most varied across jurisdictions around the world currently. Key focus points of this chapter are considerations for early evidence collection, utilising dedicated medical examination facilities for sample collection, contamination issues associated with evidence collection and certain practical aspects of forensic sampling methods which have evolved given results identified by Forensic Scientists processing evidential samples in sexual assault cases, Some of the problems encountered by the forensic science provider will also be discussed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Virtopsy - the concept of a centralized database in forensic medicine for analysis and comparison of radiological and autopsy data.

PubMed

Aghayev, Emin; Staub, Lukas; Dirnhofer, Richard; Ambrose, Tony; Jackowski, Christian; Yen, Kathrin; Bolliger, Stephan; Christe, Andreas; Roeder, Christoph; Aebi, Max; Thali, Michael J

2008-04-01

Recent developments in clinical radiology have resulted in additional developments in the field of forensic radiology. After implementation of cross-sectional radiology and optical surface documentation in forensic medicine, difficulties in the validation and analysis of the acquired data was experienced. To address this problem and for the comparison of autopsy and radiological data a centralized database with internet technology for forensic cases was created. The main goals of the database are (1) creation of a digital and standardized documentation tool for forensic-radiological and pathological findings; (2) establishing a basis for validation of forensic cross-sectional radiology as a non-invasive examination method in forensic medicine that means comparing and evaluating the radiological and autopsy data and analyzing the accuracy of such data; and (3) providing a conduit for continuing research and education in forensic medicine. Considering the infrequent availability of CT or MRI for forensic institutions and the heterogeneous nature of case material in forensic medicine an evaluation of benefits and limitations of cross-sectional imaging concerning certain forensic features by a single institution may be of limited value. A centralized database permitting international forensic and cross disciplinary collaborations may provide important support for forensic-radiological casework and research.

Collecting sexual assault history and forensic evidence from adult women in the emergency department: a retrospective study.

PubMed

Tozzo, Pamela; Ponzano, Elena; Spigarolo, Gloria; Nespeca, Patrizia; Caenazzo, Luciana

2018-05-29

The objective of this retrospective study was to examine the discrepancy between information derived from written medical reports and the results of forensic DNA analyses on swabs collected from the victims in 122 cases of alleged sexual assault treated at the Emergency Department of Padua Hospital. The examination of discrepant results has proved useful to support a broader application of sexual assault management, particularly during the taking of case history. The Laboratory of Forensic Genetics of Padua University have processed samples from 122 sexual assault cases over a period of 5 years. Of the 103 cases in which the victim reported a penetration and ejaculation, only 67 (55% of all the samples) correlated with positive feedback match from the laboratory. In 36 cases in which the patient reported penetration with ejaculation, no male DNA was found in the samples collected. Therefore, there was a total of 41 cases in which the patient's report were not supported by laboratory data. In the remaining ten cases, which had an ambiguous history, 3 tested positively for the presence of male DNA. To avoid discrepancies between the medical reporting and reconstruction of sex crimes, it is crucial to deploy strategies which focus not only on the technical aspects of evidence collection, but also on how the victim's story is recorded; such efforts could lead to better management of sexual assault victims, and to a strengthened legal impact of forensic evidence and of crime reconstruction.

Forensic medicine: a forgotten world of opportunities and challenges for research.

PubMed

Magalhães, Teresa; Santos, Agostinho; Dinis-Oliveira, Ricardo Jorge

2013-08-01

Forensic medicine deals with a wide variety of cases. To accomplish the main objectives, this professional field needs to adopt and apply findings from other sciences, namely, different medical specialties and other forensic sciences. The opposite is not yet entirely true due to the fact that forensic medicine deals with cases that are very far away from other medical and scientific interests. It is obvious that this forgotten world of forensic medicine … is also a new world of opportunities and challenges to research in all scientific areas. Copyright © 2013 IMSS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Whistleblowing and boundary violations: exposing a colleague in the forensic milieu.

PubMed

Peternelj-Taylor, Cindy

2003-09-01

The purpose of this article is to examine the phenomenon of whistleblowing as it relates to a reconstructed case study of an erotic boundary violation that emerged from a clinical situation in forensic psychiatric nursing practice. The unique features of this case are illustrated with the help of a model for decision making. Although the ramifications of exposing a colleague are many, it is argued that, in this particular case, it was morally and ethically the right thing to do.

Naturalistic decision making in forensic science: toward a better understanding of decision making by forensic team leaders.

PubMed

Helsloot, Ira; Groenendaal, Jelle

2011-07-01

This study uses the naturalistic decision-making (NDM) perspective to examine how Dutch forensic team leaders (i.e., the officers in charge of criminal forensic research from the crime scene until the use of laboratory assistance) make decisions in real-life settings and identifies the contextual factors that might influence those decisions. First, a focus group interview was conducted to identify four NDM mechanisms in day-to-day forensic decision making. Second, a serious game was conducted to examine the influence of three of these contextual mechanisms. The results uncovered that forensic team leaders (i) were attracted to obtain further information when more information was initially made available, (ii) were likely to devote more attention to emotionally charged cases, and (iii) used not only forensic evidence in the decision making but also tactical, unverified information of the police inquiry. Interestingly, the measured contextual influences did not deviate significantly from a control group of laypeople. © 2011 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

The state of nuclear forensics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kristo, Michael J.; Tumey, Scott J.

2013-01-01

Nuclear terrorism has been identified as one of the most serious security threats facing the world today. Many countries, including the United States, have incorporated nuclear forensic analysis as a component of their strategy to prevent nuclear terrorism. Nuclear forensics involves the laboratory analysis of seized illicit nuclear materials or debris from a nuclear detonation to identify the origins of the material or weapon. Over the years, a number of forensic signatures have been developed to improve the confidence with which forensic analysts can draw conclusions. These signatures are validated and new signatures are discovered through research and development programs and in round-robin exercises among nuclear forensic laboratories. The recent Nuclear Smuggling International Technical Working Group Third Round Robin Exercise and an on-going program focused on attribution of uranium ore concentrate provide prime examples of the current state of nuclear forensics. These case studies will be examined and the opportunities for accelerator mass spectrometry to play a role in nuclear forensics will be discussed.

[Two cases of suspected Munchausen by proxy syndrome: the importance of forensic toxicological analyses in handling suspicions and producing evidence].

PubMed

Musshoff, Frank; Kirschbaum, Katrin M; Madea, Burkhard

2008-01-01

The authors report on two cases of suspected Munchausen by proxy syndrome. In a 3-year-old boy, clinical toxicological analyses produced suspicious clues that an antidepressant had been administered, which could not be verified by forensic toxicological investigations. In a 13-month-old boy, the mother was also suspected of having poisoned the child. Initial clinical toxicological examinations failed to explain the observed symptoms (unclear unconsciousness, narrowed pupils). While in the first case, the incorrect interpretation of findings by a laboratory without forensic experience resulted in suspicions against the mother, the cause for the observed symptoms in the second case could be proved by complex analyses not performed before and the suspicion that the clinical picture had been intentionally brought about could be cleared up (use of an antitussive containing clobutinol). The two reports show that especially in cases with a potential forensic background, adequately qualified forensic laboratories with a broad spectrum of analytical methods should be involved.

Forensic odontology, historical perspective.

PubMed

Sansare, K

1995-01-01

According to the old testament Adam was convinced by eve to put a "Bite Mark" on the apple. Interest in Forensic Odontology was heightened in the latter part of 19th Century. The first formal instructional programme was given at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, U.S. Since then the number of cases reported has played a significant role in expanding the role of Forensic Odontology. The earliest reported case was of Lollia Paulina in the year 49 A. D. One of the early reported case is also found in India in the year 1193. In the last few decades, the basic pattern of Forensic Odontology has changed quite a lot. Advances in dental material and laboratory techniques, with improvements in scientific and photographic technology, have made the proof of presentation much to forensic science.

Child Sexual Abuse Confirmed by Forensic Examination in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.

PubMed

Silva, Welington Dos Santos; Barroso-Junior, Ubirajara de Oliveira

2017-03-01

Child sexual abuse is a worldwide public health issue. The objective of this study was to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of children in cases of sexual abuse confirmed by material evidence at forensic examination. Cases of children younger than 12 years examined for suspected sexual abuse at the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, were reviewed retrospectively. The period evaluated was between 2005 and 2010. The inclusion criterion was the coroner's confirmation of sexual abuse based on material evidence. The mean age of the children in whom sexual abuse was confirmed was 8.2 (SD, 2.9) years, and 208 cases were female (83.9%). In 94% of the cases, the reason for carrying out the forensic examination was a report of sexual abuse. Less than 1% of the aggressors were female. A ruptured hymen was the finding that confirmed sexual abuse in 172 cases, corresponding to 83% of cases in girls. There were 2 cases of pregnancy. Recent anal or perianal lesions were present in 35 (87.5%) of the confirmed cases involving boys. Laboratory confirmation based on the detection of spermatozoa or prostate-specific antigen occurred in only 4.2% of cases. In all these cases, sample collection was performed within 24 hours of the alleged abuse. Thus, in the majority of cases with material evidence of sexual abuse, the confirmation criteria consisted of a ruptured hymen and recent perianal lesions.

Forensic anthropology in Europe: an assessment of current status and application.

PubMed

Kranioti, Elena; Paine, Robert

2011-01-01

Forensic anthropology is the discipline that traditionally deals with the examination of human remains for legal purposes and it derives from the fields of anatomy, physical anthropology and forensic medicine. For more than a century, forensic anthropologists in the United States have been offering their services in the court of law complementing the medico-legal investigation of other forensic professionals. The current status in European countries is presented here. The development of forensic anthropology varies significantly among the countries of Europe. Whereas some countries show a long history of research activity in the forensic sciences, including forensic anthropology (i.e. France, Germany and Spain), others are exhibiting a recent, rapid development (i.e. United Kingdom). In some cases, forensic anthropologists are employed within the academic realm (i.e. U.K., Denmark, Portugal, Turkey), forensic institutions (Netherlands) or government organizations (Spain, Hungary), although the vast majority of them remain limited to freelance activities on a sporadic basis. Often, European scientists that deal with skeletal remains come from nonphysical anthropology disciplines such as archaeology, forensic medicine and biology. In many cases they do not have adequate training equivalent to the forensic anthropologists in the USA. Naturally, without common training and a common legal system, an accreditation system for Europe will be difficult to implement.

Biomechanical Studies on Patterns of Cranial Bone Fracture Using the Immature Porcine Model.

PubMed

Haut, Roger C; Wei, Feng

2017-02-01

This review was prepared for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Lissner Medal. It specifically discusses research performed in the Orthopaedic Biomechanics Laboratories on pediatric cranial bone mechanics and patterns of fracture in collaboration with the Forensic Anthropology Laboratory at Michigan State University. Cranial fractures are often an important element seen by forensic anthropologists during the investigation of pediatric trauma cases litigated in courts. While forensic anthropologists and forensic biomechanists are often called on to testify in these cases, there is little basic science developed in support of their testimony. The following is a review of studies conducted in the above laboratories and supported by the National Institute of Justice to begin an understanding of the mechanics and patterns of pediatric cranial bone fracture. With the lack of human pediatric specimens, the studies utilize an immature porcine model. Because much case evidence involves cranial bone fracture, the studies described below focus on determining input loading based on the resultant bone fracture pattern. The studies involve impact to the parietal bone, the most often fractured cranial bone, and begin with experiments on entrapped heads, progressing to those involving free-falling heads. The studies involve head drops onto different types and shapes of interfaces with variations of impact energy. The studies show linear fractures initiating from sutural boundaries, away from the impact site, for flat surface impacts, in contrast to depressed fractures for more focal impacts. The results have been incorporated into a "Fracture Printing Interface (FPI)," using machine learning and pattern recognition algorithms. The interface has been used to help interpret mechanisms of injury in pediatric death cases collected from medical examiner offices. The ultimate aim of this program of study is to develop a "Human Fracture Printing Interface" that can be used by forensic investigators in determining mechanisms of pediatric cranial bone fracture.

Careers in Forensics: Analysis, Evidence, and Law

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torpey, Elka Maria

2009-01-01

In legal proceedings, a case is only as strong as its evidence. And whether that evidence is strong depends, in large part, on the work of forensic specialists. The field of forensics is broad and involves many kinds of workers. Some of them are involved in crimesolving. Others, such as forensic social workers or forensic economists, help to…

Neuropsychologist Experts and Civil Capacity Evaluations: Representative Cases.

PubMed

Kaufmann, Paul M

2016-09-01

Clinical neuropsychologists accept more forensic referrals now and spend more time in forensic consulting than ever before. Recent surveys show weekly hours devoted to forensic consulting increased 97% in the past decade. During the same time period, the number of board certified neuropsychologists more than doubled. Under recently published Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychology, clinical neuropsychologists practice forensic psychology when applying scientific, technical, or specialized knowledge of neuropsychology to the law to assist in addressing legal, contractual, or administrative matters. Among those increasingly varied forensic referrals, clinical neuropsychologists are conducting more civil competency and capacity evaluations. Representative cases from three jurisdictions demonstrate how neuropsychologists provide expertize in matters involving testamentary capacity, contractual capacity, business judgments, and job capacity. Case presentations illustrate some of the strengths and weaknesses of neuropsychological evaluation of civil capacities. The article concludes with a "battle of experts" case involving five neuropsychologists with opposing opinions recently heard in a Federal Appellate court. Implications for neuropschology training and forensic competencies are considered. In offering quality services to the legal profession, neuropsychologists support the truth-seeking function of the judiciary, promote justice, protect the profession, and serve public policy. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Inside the Black Box: The Case Review Process of an Elder Abuse Forensic Center.

PubMed

Navarro, Adria E; Wysong, Julia; DeLiema, Marguerite; Schwartz, Elizabeth L; Nichol, Michael B; Wilber, Kathleen H

2016-08-01

Preliminary evidence suggests that elder abuse forensic centers improve victim welfare by increasing necessary prosecutions and conservatorships and reducing the recurrence of protective service referrals. Center team members gather information and make decisions designed to protect clients and their assets, yet the collective process of how these case reviews are conducted remains unexamined. The purpose of this study is to present a model describing the interprofessional approach of investigation and response to financial exploitation (FE), a frequent and complex type of abuse of vulnerable adults. To develop an understanding of the case review process at the Los Angeles County Elder Abuse Forensic Center (Center), a quasi-Delphi field study approach was used involving direct observations of meetings, surveying team members, and review from the Center's Advisory Council. The goal of this iterative analysis was to understand the case review process for suspected FE in Los Angeles County. A process map of key forensic center elements was developed that may be useful for replication in other settings. The process map includes: (a) multidisciplinary data collection, (b) key decisions for consideration, and (c) strategic actions utilized by an interprofessional team focused on elder justice. Elder justice relies on a complex system of providers. Elder abuse forensic centers provide a process designed to efficiently address client safety, client welfare, and protection of assets. Study findings provide a process map that may help other communities replicate an established multidisciplinary team, one experienced with justice system outcomes designed to protect FE victims. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The forensic deaths caused by pesticide poisoning between the years 2006 and 2009 in Izmir, Turkey.

PubMed

Idiz, Nuri; Karakus, Akan; Dalgıç, Mustafa

2012-07-01

Pesticide poisoning is still a significant health problem in Turkey. We conducted a retrospective study of autopsy cases at Izmir Branch of the Council of Forensic Medicine to describe the characteristics of deaths caused by pesticide poisoning between 2006 and 2009. The distributions of the cases according to gender and age were as follows: men 74.1% (n = 40, mean [±SD] age, 44.7 ± 14.1), women 25.9% (n = 14, mean [±SD] age, 39.2 ± 18.9). The majority of pesticide-poisoning deaths were suicides (n = 43, 80%) followed by accidents (n = 4, 8%) and homicide (n = 1, 2%). The manner of death could not be determined in six cases (11%). Suicides mostly occurred at home (n = 26, 63%) (p < 0.05). Methomyl was the most frequent pesticide (n = 9, 17%) among the all cases. This study reported that most of the pesticides found in poisoning cases were highly hazardous types. Combined efforts of medical professionals and law makers are needed for enacting strict laws against highly hazardous pesticides. © 2012 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Police shootings against civilians in Portugal: Contextual, forensic medical and judicial characterization.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Ezequiel; Faria, Paula; Santos, Agostinho; Fraga, Sílvia

2015-07-01

The aim of this study was to analyse the circumstances, the forensic assessment and the legal assessment of police shootings of civilians, according to the severity of the victim's injuries. Sixty-nine cases tried in Portuguese criminal courts were analysed. Of the 32 cases that resulted in death, 16 were on the public thoroughfare and 13 were in the victim's vehicle or in third-party vehicles. The majority of the lethal cases occurred when the region of the body hit was the thorax/abdomen. The firearm most frequently used was a semi-automatic 9 mm pistol. In cases resulting in death police officers involved were convicted whilst those involved in non-lethal cases were acquitted. The results of this study can be taken into account by Portuguese authorities for the implementation of policies that will allow the restriction of firearms use by police officers to situations of imminent danger of death or serious injury and that will make it possible to avoid shooting at fleeing civilians. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Digital Stratigraphy: Contextual Analysis of File System Traces in Forensic Science.

PubMed

Casey, Eoghan

2017-12-28

This work introduces novel methods for conducting forensic analysis of file allocation traces, collectively called digital stratigraphy. These in-depth forensic analysis methods can provide insight into the origin, composition, distribution, and time frame of strata within storage media. Using case examples and empirical studies, this paper illuminates the successes, challenges, and limitations of digital stratigraphy. This study also shows how understanding file allocation methods can provide insight into concealment activities and how real-world computer usage can complicate digital stratigraphy. Furthermore, this work explains how forensic analysts have misinterpreted traces of normal file system behavior as indications of concealment activities. This work raises awareness of the value of taking the overall context into account when analyzing file system traces. This work calls for further research in this area and for forensic tools to provide necessary information for such contextual analysis, such as highlighting mass deletion, mass copying, and potential backdating. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Homicide by a forensic female sample in Brazil: a preliminary study.

PubMed

Valença, Alexandre M; Nardi, Antonio E; Nascimento, Isabella; Jozef, Flávio; Mendlowicz, Mauro V

2014-05-01

The objective of the study was to evaluate the mental status of all women (n = 14) who were acquitted by reason of insanity of charges of murder or attempted murder and committed to a forensic psychiatric hospital in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. All cases were retrospectively examined, including medical files, technical records, and forensic experts' official reports. A conclusive psychiatric diagnosis was established using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I and II Disorders and clinical and forensic records. The most common diagnosis was schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorders (n = 8; 57.3%). Most victims (n = 12; 75%) were close relatives of the patients. We found that 43% (n = 6) of the patients had a previous history of violent behavior. According to the initial psychiatric forensic evaluation, 5 patients (35.7%) had psychotic symptoms. It is expected that a growing understanding of motivational factors underlying homicidal behavior in mentally disturbed female offenders may further the implementation of effective preventive and therapeutic interventions. © 2013 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Towards early software reliability prediction for computer forensic tools (case study).

PubMed

Abu Talib, Manar

2016-01-01

Versatility, flexibility and robustness are essential requirements for software forensic tools. Researchers and practitioners need to put more effort into assessing this type of tool. A Markov model is a robust means for analyzing and anticipating the functioning of an advanced component based system. It is used, for instance, to analyze the reliability of the state machines of real time reactive systems. This research extends the architecture-based software reliability prediction model for computer forensic tools, which is based on Markov chains and COSMIC-FFP. Basically, every part of the computer forensic tool is linked to a discrete time Markov chain. If this can be done, then a probabilistic analysis by Markov chains can be performed to analyze the reliability of the components and of the whole tool. The purposes of the proposed reliability assessment method are to evaluate the tool's reliability in the early phases of its development, to improve the reliability assessment process for large computer forensic tools over time, and to compare alternative tool designs. The reliability analysis can assist designers in choosing the most reliable topology for the components, which can maximize the reliability of the tool and meet the expected reliability level specified by the end-user. The approach of assessing component-based tool reliability in the COSMIC-FFP context is illustrated with the Forensic Toolkit Imager case study.

Laughing through This Pain: Medical Clowning during Examination of Sexually Abused Children--An Innovative Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tener, Dafna; Lev-Wiesel, Rachel; Franco, Nessia Lang; Ofir, Shoshi

2010-01-01

This study examined the role of medical clowns during medical examinations of children who were sexually abused. Three case studies are described, illustrating diverse interactions among the victimized child, the medical clown, and the medical forensical examiner during medical forensic examinations held at the Tene Center for Sexually Abused…

Differential reporting of mixed DNA profiles and its impact on jurists' evaluation of evidence. An international analysis.

PubMed

de Keijser, Jan W; Malsch, Marijke; Luining, Egge T; Weulen Kranenbarg, Marleen; Lenssen, Dominique J H M

2016-07-01

While DNA analysis is considered by many the gold standard in forensic science, there is ample room for variation in interpretation and reporting. This seems especially the case when working with (complex) mixed DNA profiles. Two consecutive studies on differential DNA reporting were conducted. In Study 1, we first examined type and magnitude of differences when forensic DNA experts across institutes and jurisdictions are handed an identical forensic case with mixed profiles. In Study 2, we explore the impact of the observed differential reporting on jurists' evaluation of the DNA evidence. 19 DNA expert reports from forensic institutes across Western jurisdictions were obtained. Differences between the reports were many and include extensiveness of the reports, explanations of technical issues, use of explanatory appendices, level of reporting, use of context information, and, most markedly, type and substantive content of the conclusions. In Study 2, a group of criminal law students judged a selection of these reports in a quasi experimental study design. Findings show that these differing reports have quite different evidentiary value for jurists, depending on which expert authored the report. It is argued that the impact of differential reporting on jurists' evaluation was so fundamental and substantive that it is seems reasonable to claim that in an actual court case it could make the difference between acquittal and conviction. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Forensic mental health assessment in France: recommendations for quality improvement.

PubMed

Combalbert, Nicolas; Andronikof, Anne; Armand, Marine; Robin, Cécile; Bazex, Hélène

2014-01-01

The quality of forensic mental health assessment has been a growing concern in various countries on both sides of the Atlantic, but the legal systems are not always comparable and some aspects of forensic assessment are specific to a given country. This paper describes the legal context of forensic psychological assessment in France (i.e. pre-trial investigation phase entrusted to a judge, with mental health assessment performed by preselected professionals called "experts" in French), its advantages and its pitfalls. Forensic psychiatric or psychological assessment is often an essential and decisive element in criminal cases, but since a judiciary scandal which was made public in 2005 (the Outreau case) there has been increasing criticism from the public and the legal profession regarding the reliability of clinical conclusions. Several academic studies and a parliamentary report have highlighted various faulty aspects in both the judiciary process and the mental health assessments. The heterogeneity of expert practices in France appears to be mainly related to a lack of consensus on several core notions such as mental health diagnosis or assessment methods, poor working conditions, lack of specialized training, and insufficient familiarity with the Code of Ethics. In this article we describe and analyze the French practice of forensic psychologists and psychiatrists in criminal cases and propose steps that could be taken to improve its quality, such as setting up specialized training courses, enforcing the Code of Ethics for psychologists, and calling for consensus on diagnostic and assessment methods. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The use of geoscience methods for terrestrial forensic searches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pringle, J. K.; Ruffell, A.; Jervis, J. R.; Donnelly, L.; McKinley, J.; Hansen, J.; Morgan, R.; Pirrie, D.; Harrison, M.

2012-08-01

Geoscience methods are increasingly being utilised in criminal, environmental and humanitarian forensic investigations, and the use of such methods is supported by a growing body of experimental and theoretical research. Geoscience search techniques can complement traditional methodologies in the search for buried objects, including clandestine graves, weapons, explosives, drugs, illegal weapons, hazardous waste and vehicles. This paper details recent advances in search and detection methods, with case studies and reviews. Relevant examples are given, together with a generalised workflow for search and suggested detection technique(s) table. Forensic geoscience techniques are continuing to rapidly evolve to assist search investigators to detect hitherto difficult to locate forensic targets.

A forensic identification case and DPid - can it be a useful tool?

PubMed

Queiroz, Cristhiane Leão de; Bostock, Ellen Marie; Santos, Carlos Ferreira; Guimarães, Marco Aurélio; Silva, Ricardo Henrique Alves da

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to show DPid as an important tool of potential application to solve cases with dental prosthesis, such as the forensic case reported, in which a skull, denture and dental records were received for analysis. Human identification is still challenging in various circumstances and Dental Prosthetics Identification (DPid) stores the patient's name and prosthesis information and provides access through an embedded code in dental prosthesis or an identification card. All of this information is digitally stored on servers accessible only by dentists, laboratory technicians and patients with their own level of secure access. DPid provides a complete single-source list of all dental prosthesis features (materials and components) under complete and secure documentation used for clinical follow-up and for human identification. If DPid tool was present in this forensic case, it could have been solved without requirement of DNA exam, which confirmed the dental comparison of antemortem and postmortem records, and concluded the case as a positive identification.

Outcry Consistency and Prosecutorial Decisions in Child Sexual Abuse Cases.

PubMed

Bracewell, Tammy E

2018-05-18

This study examines the correlation between the consistency in a child's sexual abuse outcry and the prosecutorial decision to accept or reject cases of child sexual abuse. Case-specific information was obtained from one Texas Children's Advocacy Center on all cases from 2010 to 2013. After the needed deletion, the total number of cases included in the analysis was 309. An outcry was defined as a sexual abuse disclosure. Consistency was measured at both the forensic interview and the sexual assault exam. Logistic regression was used to evaluate whether a correlation existed between disclosure and prosecutorial decisions. Disclosure was statistically significant. Partial disclosure (disclosure at one point in time and denial at another) versus full disclosure (disclosure at two points in time) had a statistically significant odds ratio of 4.801. Implications are discussed, specifically, how the different disciplines involved in child protection should take advantage of the expertise of both forensic interviewers and forensic nurses to inform their decisions.

Meeting a Forensic Podiatry Admissibility Challenge: A Daubert Case Study.

PubMed

Nirenberg, Michael

2016-05-01

This article is an introduction to the United States Supreme Court's standard of admissibility of forensic evidence and testimony at trial, known as the Daubert standard, with emphasis on how this standard applies to the field of forensic podiatry. The author, a forensic podiatrist, provided law enforcement with evidence tying a bloody sock-clad footprint found at the scene of a homicide to the suspect. In 2014, the author testified at a pretrial hearing, known as "a Daubert hearing," to address the admissibility of this evidence in court. This was the first instance of forensic podiatry being the primary subject of a Daubert hearing. The hearing resulted in the court ordering this evidence admissible. The expert's testimony contributed to the suspect's conviction. This article serves as a reference for forensic podiatrists and experts in similar fields that involve impression evidence, providing evidentiary standards and their impact on expert evidence and testimony. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Educating Jurors about Forensic Evidence: Using an Expert Witness and Judicial Instructions to Mitigate the Impact of Invalid Forensic Science Testimony.

PubMed

Eastwood, Joseph; Caldwell, Jiana

2015-11-01

Invalid expert witness testimony that overstated the precision and accuracy of forensic science procedures has been highlighted as a common factor in many wrongful conviction cases. This study assessed the ability of an opposing expert witness and judicial instructions to mitigate the impact of invalid forensic science testimony. Participants (N = 155) acted as mock jurors in a sexual assault trial that contained both invalid forensic testimony regarding hair comparison evidence, and countering testimony from either a defense expert witness or judicial instructions. Results showed that the defense expert witness was successful in educating jurors regarding limitations in the initial expert's conclusions, leading to a greater number of not-guilty verdicts. The judicial instructions were shown to have no impact on verdict decisions. These findings suggest that providing opposing expert witnesses may be an effective safeguard against invalid forensic testimony in criminal trials. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Filicide, attempted filicide, and psychotic disorders.

PubMed

Valença, Alexandre M; Mendlowicz, Mauro V; Nascimento, Isabella; Nardi, Antonio E

2011-03-01

The objective of the study was to describe and discuss the cases of two women who faced criminal charges, one for attempting to murder her three children and the other for killing her 1-year-old boy. After a forensic psychiatric assessment of their level of criminal responsibility, these patients were considered not guilty by reason of insanity and were committed to forensic mental hospitals. These two patients received a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia, according to the DSM-IV-TR criteria. In both cases, psychotic symptoms were present before the manifestation of violent behavior, in the form of persecutory delusions, auditory hallucinations, and pathological impulsivity. The investigation into cases of filicide may contribute powerfully to expand our understanding of motivational factors underlying this phenomenon and enhance the odds for effective prevention. © 2011 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Three-dimensional computer visualization of forensic pathology data.

PubMed

March, Jack; Schofield, Damian; Evison, Martin; Woodford, Noel

2004-03-01

Despite a decade of use in US courtrooms, it is only recently that forensic computer animations have become an increasingly important form of communication in legal spheres within the United Kingdom. Aims Research at the University of Nottingham has been influential in the critical investigation of forensic computer graphics reconstruction methodologies and techniques and in raising the profile of this novel form of data visualization within the United Kingdom. The case study presented demonstrates research undertaken by Aims Research and the Department of Forensic Pathology at the University of Sheffield, which aims to apply, evaluate, and develop novel 3-dimensional computer graphics (CG) visualization and virtual reality (VR) techniques in the presentation and investigation of forensic information concerning the human body. The inclusion of such visualizations within other CG or VR environments may ultimately provide the potential for alternative exploratory directions, processes, and results within forensic pathology investigations.

A psychological profile of a serial killer: a case report.

PubMed

Dogra, T D; Leenaars, Antoon A; Chadha, R K; Manju, Mehta; Lalwani, Sanjeev; Sood, Mamta; Lester, David; Raina, Anupuma; Behera, C

2012-01-01

Serial killers have always fascinated society. A serial killer is typically defined as a perpetrator who murders three or more people over a period of time. Most reported cases of serial killers come from the United States and Canada. In India, there are few reported cases. We present, to the best of our knowledge, the first Indian case in the literature. The present case is of a 28-year-old man, Surinder Koli. The Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delphi handled the forensic study. We present a most unique psychological investigation into the mind of a serial killer.

Setting Course: The Case for the Credentialing of Forensic Interviewers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haney, Mike; Vieth, Victor I.; Campos, Hector M.

2010-01-01

The article provides a history of efforts to develop a credentialing or certification process for forensic interviewers and reviews the multitiered credentialing process offered by the National Association of Certified Child Forensic Interviewers. The authors argue the benefits of a credentialing process for forensic interviewers and respond to…

Forensics on a Shoestring Budget

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greco, Joseph A.

2005-01-01

In recent years, forensic science has gained popularity thanks in part to high-profile court cases and television programs. Although the cost of forensic equipment and supplies may initially seem too expensive for the typical high school classroom, the author developed an activity that incorporates forensics into her 10th-grade biology curriculum…

Forensic medical examinations conducted on complainants of sexual assault in the Forensic Medicine Institute, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, between 2006 and 2013.

PubMed

Engelgardt, P; Cychowska, M; Bloch-Bogusławska, E

2014-01-01

A total of 46 cases of alleged sexual assault were analysed from the years 2006-2013 where forensic medical examinations were conducted. The material was compared with data from literature. All the victims were female. In 9 cases (20%) a sexual assault by sexual touching was alleged, 67% of complainants (31 cases) had alleged non-consensual sexual intercourse, 6 complainants (13%) had no recollection of events. Genital area injuries were reported in 26% of sexual assault victims. Injuries of other parts of the body were found in 73% of victims. None of the subjects were positive for severe injuries such as fractures, wounds, and head trauma with loss of consciousness. The majority of complainants (29 cases, 63%) were examined within 24 hours after the incident and 6 examinees (13%) were assessed between 24 and 48 hours after the alleged sexual assault. Eleven forensic medical examinations (24%) were conducted after the lapse of more than 48 hours since the alleged incident. Twenty nine complainants admitted that they had washed their genital area after the sexual assault. Forensic swabs were taken during all forensic medical examinations.

Sudden aortic death-proposal for a comprehensive diagnostic approach in forensic and in clinical pathology practice.

PubMed

de Boer, Hans H; Dedouit, Fabrice; Chappex, Nina; van der Wal, Allard C; Michaud, Katarzyna

2017-11-01

Aortic rupture or dissection as immediate cause of sudden death is encountered in forensic and clinical autopsy practice. Despite a common denominator of 'sudden aortic death' (SAD), we expect that in both settings the diagnostic workup, being either primarily legal or primarily disease related, differs substantially, which may affect the eventual diagnoses. We retrospectively reviewed case records of deceased persons who fitted a diagnosis of SAD in the continuous autopsy cohorts in a forensic (Suisse) and a clinical setting (The Netherlands). Clinical characteristics, data from post-mortem imaging, tissue blocks for histological analysis and results of ancillary studies were reviewed for its presence and outcome. SAD was found in 7.7% in the forensic versus 2.2% in the clinical autopsies. In the forensic setting, autopsy was always combined with post-mortem imaging, showing variable outcome on detection of aortic disruption and/or pericardial bleeding. Histology of aorta was performed in 12/35 cases, mostly in the natural deaths. In the clinical setting, histology of the aorta was available in all cases, but post-mortem imaging in none. In both settings, underlying aortic disease was mostly cystic medial degeneration, atherosclerosis or a combination of both, with occasional rare unexpected diagnosis. Also in both, a genetic cause of aortic dissection was revealed in a minority (three cases). Sudden aortic death (SAD) is more commonly encountered in a forensic than in a clinical setting. Major differences in the approach of SAD between these settings coincide with similarities in causes of death and underlying diseases. To ensure a correct diagnosis, we recommend that the investigation of SAD includes a study of the medical history, a full autopsy with histology of major organs including aorta, and storage of material for toxicological and genetic testing. Post-mortem radiological examination, useful for documentation and screening purposes, is feasible as non-invasive alternative when autopsy is not possible, but cannot substitute a full autopsy.

Usefulness and limitations of postmortem computed tomography in forensic analysis of gunshot injuries: Three case reports.

PubMed

Usui, Akihito; Kawasumi, Yusuke; Hosokai, Yoshiyuki; Kozakai, Masataka; Saito, Haruo; Funayama, Masato

2016-01-01

Gunshot injury has always been an important field of investigation in postmortem forensic radiology. The localization and retrieval of the bullet and of potentially important fragments are vital to these cases. Using postmortem multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) prior to forensic autopsy, we sought to illustrate the importance of this modality in the noninvasive characterization of gunshot wounds. We obtained and analyzed MDCT images in three cases of gunshot wounds (accidental close-range shotgun shooting, suicidal contact gunshot to the head and accidental long-range buckshot shooting). We discuss the value of postmortem MDCT findings in gunshot wound cases by comparing with forensic autopsy findings in Japan, a developing country with miserably low autopsy rate. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Allele frequencies for 13 STRs loci in a Western Anatolia population and their forensic evaluation.

PubMed

Baransel Isir, Aysun; Ozkorkmaz, Abdulmuttalip; Pehlivan, Sacide

2015-01-01

Numerous studies demonstrated that STRs have become powerful tools in forensic case work. To profile DNA samples from 104 Turkish males for 13 autosomal, STR markers intended for human identification purposes and to estimate the allele frequency distribution in forensic cases in a Turkish population. Thirteen autosomal STR loci, namely D3S1358, D2S1338, D16S539, D8S1179, D21S11, D18S51, TH01, D13S317, D7S820, CSF1PO, TPOX, D5S818 and FGA, were analysed in a sample of 104 healthy and unrelated Turkish individuals who have been living in the city of İzmir. All loci were amplified by using AmpFlSTR Identifier Kit. Genetic analysis was carried out on an ABI PRISM 310 Genetic Analyser. For each locus, 6-15 alleles were found with frequencies ranging from 0.005-0.514 and heterozygosities ranging from 0.686-0.868. The PIC value was highly significant (0.999). The 13 STR loci in the AmpFlSTR Identifier Kit are suitable for forensic identification and paternity tests due to high heterozygosity. The observed PD value is sufficiently high for human identification purposes. In conclusion, the 13 STR loci seem to be useful markers for personal identification and forensic case work in the Turkish population. The results also demonstrate the importance of region-specific studies.

The New Zealand Hacker Case: A Post Mortem

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Popovsky, Barbara; Ryan, Daniel J.; Frincke, Deborah A.

2005-10-01

A typical incident response pits technicians against networks that aren't prepared forensically. [1, 2] If practitioners do consider collecting network forensic data, they face a choice between expending extraordinary effort (time and money) collecting forensically sound data, or simply restoring the network as quickly as possible. In this context, the concept of organizational network forensic readiness has emerged. The following is a discussion of selected computer crime cases, using publically available information, spanning a period of time of several years, that together demonstrate the need for a preventive and proactive response to malicious intrusion over a reactive one. It concludesmore » with recommendations for how to "operationalize" organizational network forensic readiness.« less

Psychiatric comorbidity in forensic psychiatry.

PubMed

Palijan, Tija Zarković; Muzinić, Lana; Radeljak, Sanja

2009-09-01

For the past several years a numerous studies in the field of forensic psychiatry confirmed a close relationship between violent offenders and comorbid substance abuse. The comorbid substance abuse in violent offenders was usually unrecognized and misdiagnosed. Furthermore, comorbidity in forensic psychiatry describes the co-occurrence of two or more conditions or psychiatric disorder known in the literature as dual diagnosis and defined by World Health Organization (WHO). In fact, many violent offenders have multiple psychiatric diagnoses. Recent studies have confirmed causal relationship between major psychiatric disorders and concomitant substance abuse (comorbidity) in 50-80% of forensic cases. In general, there is a high level of psychiatric comorbidity in forensic patients with prevalence of personality disorders (50-90%), mood disorders (20-60%) and psychotic disorders (15-20%) coupled with substance abuse disorders. Moreover, the high prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities could be found in mentally retarded individuals, as well as, in epileptic patients. Drugs and alcohol abuse can produce serious psychotoxic effects that may lead to extreme violent behavior and consequently to serious criminal offence such as physical assault, rape, armed robbery, attempted murder and homicide, all due to an altered brain function and generating psychotic-like symptoms. Studies have confirmed a significant statistical relevance in causal relationship between substance abuse and violent offences. In terms of forensic psychiatry, the comorbidity strongly contributes in the process of establishing psychiatric diagnosis of diminished mental capacity or insanity at the time of the offence in the course of clinical assessment and evaluation of violent offenders. Today, the primary focus of forensic psychiatry treatment services (in-patient or community) is management of the violent offenders with psychiatric comorbidity which requires a multilevel, evidence based approach to the patient. Forensic treatment service effectiveness appears to be associated with individual case management and approach including psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy and occupational therapy in order to achieve optimal rehabilitation, prevention of recidivism and stability in social functioning of the patient in the community.

Applied dendroecology and environmental forensics. Characterizing and age dating environmental releases: fundamentals and case studies

Treesearch

Jean-Christophe Balouet; Gil Oudijk; Kevin T. Smith; Ioana Petrisor; Hakan Grudd; Bengt Stocklassa

2007-01-01

Dendroecology, or the use of ring patterns to assess the age of trees and environmental factors controlling their growth, is a well-developed method in climatologic studies. This method holds great potential as a forensic tool for age dating, contamination assessment, and characterization of releases. Moreover, the method is independent of the physical presence of...

The 'relics of Joan of Arc': a forensic multidisciplinary analysis.

PubMed

Charlier, P; Poupon, J; Eb, A; De Mazancourt, P; Gilbert, T; Huynh-Charlier, I; Loublier, Y; Verhille, A M; Moulheirat, C; Patou-Mathis, M; Robbiola, L; Montagut, R; Masson, F; Etcheberry, A; Brun, L; Willerslev, E; de la Grandmaison, G Lorin; Durigon, M

2010-01-30

Archaeological remains can provide concrete cases, making it possible to develop, refine or validate medico-legal techniques. In the case of the so-called 'Joan of Arc's relics' (a group of bone and archaeological remains known as the 'Bottle of Chinon'), 14 specialists analysed the samples such as a cadaver X of carbonised aspect: forensic anthropologist, medical examiners, pathologists, geneticists, radiologist, biochemists, palynologists, zoologist and archaeologist. Materials, methods and results of this study are presented here. This study aims to offer an exploitable methodology for the modern medico-legal cases of small quantities of human bones of carbonised aspect. 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

New bone post-processing tools in forensic imaging: a multi-reader feasibility study to evaluate detection time and diagnostic accuracy in rib fracture assessment.

PubMed

Glemser, Philip A; Pfleiderer, Michael; Heger, Anna; Tremper, Jan; Krauskopf, Astrid; Schlemmer, Heinz-Peter; Yen, Kathrin; Simons, David

2017-03-01

The aim of this multi-reader feasibility study was to evaluate new post-processing CT imaging tools in rib fracture assessment of forensic cases by analyzing detection time and diagnostic accuracy. Thirty autopsy cases (20 with and 10 without rib fractures in autopsy) were randomly selected and included in this study. All cases received a native whole body CT scan prior to the autopsy procedure, which included dissection and careful evaluation of each rib. In addition to standard transverse sections (modality A), CT images were subjected to a reconstruction algorithm to compute axial labelling of the ribs (modality B) as well as "unfolding" visualizations of the rib cage (modality C, "eagle tool"). Three radiologists with different clinical and forensic experience who were blinded to autopsy results evaluated all cases in a random manner of modality and case. Rib fracture assessment of each reader was evaluated compared to autopsy and a CT consensus read as radiologic reference. A detailed evaluation of relevant test parameters revealed a better accordance to the CT consensus read as to the autopsy. Modality C was the significantly quickest rib fracture detection modality despite slightly reduced statistic test parameters compared to modalities A and B. Modern CT post-processing software is able to shorten reading time and to increase sensitivity and specificity compared to standard autopsy alone. The eagle tool as an easy to use tool is suited for an initial rib fracture screening prior to autopsy and can therefore be beneficial for forensic pathologists.

Solving crimes with hypnosis.

PubMed

Wester, William C; Hammond, D Corydon

2011-04-01

Following a brief review of the literature on hypnosis and memory, this paper overviews the procedures that are used in conducting forensic hypnosis interviews. Ten forensic hypnosis cases are then described. These real world cases are in stark contrast to research done in an artificial laboratory setting where the information to be recalled lacks personal relevance and was not associated with emotionally arousing situations. These cases illustrate how forensic hypnosis can result in obtaining important additional investigative leads which lead to the solving of crimes.

[The expert characteristic of the forensic medical documentation for the purpose of investigations of the injuries to the maxillofacial region].

PubMed

Popov, V L; Yagmurov, M O; Troshin, E L

2018-01-01

The injuries to the maxillofacial region (MFR) are among the most frequently occurring problems encountered if the forensic medical practice. The objective of the present study was the analysis of the quality of the medical record documentation of the victims of the injuries to the maxillofacial region for obtaining the information necessary for forensic medical experts to make the well-founded conclusions. We undertook the in-depth analysis of random samples from the materials stored in the archive of living subjects at the Saint-Petersburg Bureau of forensic medical expertise for the period from 2010 to 2014. The results of a total of 438 forensic medical examinations were available for the analysis. The study has demonstrated the generally low forensic medical value of the expert conclusions that frequently fail to conform to the requirements of the departmental instructions on the description of MFR injuries. In all the cases, neurologists and radiologists were counselled. The results of analysis of the drawbacks of forensic medical examinations give evidence that they originate first and foremost from subjective circumstances which opens up the promising prospects for the improvement of expertise quality based on the enhancement of the professional responsibility of the forensic medical experts.

Expert disagreement in bitemark casework.

PubMed

Bowers, C Michael; Pretty, Iain A

2009-07-01

Bitemark cases continue to raise controversy due to the degree of expert disagreement which is frequently seen. Using a case mix of 49 bitemark cases from 2000 to 2007 each injury was independently assessed for its forensic significance using a previously described bitemark severity scale. Following the assessment, the mean value for the bites was categorized according to the crime type, the degree of expert agreement, and the judicial outcome. Results suggest that bitemarks found in child abuse cases have statistically significantly lower forensic value than those in other crime types, that bites where there is mutual agreement between experts will have higher forensic value than those where there is disagreement at trial, and that cases in which DNA has provided an exoneration will demonstrate similar quality to those where a conviction was secured. Forensic odontologists should carefully assess bitemark evidence and ensure that it meets certain minimums in relation to the presence of class and unique features before undertaking an analysis.

[The male genital in legal medicine].

PubMed

Albrecht, K; Schultheiss, D

2006-02-01

Pathomorphological findings for the male genital are an exception among forensic cases. In earlier publications they were usually published as individual cases. A significant percentage are the so-called fertility- and potency medical certificates, which are usually commissioned for doubtful paternity cases. Old forensic writings about genital injuries distinguish--apart from the necessity of a complete dissection--between "deadly as such" and "accidentally deadly" injuries. Another group consists of reports about self-inflicted genital mutilation, e.g. among prison inmates or soldiers of the last world wars to become an invalid. When it was necessary to identify a corpse, e.g. in cases of progressive decomposition, Merkel recommended in 1945 the representation of the so-called "Schnepfenkopf" (snipe head; colliculus seminalis) in the lesser pelvis. In this article a medical and forensic review of forensically relevant findings of the male genital is presented and illustrated with historical cases.

Fast screening tests for the simultaneous detection of 11 drugs of abuse in urine specimens. A forensic epidemiology study of 28,298 cases in Tunisia.

PubMed

Moslah, B; Araoud, M; Nouioui, M A; Najjar, S; Amira, D; Ben Salah, N; Hedhili, A

2018-02-01

Forensic investigation performed on people suspected to be drug abusers covering all Tunisian cities was conducted by monitoring an epidemiological study of human urine samples surveying positive rates of consumption for drugs of abuse. The forensic investigations were conducted on a total of 28,298 arrested individuals suspected to be drug addicts during five years (January 2010-December 2015). An immunoassay screening tests to detect elevated levels of drugs classes in urine samples was performed. These screening assays provide a preliminary qualitative test result. Only positives urine specimens were analyzed with GC-MS for confirmation. Except for cannabis, the results showed insignificant number of positive cases for cocaine, ecstasy (MDMA) and amphetamine consumptions (<1%). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Forensic pharmacology: An important and evolving subspecialty needs recognition in India

PubMed Central

Malve, Harshad Onkarrao

2016-01-01

With training in pharmacology, a pharmacologist has an expert knowledge as well as working experience in the subjects of therapeutics, pharmacokinetics, and toxicology along with exposure to subjects such as forensic medicine during the medical education. All these knowledge domains can be applied and act as an interface to the forensic situations. The skills and expertise of a forensic pharmacologist can be useful in a large and diverse number of legal cases. With an ever increasing incidence of criminal and civil cases in India, the development and inclusion of forensic pharmacologist in the judicial system of India are the need of the hour. The research in pharmacology has witnessed great technological advancement that allows it to expand its scope beyond the domain of therapeutics, thus enabling Indian pharmacologists to explore the niche area of Forensic Pharmacology. Differing pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs in living and dead, drug interactions, abuse of drugs, personal injury or death due to drug exposure leading to medico-legal issues, environmental exposure to chemicals, and doping and forensic pharmacovigilance are the diverse aspects of Forensic Pharmacology. PMID:27134459

Forensic mental health evaluations of military personnel with traumatic life event, in a university hospital in Ankara, Turkey.

PubMed

Balandiz, Huseyin; Bolu, Abdullah

2017-10-01

The definition of psychological trauma has been rephrased with the DSM-5. From now on, witnessing someone else's traumatic event is also accepted as a traumatic life event. Therefore, the psychiatric examination of forensic cases gains importance for not overlooking a psychiatric trauma. This research aims to discuss the psychiatric examinations of military personnel who had a traumatic life event and to reveal psychiatric states of soldiers after trauma. The forensic reports prepared at Gulhane Military Medical Academy (GMMA), Forensic Medicine polyclinic between January 1, 2011 and November 30, 2014 were examined, and among them the cases sent to GMMA Psychiatry polyclinic for psychiatric examination were analyzed retrospectively. There were a total of 2408 cases who applied for the arrangement of a judicial report and 167 of them required a psychological examination. Among 167 cases, 165 were male and 2 were female, and the mean age was 25.6 years. Anxiety disorder (53.9%) was the most common diagnosis as a result of the psychiatric examination, following posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (18.6%), and 3.6% had no psychopathology. It was determined that injuries caused by firearms (38.3%) and explosive materials (26.3%) had caused psychological trauma the most. On the other hand, 11 (6.6%) cases were determined to have undergone a psychological trauma on account of being a witness to their friends' injuries during the conflict without experiencing any physical injury. There were not any statistically significant relationships between the severity of physical injury and being PTSD or anxiety disorder. Development of PTSD risk is directly correlated with the nature of trauma. The trauma types of the cases in our study were in the high-risk group because of the military population. Our study is of importance in terms of putting forward the psychiatric disorders seen in the military population with traumatic life history associated with war (combat-related). In this research, 26.1% of the cases followed up due to combat-related trauma were diagnosed with PTSD. Interestingly, this ratio was lower than the studies that have larger case numbers. There is still the need to conduct studies that will involve larger participants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Forensic Child Sexual Abuse Evaluations: Assessing Subjectivity and Bias in Professional Judgements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Everson, Mark D.; Sandoval, Jose Miguel

2011-01-01

Objectives: Evaluators examining the same evidence often arrive at substantially different conclusions in forensic assessments of child sexual abuse (CSA). This study attempts to identify and quantify subjective factors that contribute to such disagreements so that interventions can be devised to improve the reliability of case decisions. Methods:…

Inquiry-Based Learning Case Studies for Computing and Computing Forensic Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Jackie

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe and discuss the use of specifically-developed, inquiry-based learning materials for Computing and Forensic Computing students. Small applications have been developed which require investigation in order to de-bug code, analyse data issues and discover "illegal" behaviour. The applications…

Ocular trauma and its consequences in the forensic practice.

PubMed

Enache, A; Chatzinikolaou, F; Mercescu, A

2009-04-01

The study concentrated on the analysis of patients with ocular lesions which were determined by different situations and were examined by the forensic expert. The cases were examined during 2003-2007, including the appreciation of the gravity of violent lesions. The results revealed that the most exposed are men with a ratio of 6:1, with an annual average of 10 cases. The main causes were aggression (84% of the cases), traffic accidents (12%), and other (4%). Most cases presented light lesions, 76%, severe lesions in 20% and very severe lesions, including total loss of sight in 4% of the cases. In the cases with severe lesions, the investigations were more thorough, the treatment highly specialized and the legal consequences were harsher. These cases required a follow-up of 6-9-12 months so that the forensic expert could evaluate the damage correctly. Despite the fact that the majority of ocular traumas are less severe, in the ocular contusive lesions the evolution can be towards aggravation. Some cases which require a closer observation of the cases and the appreciation of the judicial consequences of the visual organ presenting severe ocular trauma.

An Appraisal of Decomposition Cases Received at the Johannesburg Forensic Pathology Service Medico-legal Mortuary During 2010-2011.

PubMed

Keyes, Craig A; Hill, Lawrence; Gordon, Guinevere M

2016-03-01

Decomposed bodies pose many questions for researchers regarding environmental effects, cause of death, and patterns. This study aimed to observe the factors associated with decomposed bodies autopsied at the Johannesburg Forensic Pathology Service Medico-legal Mortuary. A total of 4876 autopsies were conducted from 2010 to 2011, of which 109 were decomposed. Black individuals made up the largest proportion (67%) followed by White (26%). Males comprised 86.2%, while 12.8% were female. The mean age was 42.78 years. Most cases were in the early stages of decomposition (49.5%), with 32.1% bloated, 11.9% in active decay, 2.8% in advanced decay, and 3.7% were skeletal. Insect activity was identified in 25.7% of decomposition cases. Cause of death was determined in 48.6% of cases. Of all the cases, 64% were found indoors and 23% outdoors, while 23% had insufficient information regarding the location. Of considerable interest was the number of cases from hospitals and clinics. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Analysis of Forensic Casework Utilizing Infrared Spectroscopic Imaging.

PubMed

Lanzarotta, Adam

2016-02-24

A search of the current scientific literature yields a limited number of studies that describe the use of Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopic imaging for the analysis of forensic casework, which is likely due to the fact that these instruments are fairly new commodities to the field of analytical chemistry and are therefore not yet commonplace in forensic laboratories. This report describes recent forensic case studies that have used the technique for determining the composition of a wide variety of multi-component sample types, including animal tissue sections for toxic inclusions, drugs/dietary supplements, an antibiotic with an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) present as several different salt forms, an adulterated bulk API, unknown trace powders for illicit drugs and an ophthalmic solution suspected of being adulterated with bleach.

Analysis of Forensic Casework Utilizing Infrared Spectroscopic Imaging †

PubMed Central

Lanzarotta, Adam

2016-01-01

A search of the current scientific literature yields a limited number of studies that describe the use of Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopic imaging for the analysis of forensic casework, which is likely due to the fact that these instruments are fairly new commodities to the field of analytical chemistry and are therefore not yet commonplace in forensic laboratories. This report describes recent forensic case studies that have used the technique for determining the composition of a wide variety of multi-component sample types, including animal tissue sections for toxic inclusions, drugs/dietary supplements, an antibiotic with an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) present as several different salt forms, an adulterated bulk API, unknown trace powders for illicit drugs and an ophthalmic solution suspected of being adulterated with bleach. PMID:26927101

Identification of a forensic case using microscopy and forensically informative nucleotide sequencing (FINS): a case study of small Indian civet (Viverricula indica).

PubMed

Sahajpal, Vivek; Goyal, S P

2010-06-01

The exhibits obtained in wildlife offence cases quite often present a challenging situation for the forensic expert. The selection of proper approach for analysis is vital for a successful analysis. A generalised forensic analysis approach should proceed from the use of non-destructive techniques (morphological and microscopic examination) to partially destructive and finally destructive techniques (DNA analysis). The findings of non-destructive techniques may sometime be inconclusive but they definitely help in steering further forensic analysis in a proper direction. We describe a recent case where a very small dried skin piece (<0.05 mg) with just one small trimmed guard hair (0.4 cm) on it was received for species identification. The single guard hair was examined microscopically to get an indication of the type of species. We also describe the extraction procedure with a lower amount of sample, using an automated extraction method (Qiagen Biorobot EZ1) and PCR amplification of three mitochondrial genes (16s rRNA, 12s rRNA and cytochrome b) for species identification. Microscopic examination of the single hair indicated a viverrid species but the initial DNA analysis with 16s rRNA (through NCBI BLAST) showed the highest homology (93%) with a hyaenid species (Hyaena hyaena). However, further DNA analysis based on 12s rRNA and cytochrome b gene proved that the species was indeed a viverrid i.e. Viverricula indica (small Indian civet). The highest homology shown with a Hyaenid species by the 16s rRNA sequence from the case sample was due to lack of a 16s rRNA sequence for Viverricula indica in the NCBI data base. The case highlights the importance of morphological and microscopic examinations in wildlife offence cases. With respect to DNA extraction technology we found that automatic extraction method of Biorobot EZ1 (Qiagen) is quite useful with less amount of sample (much below recommended amount). Copyright 2009 Forensic Science Society. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Deaths among women of reproductive age: a forensic autopsy study.

PubMed

Padubidri, Jagadish Rao; Menezes, Ritesh G; Pant, Sadip; Shetty, Soumya B

2013-08-01

Unnatural deaths in women of reproductive age (range 12-49 years) have a serious psychological and social impact on the family and community. Deaths among women of reproductive age reported as medico-legal cases were investigated to see the trend in terms of cause and manner of death. The study group consisted of a series of 328 consecutive forensic autopsies on women in the reproductive age group, performed between 2009 and 2011 at the Government Wenlock District Hospital, Mangalore, India by qualified specialist forensic medicine experts. Unnatural deaths formed 93.6% of the cohort. The top three causes of death included burns, poisoning and hanging forming 69.5% of the cases. The manner of death was suicide in 45.4% cases, accident in 43.6% cases and homicide in 4.6% cases. The circumstances of death were related to alleged medical negligence in 2.4% cases. Death in 4% cases was natural mannered with a disease being the cause of death. Three-fourths of the victims were married. Married women formed 63.1% of the suicidal victims. Homicidal deaths were not reported among unmarried women. The preponderant method of suicide was by poisoning at 42.3% (63 cases), followed by hanging (34.9%), burns (11.4%) and drowning (9.4%). These four methods comprised 98% of the total suicidal deaths in this study cohort. Accidental deaths were predominantly caused by burns (62.2%) and road traffic accident (23.1%). Two-thirds of the homicidal deaths were due to assault caused by blunt-force trauma, ligature strangulation and sharp-force trauma. One-third of the homicidal victims died due to burns. With a clear understanding of the cause and manner of death, it may be possible to predict, and hopefully prevent, future cases of unnatural deaths in women of reproductive age who form a very important group of society. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Forensic entomology of high-rise buildings in Malaysia: Three case reports.

PubMed

Syamsa, R A; Omar, B; Zuha, R M; Faridah, M N; Swarhib, M S; Hidayatulfathi, O; Shahrom, A W

2015-06-01

The distributions of flies are not only confined to ground level but can also be at higher altitudes. Here, we report three forensic cases involving dipterans in high-rise buildings in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Case 1 involved a corpse of adult female found at the top floor of a fifteen-story apartment. Case 2 dealt with a body of a 75-year-old female discovered in a bedroom on the eleventh floor of an eighteen-story building, while Case 3 was a 52-year-old male found in his fifth floor shop house. Interestingly, entomological analysis revealed that all corpses were infested with similar Dipterans: Megaselia scalaris (Loew) (Diptera: Phoridae), Synthesiomyia nudiseta (Wulp) (Diptera: Muscidae) and sarcophagid (Diptera: Sarcophagidae). The first two species were commonly associated with corpses found indoors at ground level. We noted the additional occurrence of blowflies Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and Chrysomya rufifacies Macquart (Diptera: Calliphoridae) larvae in Case 2 and Case 3, respectively. Findings from this study are significant as they demonstrate that certain groups of fly can locate dead bodies even in high-rise buildings. Forensic entomofauna research on corpses found at high elevation is scarce and our study has highlighted the peculiarity of the fly species involved in Malaysia.

Forensic entomology investigations from Doctor Marcel Leclercq (1924-2008): a review of cases from 1969 to 2005.

PubMed

Dekeirsschieter, J; Frederickx, C; Verheggen, F J; Boxho, P; Haubruge, E

2013-09-01

Dr. Marcel Leclercq was a pioneer in the field of forensic entomology. He has provided his knowledge of insect biology to many forensic cases, and most of them have found the way to publication. Most of the articles he has written were focused on individual cases, and despite the abundance of entomoforensic investigations he conducted, no synthesis has been published. This article summarizes 36 yr of forensic entomological investigations in temperate Europe, mainly in Belgium. Dr. Leclercq's work includes 132 entomological cases involving 141 human corpses found in various death scenes. Under certain conditions, insect specimens found at death scene can provide information on when (postmortem interval estimation), where and how a person died. More or less 100 insect species associated with a dead body have been identified by Dr. Leclercq.

Profile of Kidney Histopathology in Cases of Burns - Particular Emphasis on Acridine Orange Fluorescence Study and to Explore its Forensic Utility

PubMed Central

Desai, Nandini J.; Gupta, B.D.; Patel, Pratik N.

2016-01-01

Introduction The major cause of death in the burn patients includes multiple organ failure and infection but, sometimes the exact cause of death in many fatally burned patients is difficult to detect. Many times in medico-legal post-mortem examinations in cases of burns, histopathological examination of organs is requested. Aim The aim was to study various histopathological changes in kidneys in the post-mortem cases of burns, by using routine Haematoxylin and Eosin stain (H&E stain), special Periodic and Schiff’s Stain (PAS) stain, to study the role of acridine orange fluorescence study, to explore the forensic utility of this microscopic study and to find out the relationship between duration of survival and histopathological changes observed. Materials and Methods An experimental longitudinal prospective study from October 2010 to September 2012. Total 32 cases of death due to burns were autopsied at mortuary, the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology in our hospital. Bilateral kidneys were removed and preserved in 10% formalin solution. These were forwarded to Department of Pathology for histopathological examination. Routine microscopic examination by H&E stain as well as PAS stain and fluorescence study by acridine orange stain were done in all cases. Results It was observed that in 21 (65.63%) cases gross findings in kidneys were normal, in 06 (18.75%) were grossly pale and in 05 (15.62%) heavy & congested. Sections taken from kidneys and studied by H&E stain showed overlapping histopathological changes in all cases. In 26 (81.25%) cases, changes of Acute Tubular Necrosis (ATN) while in remaining 06 (18.75%), changes of cloudy swelling were observed. The sections stained by acridine orange and observed under fluorescent microscope were lightly positive in 15 (46.88%), brightly positive in 08 (25.00%) whereas, negative in 09 (28.12%). Conclusion Microscopy by various methods helps in getting specific lesions in kidney due to burns. However, it does not add any new tool to resolve any forensic issues of burns. Therefore, microscopy (including florescent), if done would be redundant. PMID:27190809

System Support for Forensic Inference

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gehani, Ashish; Kirchner, Florent; Shankar, Natarajan

Digital evidence is playing an increasingly important role in prosecuting crimes. The reasons are manifold: financially lucrative targets are now connected online, systems are so complex that vulnerabilities abound and strong digital identities are being adopted, making audit trails more useful. If the discoveries of forensic analysts are to hold up to scrutiny in court, they must meet the standard for scientific evidence. Software systems are currently developed without consideration of this fact. This paper argues for the development of a formal framework for constructing “digital artifacts” that can serve as proxies for physical evidence; a system so imbued would facilitate sound digital forensic inference. A case study involving a filesystem augmentation that provides transparent support for forensic inference is described.

The potential use of cuticular hydrocarbons and multivariate analysis to age empty puparial cases of Calliphora vicina and Lucilia sericata.

PubMed

Moore, Hannah E; Pechal, Jennifer L; Benbow, M Eric; Drijfhout, Falko P

2017-05-16

Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHC) have been successfully used in the field of forensic entomology for identifying and ageing forensically important blowfly species, primarily in the larval stages. However in older scenes where all other entomological evidence is no longer present, Calliphoridae puparial cases can often be all that remains and therefore being able to establish the age could give an indication of the PMI. This paper examined the CHCs present in the lipid wax layer of insects, to determine the age of the cases over a period of nine months. The two forensically important species examined were Calliphora vicina and Lucilia sericata. The hydrocarbons were chemically extracted and analysed using Gas Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry. Statistical analysis was then applied in the form of non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis (NMDS), permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) and random forest models. This study was successful in determining age differences within the empty cases, which to date, has not been establish by any other technique.

Fly pupae and puparia as potential contaminants of forensic entomology samples from sites of body discovery.

PubMed

Archer, M S; Elgar, M A; Briggs, C A; Ranson, D L

2006-11-01

Fly pupae and puparia may contaminate forensic entomology samples at death scenes if they have originated not from human remains but from animal carcasses or other decomposing organic material. These contaminants may erroneously lengthen post-mortem interval estimates if no pupae or puparia are genuinely associated with the body. Three forensic entomology case studies are presented, in which contamination either occurred or was suspected. In the first case, blow fly puparia collected near the body were detected as contaminants because the species was inactive both when the body was found and when the deceased was last sighted reliably. The second case illustrates that contamination may be suspected at particularly squalid death scenes because of the likely presence of carcasses or organic material. The third case involves the presence at the body discovery site of numerous potentially contaminating animal carcasses. Soil samples were taken along transects to show that pupae and puparia were clustered around their probable sources.

58 cases of sexual violence bearing forensic interest: congruence between the victim's report and the data from laboratory analyses.

PubMed

Gino, Sarah; Canavese, Antonella; Pattarino, Beatrice; Robino, Carlo; Omedei, Monica; Albanese, Erica; Castagna, Paola

2017-09-01

The assistance provided by specialised healthcare personnel to victims of a sexual violence cannot focus just on the clinical intervention appropriate for the lesions suffered by the patient, but must also take legal and forensic needs into account. Anamnestic data represents a crucial step towards the finding of forensic evidence. Our retrospective study aims to analyse the congruence between verbal reports from abused women and the laboratory data to the end of identifying ways for enhancing the gathering of anamnestic data. We considered 960 medical records related to sexual violence that reached the Rape Centre "Soccorso Violenza Sessuale" of Turin between 2003 and 2013. Having consulted the register of evidence, we selected the cases for which the local judicial authority had asked for expert advice on biological material. The selected cases have been gathered in two different categories depending on whether the victim could or could not recall the events. Then, we looked at the results of the cytological analysis performed to identify the presence of sperm cells, at the results of the body fluid identification, and at the results of the DNA quantitation. Our findings strongly suggest that forensic investigations should be carried out independently from the presence of memories of the traumatic events on the victim's part. Moreover, they suggest that forensic investigations should also be pursued in the presence of a negative cytologic examination.

Childhood Sexual Abuse, Adult Psychiatric Morbidity, and Criminal Outcomes in Women Assessed by Medium Secure Forensic Service

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dolan, Mairead; Whitworth, Helen

2013-01-01

There is little literature on childhood sexual abuse in women seen by forensic services. A cohort of 225 cases of women seen by forensic services in a medium secure unit in the UK were examined, and childhood sexual abuse and non-childhood sexual abuse cases were compared. Over half the sample had a history of childhood sexual abuse, and 5.6% of…

Forensic issues in suicide due to acid ingestion in a case of major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Vijayanath, V; Nagaraja Rao, K; Raju, G M; Anitha, M R

2012-06-01

Although rare, suicide using caustic substances in psychiatric practice is not infrequent. Such circumstances involve important forensic and psychiatric issues. In this case report, death due to sulfuric acid ingestion in a patient with major depressive disorder is reported. The legal issues concerning suicide in a patient with mental illness, autopsy findings, forensic issues, and pathophysiology concerning death by acid ingestion have been discussed.

[Characteristics of morphological manifestations of anaphylactic shock in response to the administration of pharmaceutical preparations encountered in the practice of forensic medical expert-histologist].

PubMed

Denisova, O P; Kul'bitskiĭ, B N; Putintsev, V A; Bogomolova, I N; Bogomolov, D V

2012-01-01

The authors report the results of a forensic medical investigation of 6 cases of death associated with the administration of pharmaceutical products documented by forensic medical experts of the Russian Centre of Forensic Medical Expertise. The results of the study are compared with the clinical data and summarized using the methods of tanatogenetic analysis. The following main clinical variants of iatrogenic anaphylactic shock (IAS) are distinguished: bronchospastic IAS (n = 1), asphyxic IAS (n = 1), hemodynamic IAS (n = 3), and combined (bronchospastic plus hemodynamic) IAS (n = 1). The signs of all these variants are described allowing for their diagnostics and differentiation diagnostics. These data can be used for the purpose of forensic medical diagnostics and elucidation of the mechanisms of tanatogenesis.

General unknown screening procedure for the characterization of human drug metabolites in forensic toxicology: applications and constraints.

PubMed

Sauvage, François-Ludovic; Picard, Nicolas; Saint-Marcoux, Franck; Gaulier, Jean-Michel; Lachâtre, Gérard; Marquet, Pierre

2009-09-01

LC coupled to single (LC-MS) and tandem (LC-MS/MS) mass spectrometry is recognized as the most powerful analytical tools for metabolic studies in drug discovery. In this article, we describe five cases illustrating the utility of screening xenobiotic metabolites in routine analysis of forensic samples using LC-MS/MS. Analyses were performed using a previously published LC-MS/MS general unknown screening (GUS) procedure developed using a hybrid linear IT-tandem mass spectrometer. In each of the cases presented, the presence of metabolites of xenobiotics was suspected after analyzing urine samples. In two cases, the parent drug was also detected and the metabolites were merely useful to confirm drug intake, but in three other cases, metabolite detection was of actual forensic interest. The presented results indicate that: (i) the GUS procedure developed is useful to detect a large variety of drug metabolites, which would have been hardly detected using targeted methods in the context of clinical or forensic toxicology; (ii) metabolite structure can generally be inferred from their "enhanced" product ion scan spectra; and (iii) structure confirmation can be achieved through in vitro metabolic experiments or through the analysis of urine samples from individuals taking the parent drug.

Weakening forensic science in Spain: from expert evidence to documentary evidence.

PubMed

Lucena-Molina, Jose-Juan; Pardo-Iranzo, Virginia; Gonzalez-Rodriguez, Joaquin

2012-07-01

An amendment in 2002 to the Spanish Code of Criminal Procedure converted into documentary evidence the expert reports prepared by official laboratories aimed at determining the nature, weight, and purity of seized drugs. In most cases, experts are spared from appearance before the courts. This is likely to be extended to other forensic fields. After an overview of criminalistic identification in current forensic science, the objectivity and reliability concepts used by jurists and scientists are considered by comparing the paradigm of individualization with that of likelihood. Subsequently, a detailed critical study is made on the above-mentioned Spanish legal reform, and a comparison is made with the decision on the Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts case as ruled by the Supreme Court of the United States. Although the reform is in compliance with the Spanish Constitution, it is at odds with science, in particular regarding the logic underpinning the scientific evaluation of evidence. © 2012 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

The role of forensic botany in crime scene investigation: case report and review of literature.

PubMed

Aquila, Isabella; Ausania, Francesco; Di Nunzio, Ciro; Serra, Arianna; Boca, Silvia; Capelli, Arnaldo; Magni, Paola; Ricci, Pietrantonio

2014-05-01

Management of a crime is the process of ensuring accurate and effective collection and preservation of physical evidence. Forensic botany can provide significant supporting evidences during criminal investigations. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the importance of forensic botany in the crime scene. We reported a case of a woman affected by dementia who had disappeared from nursing care and was found dead near the banks of a river that flowed under a railroad. Two possible ways of access to crime scene were identified and denominated "Path A" and "Path B." Both types of soil and plants were identified. Botanical survey was performed. Some samples of Xanthium Orientalis subsp. Italicum were identified. The fall of woman resulted in external injuries and vertebral fracture at autopsy. The botanical evidence is important when crime scene and autopsy findings are not sufficient to define the dynamics and the modality of death. © 2014 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

How should forensic anthropologists correct national weather service temperature data for use in estimating the postmortem interval?

PubMed

Dabbs, Gretchen R

2015-05-01

This study examines the correlation between site-specific and retrospectively collected temperature data from the National Weather Service (NWS) over an extended time period. Using iButtonLink thermochrons (model DS1921G), hourly temperature readings were collected at 15 sites (1 validation; 14 experimental) from December 2010 to January 2012. Comparison between the site-specific temperature data and data retrieved from an official reporter of NWS temperature data shows statistically significant differences between the two in 71.4% (10/14) of cases. The difference ranged between 0.04 and 2.81°C. Examination of both regression and simple adjustment of the mean difference over extended periods (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, & 9 months) suggests that on the timescale typical in forensic anthropology cases neither method of correction is consistent or reliable and that forensic anthropologists would be better suited using uncorrected NWS temperature data when the postmortem interval is extended. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Supplementary value of functional imaging in forensic medicine.

PubMed

Mirzaei, Siroos; Sonneck-Koenne, Charlotte; Bruecke, Thomas; Aryana, Kamran; Knoll, Peter; Zakavi, Rasoul

2012-01-01

The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of functional imaging for forensic purposes. We reviewed a few outpatient cases that were sent to our department for examination after traumatic events and one case with neuropsychic disturbances. Functional imaging showed signs of traumatic lesions in the skeletal system, of brain metabolism and of renal failure. Functional disturbances following traumatic events are in some cases more important than morphological abnormalities. Targeted scintigraphic examinations could be applied for visualisation of traumatic lesions or evaluation of functional disturbances caused by traumatic events. These examinations can be used as evidence in the courtroom.

The Use of Soil in Criminal Investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dawson, Lorna; Fitzpatrick, Robert

2013-04-01

Forensic soil science, as a newly developed discipline of soil science, has matured to the extent that well-defined questions and successful crime scene investigations are being addressed in increasingly refined ways to assist law enforcement agencies. Soils, rocks, regolith, minerals and man-made mineral particles such as bricks (i.e. referred to "human-made" soil materials) are being used in specialised forensic investigations to associate/disassociate a sample taken from an item, such as shoes, clothing, shovel or vehicle, with a specific location. The majority of forensic cases involving soil materials are usually overwhelmingly complex, and the challenges of associating relevant information from one source with another, often requires the use and development of sophisticated field and laboratory methods. Through examples from case studies, this presentation will demonstrate how advanced field and laboratory approaches have been critical in developing coherent, predictive, soil models, from landscape to microscopic scales, to help contribute to soil-based criminal investigations in both Australia and Scotland. To demonstrate the critical importance of soil materials in forensic investigations, the following 2 case studies, which tackle difficult problems at a range of scales involving highly complex issues, will be presented: •The use of soil evidence to help solve a double murder case. This investigation used morphological, chemical, physical and mineralogical properties to identify similarities between soil-regolith found on a shovel taken from the suspect's vehicle and wetland soil-regolith subsequently located in the bottom of a quarry (Fitzpatrick and Raven, 2012). •The use of soil and related material to help search and to provide evidence in a murder case. This investigation used soil mineralogical and organic properties to identify similarities between sand found on a shovel and sand subsequently located at a beach. Results illustrate the benefit of using a complementary approach and consideration of the two way transfer of materials (Dawson and Hillier, 2010). References Fitzpatrick R.W. and Raven M.D. (2012) How Pedology and mineralogy helped solve a double murder case: Using forensics to inspire future generations of soil scientists. Soil Horizons. 53 (5) doi:10.2136/sh12-05-0016. Dawson, L.A. Hillier, S. (2010) Measurement of soil characteristics for forensic applications. Surface and Interface Analysis, 42, 363-377.

A half century retrospective study of homicide-suicide in Geneva--Switzerland: 1956-2005.

PubMed

Shiferaw, Kebede; Burkhardt, Sandra; Lardi, Christelle; Mangin, Patrice; La Harpe, Romano

2010-02-01

This study provides a retrospective review from the forensic files of the University Centre of Legal Medicine in Western Switzerland in Geneva, from January 1956 to December 2005. The studied homicide-suicide cases cover a period of half a century (50 years). As a rule, all police-ordered forensic examinations of violent death cases in the Canton of Geneva are conducted by the University Centre of Legal Medicine. All of the data necessary for an exhaustive retrospective study are thus readily available. During the period covered in this work, 228 homicides were perpetrated in Geneva. In 23 cases, the homicide was followed by the suicide of the aggressor. The 34 victims of these homicides (18 women, 1 man and 15 children) had either an intimate or filial relationship with the perpetrator. Most of the suicidal perpetrators were men that killed their spouses or intimate partners, with children as additional victims in some cases. Shooting was the most common means to kill, followed by stabbing. The majority of the victims and perpetrators were Swiss nationals. This retrospective study shows that in the last 50 years, homicide-suicide cases in the Canton of Geneva have been a rare and an episodic phenomena with a very variable frequency from 1 year to another. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

3D reconstruction of emergency cranial computed tomography scans as a tool in clinical forensic radiology after survived blunt head trauma--report of two cases.

PubMed

Grassberger, M; Gehl, A; Püschel, K; Turk, E E

2011-04-15

When requested to evaluate surviving victims of blunt head trauma the forensic expert has to draw mainly on medical documentation from the time of hospital admission. In many cases these consist of written clinical records, radiographs and in some cases photographic documentation of the injuries. We report two cases of survived severe blunt head trauma where CT images, which had primarily been obtained for clinical diagnostic purposes, were used for forensic assessment. 3D reconstructions of the clinical CT-images yielded valuable information regarding the sequence, number and direction of the impacts to the head, their gross morphology and the inflicting weapon. We conclude that computed tomography and related imaging methods, along with their 3D reconstruction capabilities, provide a useful tool to approach questions in clinical forensic casework. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The development and practice of forensic podiatry.

PubMed

Vernon, Wesley

2006-01-01

Forensic podiatry is a small, but potentially useful specialty using clinical podiatric knowledge for the purpose of person identification. The practice of forensic podiatry began in the early 1970s in Canada and the UK, although supportive research commenced later in the 1990s. Techniques of forensic podiatry include identification from podiatry records, the human footprint, footwear, and the analysis of gait forms captured on Closed Circuit Television Cameras. The most valuable techniques relate to the comparison of the foot impressions inside shoes. Tools to describe, measure and compare foot impressions with footwear wear marks have been developed through research with potential for further development. The role of forensic podiatrists is of particular value when dealing with variable factors relating to the functioning and the shod foot. Case studies demonstrate the approach of podiatrists, in footwear identification, when comparing exemplar with questioned foot impressions. Forensic podiatry practice should be approached cautiously and it is essential for podiatrists undertaking this type of work to understand the context within which the process of person identification takes place.

[Forensic medical characteristic of the thermal injury caused by inflammation of combustible fluids].

PubMed

Khushkadamov, Z K; Iskhizova, L N; Gornostaev, D V

2012-01-01

The diagnostics of thermal injuries caused by inflammation of combustible fluids should be based on the comprehensive assessment of the results of examination of the scene of the accident, autopsy studies, forensic chemical expertise, and analysis of the circumstances of the case and/or medical documentation. Special attention should be given to the choice of adequate methods for taking samples to be used in forensic chemical studies. The assessment of thermal injuries caused by inflammation of combustible fluids must take into consideration the time and conditions under which they were inflicted (e.g. closed or open space, vertical or horizontal position, etc.).

Educator Sexual Abuse: Two Case Reports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burgess, Ann Wolbert; Welner, Michael; Willis, Danny G.

2010-01-01

Sexual abuse by educators has become an increasingly noted type of sexual abuse, especially among adolescents, for two reasons. First, there is a potential for these cases to be silent and prolonged and second, when disclosed, the forensic implications usually include both criminal and/or civil sanctions. For forensic case evaluations,…

A forensic identification case and DPid - can it be a useful tool?

PubMed Central

de QUEIROZ, Cristhiane Leão; BOSTOCK, Ellen Marie; SANTOS, Carlos Ferreira; GUIMARÃES, Marco Aurélio; da SILVA, Ricardo Henrique Alves

2017-01-01

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to show DPid as an important tool of potential application to solve cases with dental prosthesis, such as the forensic case reported, in which a skull, denture and dental records were received for analysis. Material and Methods Human identification is still challenging in various circumstances and Dental Prosthetics Identification (DPid) stores the patient’s name and prosthesis information and provides access through an embedded code in dental prosthesis or an identification card. All of this information is digitally stored on servers accessible only by dentists, laboratory technicians and patients with their own level of secure access. DPid provides a complete single-source list of all dental prosthesis features (materials and components) under complete and secure documentation used for clinical follow-up and for human identification. Results and Conclusion If DPid tool was present in this forensic case, it could have been solved without requirement of DNA exam, which confirmed the dental comparison of antemortem and postmortem records, and concluded the case as a positive identification. PMID:28678955

Forensic toxicology analysis of self-poisoning suicidal deaths in Tehran, Iran; trends between 2011-2015.

PubMed

Kordrostami, Roya; Akhgari, Maryam; Ameri, Maryam; Ghadipasha, Masoud; Aghakhani, Kamran

2017-06-13

Suicide ranks among the top ten causes of death in all age groups all over the world. There are many methods for committing suicide including self-poisoning, firearm and hanging. The aim of the present study was to provide an overview of self-poisoning related suicidal deaths with special focus on forensic toxicology analysis results in Tehran, Iran from 2011 to 2015. All suspicious cases with the the history of self-poisoning were investigated to define the cause and manner of death under the supervision of forensic medicine practitioners. Postmortem samples were analysed in forensic toxicology laboratory to confirm the presence of drugs in cadaver of suicidal cases. Drugs and poisons were analysed using thin layer chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, headspace gas chromatography and gas chromatography equipped with nitrogen phosphorus detector. Demographic data were collected from autopsy reports of all cases with confirmed self-poisoning suicidal cause of death. Results showed that 674 cases of self-poisoning deaths were investigated during a five-year study period, of which 68.55% were male. The most often used suicide method was self-poisoning in young population. Phosphine gas liberated from aluminum phosphide tablets was the most toxic substance detected in postmortem samples (619 cases) followed by opioids, methamphetamine, organophosphates, cyanide and strychnine. In conclusion self-poisoning suicidal death was predominant in young male population in Tehran, Iran. It seems that free access to suicide means such as drugs and poisons should be restricted by national and health authorities. Not applicable.

An unusual pedestrian road trauma: from forensic pathology to forensic veterinary medicine.

PubMed

Aquila, Isabella; Di Nunzio, Ciro; Paciello, Orlando; Britti, Domenico; Pepe, Francesca; De Luca, Ester; Ricci, Pietrantonio

2014-01-01

Traffic accidents have increased in the last decade, pedestrians being the most affected group. At autopsy, it is evident that the most common cause of pedestrian death is central nervous system injury, followed by skull base fractures, internal bleeding, lower limb haemorrhage, skull vault fractures, cervical spinal cord injury and airway compromise. The attribution of accident responsibility can be realised through reconstruction of road accident dynamics, investigation of the scene, survey of the vehicle involved and examination of the victim(s). A case study concerning a car accident where both humans and pets were involved is reported here. Investigation and reconstruction of the crime scene were conducted by a team consisting of forensic pathologists and forensic veterinarians. At the scene investigation, the pedestrian and his dog were recovered on the side of the road. An autopsy and a necropsy were conducted on the man and the dog, respectively. In addition, a complete inspection of the sports utility vehicle (SUV) implicated in the road accident was conducted. The results of the autopsy and necropsy were compared and the information was used to reconstruct the collision. This unusual case was solved through the collaboration between forensic pathology and veterinary forensic medicine, emphasising the importance of this kind of co-operation to solve a crime scene concerning both humans and animals. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Optics of Bruising

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Randeberg, Lise Lyngsnes; Skallerud, Bjørn; Langlois, Neil E. I.; Haugen, Olav Anton; Svaasand, Lars Othar

Forensic medicine is a field of medicine where technology plays an increasingly important role in securing and evaluating evidence in, for example, child abuse cases and cases of domestic violence. Methods from chemistry and biological sciences have found a wide application within forensic medicine. Optical technologies like microscopy are also widely used. Despite this, in vivo or post mortem optical diagnostics by spectroscopy have traditionally not had an important role in clinical or forensic examinations. Forensic medical optics as a field might include all kinds of optical analysis for use within forensic science. This includes everything from microscopic techniques to methods for examination of evidence from a crime scene. This chapter will, however, focus on the use of optical diagnostics for examining skin, with a focus on identification, characterization and age determination of minor traumatic injuries like skin bruises.

The biology and ecology of Necrodes littoralis, a species of forensic interest in Europe.

PubMed

Charabidze, Damien; Vincent, Benoît; Pasquerault, Thierry; Hedouin, Valéry

2016-01-01

Necrodes littoralis (Linnaeus, 1758) (Coleoptera: Silphidae), also known as the "shore sexton beetle," is a common silphid beetle that visits and breeds on large vertebrate cadavers. This study describes, for the first time, the involvement of N. littoralis on human corpses based on a large dataset of 154 French forensic cases. Various parameters regarding corpse location, decomposition stages, and entomofauna were extracted from each file. Compared to all of the forensic entomology cases analyzed between 1990 and 2013 (1028), N. littoralis was observed, on average, in one case out of eight; most of these cases occurred during spring and summer (73.5%). More than 90% of the cases were located outdoors, especially in woodlands, bushes, and fields. The decomposition stage of the corpse varied among cases, with more than 50% in the advanced decomposition stage, 36% in the early decomposition stage, and less than 10% in the fresh, mummified, or skeletonized stages. Regarding other necrophagous species sampled with N. littoralis, Calliphorid flies were found in 94% of the cases and Fanniidae/Muscidae in 65% of the cases. Chrysomya albiceps, a heliophilic species mostly located in the Mediterranean area, was present in 34% of the cases (only 20% in the whole dataset). The most common coleopteran species were Necrobia spp. (Coleoptera: Cleridae) and Creophilus maxillosus (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae); these beetles were observed in 27% of the cases. The over-representation of these species is likely due to similar requirements regarding the climate and decomposition stage. As N. littoralis is frequently observed and tends to become more common, we conclude that the developmental data for this species would be a precious tool for forensic entomologists in Europe.

Attempted Serial Neonaticides: Case Report and a Brief Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Barros, Alcina Juliana Soares; Rosa, Regis Goulart; Telles, Lisieux Elaine de Borba; Taborda, José Geraldo Vernet

2016-01-01

Neonaticide is an infant murder occurring on the day of birth. The case reports found in the literature are often focused on the mother as the agent in the context of pregnancy denial, dissociative symptoms, or psychosis. However, this report describes a rare case of attempted serial neonaticides, in which the acts were committed by a nurse at the nursery of a referral hospital in Brazil. The authors describe a forensic psychiatric evaluation for criminal responsibility and correlate the information from this particular case with relevant forensic themes, namely neonaticide, Munchausen by proxy syndrome, and serial healthcare killers. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Taphonomic Analysis of Rodentia and Lagomorpha Bone Gnawing Based Upon Incisor Size.

PubMed

Pokines, James T; Sussman, Rachel; Gough, Megan; Ralston, Claira; McLeod, Elizabeth; Brun, Karen; Kearns, Aisling; Moore, Tara L

2017-01-01

Rodent and lagomorph species have a worldwide distribution and have the potential to alter remains from forensic cases by gnawing soft tissue and bones and through dispersal. The present research compiled metric data on the incisors widths of all rodent and lagomorph species whose ranges include Massachusetts, U.S.A., to compare their sizes to gnawing damage found on 17 cases of human remains from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Boston, MA. Data on gnawing maximum striation widths also were collected from live laboratory, zoo, and wild specimens. Gnawing damage on the forensic cases could be attributed only to a particular size class of rodent or lagomorph, and identification to a particular species based on gnawing damage alone may be possible only in relatively rare cases. Multiple species examined here have broad distribution ranges, so their taphonomic alterations may impact bones from forensic cases throughout large portions of North America. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

The Value of Outsourcing Selected Cases in a Medical Examiner Population: A 10-Year Experience.

PubMed

McCleskey, Brandi C; Reilly, Stephanie D; Atherton, Dan

2017-01-01

Due to increasing caseloads and inadequate staffing, the burden on Coroner/Medical Examiner Offices to comply with recommended autopsy limits for forensic pathologists (FPs) has been difficult. Since 2006, pathologists at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have performed select autopsies for the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences. Each case was reviewed by a state FP and scene investigator to determine appropriateness for referral. All referred cases received full postmortem examination including microscopic examination and collection of toxicological samples, and toxicology was ordered by the referring FP as appropriate. The final cause and manner of death were determined by the referring state FP after review of all findings. A majority of the 421 cases were ruled accidental deaths (233), most due to drug toxicity. Of the 178 natural deaths, 118 were attributed to cardiovascular disease. Outsourcing select forensic cases can be educational and an effective tool to manage workflow without compromising quality. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Neuropsychological Impairment and Its Association with Violence Risk in Japanese Forensic Psychiatric Patients: A Case-Control Study

PubMed Central

Nishinaka, Hirofumi; Nakane, Jun; Nagata, Takako; Imai, Atsushi; Kuroki, Noriomi; Sakikawa, Noriko; Omori, Mayu; Kuroda, Osamu; Hirabayashi, Naotsugu; Igarashi, Yoshito; Hashimoto, Kenji

2016-01-01

Background In Japan, the legislation directing treatment of offenders with psychiatric disorders was enacted in 2005. Neuropsychological impairment is highly related to functional outcomes in patients with psychiatric disorders, and several studies have suggested an association between neuropsychological impairment and violent behaviors. However, there have been no studies of neuropsychological impairment in forensic patients covered by the Japanese legislation. This study is designed to examine the neuropsychological characteristics of forensic patients in comparison to healthy controls and to assess the relationship between neuropsychological impairment and violence risk. Methods Seventy-one forensic patients with psychiatric disorders and 54 healthy controls (matched by age, gender, and education) were enrolled. The CogState Battery (CSB) consisting of eight cognitive domains, the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) to test emotion-based decision making, and psychological measures of violence risk including psychopathy were used. Results Forensic patients exhibited poorer performances on all CSB subtests and the IGT than controls. For each group, partial correlational analyses indicated that poor IGT performance was related to psychopathy, especially antisocial behavior. In forensic patients, the CSB composite score was associated with risk factors for future violent behavior, including stress and noncompliance with remediation attempts. Conclusion Forensic patients with psychiatric disorders exhibit a wide range of neuropsychological impairments, and these findings suggest that neuropsychological impairment may increase the risk of violent behavior. Therefore, the treatment of neuropsychological impairment in forensic patients with psychiatric disorders is necessary to improve functional outcomes as well as to prevent violence. PMID:26824701

Forensic case profiling aspects on multiple homicides from the Cologne-Bonn metropolitan area 1985-2000.

PubMed

Schmidt, Peter H; Padosch, Stephan A; Rothschild, Markus A; Madea, Burkhard

2005-10-29

The medicolegal and subsequent criminologic interpretation of forensic and pathological findings in cases of homicide makes up an important tool of case profiling. In a retrospective study of 26 cases of "multiple homicides" involving 31 perpetrators (30 males, 1 female, mean age 33.5 years) and 73 victims (33 males, 40 females, mean age 36 years, 68 fatalities, 5 survivors), autopsy reports and prosecution authorities' files were investigated with regard to individual characteristics of victims and offenders, circumstances as well as mode of commitment. The major aim of this study was to comprehensively elucidate and characterise relevant forensic and criminologic features, which may gain importance for forensic case profiling. Forty-six victims were found in the close social environment of the perpetrator and 45 homicides were committed either in the victim's, the perpetrator's or the shared domicile. The main motives included concealment of a crime (n=13), personal conflicts/domestic arguments (n=7) and greed (n=12). The relevant injuries with regard to the cause of death were attributable to sharp force (n=13), blunt force (n=7), gunshot wounds (n=24), ligature strangulation (n=3), smothering (n=5), fire/carbon monoxide (n=4) and combined impacts (n=11). In 15 cases, so called defence injuries were found. In 5 victims a post-mortem blood alcohol concentration >1.5 g/l was determined. In six perpetrators, a severe psychiatric impairment of juridical responsibility was ascertained (Section 20 German criminal code, n=2, psychosis; Section 21 German criminal code, n=4, acute alcohol intoxication). As far as conviction data were available, 27 crimes were juridically assessed as murder, 12 as manslaughter and one as bodily harm with fatal consequences.

Neurobiological correlates in forensic assessment: a systematic review.

PubMed

van der Gronde, Toon; Kempes, Maaike; van El, Carla; Rinne, Thomas; Pieters, Toine

2014-01-01

With the increased knowledge of biological risk factors, interest in including this information in forensic assessments is growing. Currently, forensic assessments are predominantly focused on psychosocial factors. A better understanding of the neurobiology of violent criminal behaviour and biological risk factors could improve forensic assessments. To provide an overview of the current evidence about biological risk factors that predispose people to antisocial and violent behaviour, and determine its usefulness in forensic assessment. A systematic literature search was conducted using articles from PsycINFO, Embase and Pubmed published between 2000 and 2013. This review shows that much research on the relationship between genetic predisposition and neurobiological alterations with aggression is performed on psychiatric patients or normal populations. However, the number of studies comparing offenders is limited. There is still a great need to understand how genetic and neurobiological alterations and/or deficits are related to violent behaviour, specifically criminality. Most studies focus on only one of the genetic or neurobiological fields related to antisocial and/or violent behaviour. To reliably correlate the findings of these fields, a standardization of methodology is urgently needed. Findings from the current review suggest that violent aggression, like all forms of human behaviour, both develops under specific genetic and environmental conditions, and requires interplay between these conditions. Violence should be considered as the end product of a chain of life events, during which risks accumulate and potentially reinforce each other, displaying or triggering a specific situation. This systematic review did not find evidence of predispositions or neurobiological alterations that solely explain antisocial or violent behaviour. With better designed studies, more correlation between diverse fields, and more standardisation, it might be possible to elucidate underlying mechanisms. Thus, we advocate maintaining the current case-by-case differentiated approach to evidence-based forensic assessment.

Neurobiological Correlates in Forensic Assessment: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

van der Gronde, Toon; Kempes, Maaike; van El, Carla; Rinne, Thomas; Pieters, Toine

2014-01-01

Background With the increased knowledge of biological risk factors, interest in including this information in forensic assessments is growing. Currently, forensic assessments are predominantly focused on psychosocial factors. A better understanding of the neurobiology of violent criminal behaviour and biological risk factors could improve forensic assessments. Objective To provide an overview of the current evidence about biological risk factors that predispose people to antisocial and violent behaviour, and determine its usefulness in forensic assessment. Methods A systematic literature search was conducted using articles from PsycINFO, Embase and Pubmed published between 2000 and 2013. Results This review shows that much research on the relationship between genetic predisposition and neurobiological alterations with aggression is performed on psychiatric patients or normal populations. However, the number of studies comparing offenders is limited. There is still a great need to understand how genetic and neurobiological alterations and/or deficits are related to violent behaviour, specifically criminality. Most studies focus on only one of the genetic or neurobiological fields related to antisocial and/or violent behaviour. To reliably correlate the findings of these fields, a standardization of methodology is urgently needed. Conclusion Findings from the current review suggest that violent aggression, like all forms of human behaviour, both develops under specific genetic and environmental conditions, and requires interplay between these conditions. Violence should be considered as the end product of a chain of life events, during which risks accumulate and potentially reinforce each other, displaying or triggering a specific situation. This systematic review did not find evidence of predispositions or neurobiological alterations that solely explain antisocial or violent behaviour. With better designed studies, more correlation between diverse fields, and more standardisation, it might be possible to elucidate underlying mechanisms. Thus, we advocate maintaining the current case-by-case differentiated approach to evidence-based forensic assessment. PMID:25330208

Evaluation of the impact of genetic linkage in forensic identity and relationship testing for expanded DNA marker sets.

PubMed

Tillmar, Andreas O; Phillips, Chris

2017-01-01

Advances in massively parallel sequencing technology have enabled the combination of a much-expanded number of DNA markers (notably STRs and SNPs in one or combined multiplexes), with the aim of increasing the weight of evidence in forensic casework. However, when data from multiple loci on the same chromosome are used, genetic linkage can affect the final likelihood calculation. In order to study the effect of linkage for different sets of markers we developed the biostatistical tool ILIR, (Impact of Linkage on forensic markers for Identity and Relationship tests). The ILIR tool can be used to study the overall impact of genetic linkage for an arbitrary set of markers used in forensic testing. Application of ILIR can be useful during marker selection and design of new marker panels, as well as being highly relevant for existing marker sets as a way to properly evaluate the effects of linkage on a case-by-case basis. ILIR, implemented via the open source platform R, includes variation and genomic position reference data for over 40 STRs and 140 SNPs, combined with the ability to include additional forensic markers of interest. The use of the software is demonstrated with examples from several different established marker sets (such as the expanded CODIS core loci) including a review of the interpretation of linked genetic data. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

On the application of semantic technologies to the domain of forensic investigations in financial crimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scheidat, Tobias; Merkel, Ronny; Krummel, Volker; Gerlach, Andreas; Weisensee, Michala; Zeihe, Jana; Dittmann, Jana

2017-10-01

In daily police practice, forensic investigation of criminal cases is mainly based on manual work and the experience of individual forensic experts, using basic storage and data processing technologies. However, an individual criminal case does not only consist of the actual offence, but also of a variety of different aspects involved. For example, in order to solve a financial criminal case, an investigator has to find interrelations between different case entities as well as to other cases. The required information about these different entities is often stored in various databases and mostly requires to be manually requested and processed by forensic investigators. We propose the application of semantic technologies to the domain of forensic investigations at the example of financial crimes. Such combination allows for modelling specific case entities and their interrelations within and between cases. As a result, an explorative search of connections between case entities in the scope of an investigation as well as an automated derivation of conclusions from an established fact base is enabled. The proposed model is presented in the form of a crime field ontology, based on different types of knowledge obtained from three individual sources: open source intelligence, forensic investigators and captive interviews of detained criminals. The modelled crime field ontology is illustrated at two examples using the well known crime type of explosive attack on ATM and the potentially upcoming crime type data theft by NFC crowd skimming. Of these criminal modi operandi, anonymized fictional are modelled, visualized and exploratively searched. Modelled case entities include modi operandi, events, actors, resources, exploited weaknesses as well as flows of money, data and know how. The potential exploration of interrelations between the different case entities of such examples is illustrated in the scope of a fictitious investigation, highlighting the potential of the approach.

Forensic engineering: applying materials and mechanics principles to the investigation of product failures.

PubMed

Hainsworth, S V; Fitzpatrick, M E

2007-06-01

Forensic engineering is the application of engineering principles or techniques to the investigation of materials, products, structures or components that fail or do not perform as intended. In particular, forensic engineering can involve providing solutions to forensic problems by the application of engineering science. A criminal aspect may be involved in the investigation but often the problems are related to negligence, breach of contract, or providing information needed in the redesign of a product to eliminate future failures. Forensic engineering may include the investigation of the physical causes of accidents or other sources of claims and litigation (for example, patent disputes). It involves the preparation of technical engineering reports, and may require giving testimony and providing advice to assist in the resolution of disputes affecting life or property.This paper reviews the principal methods available for the analysis of failed components and then gives examples of different component failure modes through selected case studies.

Role of forensic medicine in evaluating non-fatal physical violence against women by their husbands in Jordan.

PubMed

Abedr-Rahman, Hasan; Salameh, Hafsah Omar; Salameh, Rakiz J; Alabdallat, Laith I; Al-Abdallat, Imad M

2017-07-01

Intimate partner violence against women is a major health problem in most nations, but to date, there has been little awareness of the extent or seriousness of this issue in Jordan. Forensic medical practitioners play a significant role in diagnosing, evaluating and reporting these cases. The Jordanian judicial system is dependent on forensic reports. This study aims to assess the role of forensic medicine in evaluating the physical injuries sustained by women who are abused by their husbands. A retrospective review of 158 forensic reports of Jordanian women alleging assault by their husbands and who were seen at Jordan University Hospital over the period 2010-2015. Of the 158 women who presented, 87 had multiple injuries. The majority of injuries were soft tissue injuries, but others included fractures, tympanic membrane perforation, burns and neck contusions. Twelve women were pregnant at the time of the assessment. The period of incapacity caused by these injuries (an important factor for the Jordanian judicial system) was between 1 and 14 days. Intimate partner violence can present with a range of injuries from relatively minor to potentially disabling or life threatening. Forensic medicine has a role in documenting and evaluating these injuries and advising the judicial system in these cases. These are all key elements in increasing the awareness of the nature and extent of this behavior and its impact on women (and men) and the wider society. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

[Biological characteristics of calliphoridae and its application in forensic medicine].

PubMed

Zhao, Boa; Wen, Charn; Qi, Li-Li; Wang, He; Wang, Ji

2013-12-01

Diptera Calliphoridae is the first major kind of flies that appears on the decomposed corpses. In forensic entomology, according to the living characteristics of Calliphoridae flies, we could accurately estimate postmortem interval (PMI) in a murder or unidentified case and could provide useful clues to solve the case. This paper introduces the characteristics of the biology and morphology of Diptera Calliphoridae, and reviews the combined application of forensic entomology, molecular biology, mathematical morphology and toxicology.

[Genetic polymorphism and forensic application of 30 InDel loci of Han population in Beijing].

PubMed

Bai, Ru-Feng; Jiang, Li-Zhe; Zhang, Zhong; Shi, Mei-Sen

2013-12-01

To study the genetic diversities of 30 insertion-deletion (InDel) polymorphisms loci of Han population in Beijing, and to evaluate their forensic application, 210 unrelated healthy individuals of Han population in Beijing were investigated to determine the distributions of allele frequencies by using Investigator DIP system. The PCR products were detected with ABI 3130 XL Genetic Analyzer. Forensic parameters were calculated with relevant statistical analysis software. As a result, after the Bonferroni correction at a 95% significance level, there were no significant departures from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium or significant linkage disequilibrium between the loci. The power of discrimination (DP) varies between 0.2690 (HLD118) and 0.6330 (HLD45), and the combined discrimination power (TDP) for the 30 InDel loci is 0.999999999985. The combined power of exclusion was 0.98771049 in trio cases (CPE(trio)) and 0.94579456 in duo cases (CPE(duo)). The parentage testing of 32 cases revealed no mutations happened to 30 InDel loci. Multiplex detection of the 30 InDel loci revealed a highly polymorphic genetic distribution in Beijing Han population, which represents a complementary tool in human identification studies, especially in challenging DNA cases.

Developmental Validation of Short Tandem Repeat Reagent Kit for Forensic DNA Profiling of Canine Biological Materials

PubMed Central

Dayton, Melody; Koskinen, Mikko T; Tom, Bradley K; Mattila, Anna-Maria; Johnston, Eric; Halverson, Joy; Fantin, Dennis; DeNise, Sue; Budowle, Bruce; Smith, David Glenn; Kanthaswamy, Sree

2009-01-01

Aim To develop a reagent kit that enables multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of 18 short tandem repeats (STR) and the canine sex-determining Zinc Finger marker. Methods Validation studies to determine the robustness and reliability in forensic DNA typing of this multiplex assay included sensitivity testing, reproducibility studies, intra- and inter-locus color balance studies, annealing temperature and cycle number studies, peak height ratio determination, characterization of artifacts such as stutter percentages and dye blobs, mixture analyses, species-specificity, case type samples analyses and population studies. Results The kit robustly amplified domesticated dog samples and consistently generated full 19-locus profiles from as little as 125 pg of dog DNA. In addition, wolf DNA samples could be analyzed with the kit. Conclusion The kit, which produces robust, reliable, and reproducible results, will be made available for the forensic research community after modifications based on this study’s evaluation to comply with the quality standards expected for forensic casework. PMID:19480022

Using Forensic Investigations and CAS to Motivate Student Interest in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leinbach, Patricia; Leinbach, Carl

2010-01-01

In this paper, we are proposing the use of forensic case studies as a means to provide students with interesting problem solving opportunities that capitalise on the popularity of several TV series and shows. It also satisfies their natural curiosity about how answers are found to seemingly complex real life problems. We begin with a very brief…

The Use of Anatomical Dolls as a Demonstration Aid in Child Sexual Abuse Interviews: A Study of Forensic Interviewers' Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hlavka, Heather R.; Olinger, Sara D.; Lashley, Jodi L.

2010-01-01

Given that most cases of child sexual abuse lack external corroborating evidence, children's verbal accounts of their experiences are of paramount importance to investigators. Forensic interviewers are charged with interviewing child victims and oftentimes use anatomical dolls. Yet, research on dolls has not caught up to practice in the field.…

Cementum as a source of DNA in challenging forensic cases.

PubMed

Mansour, Hussam; Krebs, Oliver; Sperhake, Jan Peter; Augustin, Christa; Koehne, Till; Amling, Michael; Püschel, Klaus

2018-02-01

Each forensic case is characterized by its own uniqueness. Deficient forensic cases require additional sources of human identifiers to assure the identity. We report on two different cases illustrating the role of teeth in answering challenging forensic questions. The first case involves identification of an adipocere male found in a car submersed in water for approximately 2 years. The second scenario, which involves paternity DNA testing of an exhumed body, was performed approximately 2.8 years post-mortem. The difficulty in anticipating the degradation of the DNA is one of the main obstacles. DNA profiling of dental tissues, DNA quantification by using real-time PCR (PowerQuant™ System/Promega) and a histological dental examination have been performed to address the encountered impediments of adverse post-mortem changes. Our results demonstrate that despite the adverse environmental conditions, a successful STR profile of DNA isolated from the root of teeth can be generated with respect to tooth type and apportion. We conclude that cementocytes are a fruitful source of DNA. Cementum resists DNA degradation in comparison to other tissues with respect to the intra- and inter-individual variation of histological and anatomical structures. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Should forensic autopsies be a source for medical education? A preliminary study.

PubMed

Kucuker, Hudaverdi; Ozen, Oguz Aslan; Songur, Ahmet; Bas, Orhan; Demirel, Reha

2008-01-01

Practical anatomy sessions including dissection of cadavers are essential for anatomy courses. There are many difficulties in obtaining cadavers. In addition, hardened and discolored cadavers that are fixed with formaldehyde look unrealistic and generate apathy among students. We considered that forensic autopsies may be used as ancillary and supportive practice in anatomy education. We invited the participation of Year 2 medical students in suitable forensic autopsy cases during the course of one year. Specialists of forensic medicine and anatomy provided theoretical support through talks in their specialized fields during the autopsy. At the end of the semester, feedback questionnaire forms were prepared and the students were asked to evaluate these sessions. Forty students participated in the evaluation by completing the questionnaire. Students made positive statements about adequacy of the time of the application, consistency of the structures with theoretical and practical issues shown in anatomy lectures, and necessary explanations of the lecturers during and after the application. We think that forensic autopsies are an attractive supplementary educational model, and we have decided to continue the forensic autopsy practices. We believe that further studies on the evaluation of the sessions using a larger student population will lead to more conclusive results.

[Characteristics of physical and sexual violence against children and adolescents examined at the Forensic Medicine Institute in Maceió, Alagoas State, Brazil].

PubMed

Guimarães, João Alfredo Tenório Lins; Villela, Wilza Vieira

2011-08-01

The purpose of this study was to characterize cases of violence against children and adolescents examined at the Forensic Medicine Institute in Maceió, Alagoas State, Brazil. Three hundred and three cases from September, 2008 to March, 2009, were analyzed. Victims were interviewed and data were collected on the type of violence, victim's gender, age, schooling, and economic class, maternal schooling, characteristics of the aggressor and person reporting the case, location, and repeat offenses. Violence against children and adolescents in this sample was concentrated in lower income groups, and girls were victimized more frequently than boys. Most perpetrators were non-relatives, but known to the family. Sexual abuse was more common among younger children, while physical assault was more common against adolescents. The victim's home was the most frequent site of the violence. Further studies are needed to determine whether violence in other socioeconomic groups and against males actually does not occur, or whether it simply is not reported to the Forensic Medicine Institute and thus remains invisible.

Case studies in forensic soil examinations.

PubMed

Petraco, Nicholas; Kubic, Thomas A; Petraco, Nicholas D K

2008-07-04

The examination and comparison of forensic soil samples is discussed. The origin of a simple and easy to learn procedure used and modified by the authors is reviewed. The process begins with a preliminary observation, removal of artifacts, and sieving of each specimen. A specific size fraction is split into three fractions for color matching, polarized light microscopy (PLM) examination (particle counting) and optional gradient comparison. Next, several cases are reviewed in which the modified method was used to evaluate the likelihood of common origin for questioned and known specimens.

Reverse engineering--rapid prototyping of the skull in forensic trauma analysis.

PubMed

Kettner, Mattias; Schmidt, Peter; Potente, Stefan; Ramsthaler, Frank; Schrodt, Michael

2011-07-01

Rapid prototyping (RP) comprises a variety of automated manufacturing techniques such as selective laser sintering (SLS), stereolithography, and three-dimensional printing (3DP), which use virtual 3D data sets to fabricate solid forms in a layer-by-layer technique. Despite a growing demand for (virtual) reconstruction models in daily forensic casework, maceration of the skull is frequently assigned to ensure haptic evidence presentation in the courtroom. Owing to the progress in the field of forensic radiology, 3D data sets of relevant cases are usually available to the forensic expert. Here, we present a first application of RP in forensic medicine using computed tomography scans for the fabrication of an SLS skull model in a case of fatal hammer impacts to the head. The report is intended to show that this method fully respects the dignity of the deceased and is consistent with medical ethics but nevertheless provides an excellent 3D impression of anatomical structures and injuries. © 2011 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Veterinary Forensic Toxicology.

PubMed

Gwaltney-Brant, S M

2016-09-01

Veterinary pathologists working in diagnostic laboratories are sometimes presented with cases involving animal poisonings that become the object of criminal or civil litigation. Forensic veterinary toxicology cases can include cases involving animal cruelty (malicious poisoning), regulatory issues (eg, contamination of the food supply), insurance litigation, or poisoning of wildlife. An understanding of the appropriate approach to these types of cases, including proper sample collection, handling, and transport, is essential so that chain of custody rules are followed and proper samples are obtained for toxicological analysis. Consultation with veterinary toxicologists at the diagnostic laboratory that will be processing the samples before, during, and after the forensic necropsy can help to ensure that the analytical tests performed are appropriate for the circumstances and findings surrounding the individual case. © The Author(s) 2016.

First records of Synthesiomyia nudiseta (Diptera: Muscidae) from forensic cases in Italy.

PubMed

Lo Pinto, Sara; Giordani, Giorgia; Tuccia, Fabiola; Ventura, Francesco; Vanin, Stefano

2017-07-01

The knowledge of the fauna associated with carrions and cadavers for a specific region plays a fundamental role in the estimation of the time since death in forensic cases. In the last years global warming and globalization have affected the insect species distribution. This phenomenon is affecting also the species of forensic interest associated with the cadaver decomposition. The species distribution shift, in the forensic context, has been mainly observed in Diptera of different family: Calliphoridae, Stratiomyidae and Phoridae. In the last decade the presence of the carrion feeding species, Synthesiomyia nudiseta (Diptera: Muscidae), was reported from forensic cases in Spain and in the last year from Italy where the species was collected from 5 bodies in different decomposition stages in the Genoa district. All the records concern indoor cases with the presence of other species belonging to the first colonization waves (e.g. Calliphoridae, Sarcophagidae). Different hypothesis about the presence of the species in Italy can be suggested, but the molecular analysis and the importation records support the introduction trough commercial exchanges with Asian countries instead of a variation in the species distribution area from the Iberian Peninsula. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Postural asphyxia in the publications of foreign authors].

PubMed

Shigeev, S V; Khabova, Z S; Fetisov, V A

2014-01-01

In this country, expertise of the corpses of subjects who died from various forms of asphixia is the third, after mechanical injury and intoxication, most frequent procedure in the forensic medical practice. Asphixia may be either violent (i.e. caused by a variety of external factors) or non-violent (resulting from the disturbances of intra-tissue respiration). According to the statistical data accumulated by the Russian State Forensic Expertise Facilities for the period from 2009 till 2013, the examination of the corpses of subjects who died from various forms of asphyxia accounts for 23.9-24.6% of all cases of violent death. The foreign forensic medical literature reports rare cases of death in accidents categorized by the authors as postural asphyxia. The objective of the present communication was to discuss similar observations of mechanical asphixia reported by the Russian forensic medical experts in the papers published in the second half of the 20th century in conjunction with the cases encountered in the current forensic medical practice. The authors emphasize that the cases of death from mechanical asphyxia are usually described in the domestic literature in terms of "compression asphyxia" or "asphyxia from compression of chest or abdomen".

Firesetting, arson, pyromania, and the forensic mental health expert.

PubMed

Burton, Paul R S; McNiel, Dale E; Binder, Renée L

2012-01-01

Firesetting is a common behavior that is frequently encountered by forensic mental health experts when consulting on criminal and civil legal cases. Despite its prevalence, minimal attention has been paid in the literature to conducting firesetting-related forensic evaluations. In this article, we discuss the differences in the behavior of firesetting, the crime of arson, and the diagnosis of pyromania. The literature on adult firesetter characteristics, classification systems, recidivism, and treatment is reviewed. Several types of common criminal and civil firesetting-related evaluations referred to forensic mental health experts are discussed, along with case examples illustrating how the courts have approached such assessments. To our knowledge, this article is the first in 20 years to address firesetting-related forensic evaluations within the psychiatry literature. It also represents the first comprehensive discussion of civil evaluations related to firesetting.

Limitations of diagnostic precision and predictive utility in the individual case: a challenge for forensic practice.

PubMed

Cooke, David J; Michie, Christine

2010-08-01

Knowledge of group tendencies may not assist accurate predictions in the individual case. This has importance for forensic decision making and for the assessment tools routinely applied in forensic evaluations. In this article, we applied Monte Carlo methods to examine diagnostic agreement with different levels of inter-rater agreement given the distributional characteristics of PCL-R scores. Diagnostic agreement and score agreement were substantially less than expected. In addition, we examined the confidence intervals associated with individual predictions of violent recidivism. On the basis of empirical findings, statistical theory, and logic, we conclude that predictions of future offending cannot be achieved in the individual case with any degree of confidence. We discuss the problems identified in relation to the PCL-R in terms of the broader relevance to all instruments used in forensic decision making.

Origin and development of forensic medicine in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Al Madani, Osama Mohamed; Kharoshah, Magdy Abdel Azim; Zaki, Mamdouh Kamal; Galeb, Sherien Salah; Al Moghannam, Salah Ali; Moulana, Ashraf Abdul Raheem

2012-06-01

The medicolegal death investigation system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is unique in the world. It is exclusively derived from Islamic judiciary based on Shari'ah law, which is the definitive Islamic law or doctrine. This law is applied on Saudi citizens as well as foreigners. This is different from other Islamic countries, which have a combination of Islamic and other judiciary systems.The forensic medicine centers in KSA are related administratively to the Ministry of Health (MOH) and its subdivisions in the different governorates. They are concerned with forensic medical examination and autopsy, as well as the clinical forensic medical examination of sexual assault cases, and those injured in civil and criminal cases. The assisting laboratories (forensic histopathology, microbiology, serology, forensic chemistry) are working independently under the funding of MOH, whereas the DNA laboratory and other departments of forensic sciences, for example, counterfeiting and forgery unit are related administratively to the Ministry of Interior represented by the Administration of Criminal Evidences. Efforts concerning crime scene investigations are shared with Administration of Criminal Evidences' crime scene investigators.Forensic medicine education in KSA developed in the past few years after the foundation of Saudi specialty certificate in forensic medicine. The certificate is a postgraduation qualification equivalent to a doctorate degree in forensic medicine and requires completion of a 4-year training program in both MOH- and Ministry of Interior-related departments, as well as passing annual evaluation and examination.This review is aimed at providing in the next decade the medicolegal centers with national forensic specialists throughout the kingdom and granting skillful headships for the next generations. Moreover, this review suggests more scientific associations with the academic universities in the various fields of forensic sciences through academic cooperation.

Evaluation of the Precision ID Ancestry Panel for crime case work: A SNP typing assay developed for typing of 165 ancestral informative markers.

PubMed

Pereira, Vania; Mogensen, Helle S; Børsting, Claus; Morling, Niels

2017-05-01

The application of massive parallel sequencing (MPS) methodologies in forensic genetics is promising and it is gradually being implemented in forensic genetic case work. One of the major advantages of these technologies is that several traditional electrophoresis assays can be combined into one single MPS assay. This reduces both the amount of sample used and the time of the investigations. This study assessed the utility of the Precision ID Ancestry Panel (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, USA) in forensic genetics. This assay was developed for the Ion Torrent PGM™ System and genotypes 165 ancestry informative SNPs. The performance of the assay and the accompanying software solution for ancestry inference was assessed by typing 142 Danes and 98 Somalis. Locus balance, heterozygote balance, and noise levels were calculated and future analysis criteria for crime case work were estimated. Overall, the Precision ID Ancestry Panel performed well, and only minor changes to the recommended protocol were implemented. Three out of the 165 loci (rs459920, rs7251928, and rs7722456) had consistently poor performance, mainly due to misalignment of homopolymeric stretches. We suggest that these loci should be excluded from the analyses. The different statistical methods for reporting ancestry in forensic genetic case work are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of specific neural marker GAP-43 and TH combined with Masson-trichrome staining for forensic autopsy cases with old myocardial infarction.

PubMed

Yu, Tian-Shui; Wang, Xu; Zhang, Hai-Dong; Bai, Ru-Feng; Zhao, Rui; Guan, Da-Wei

2018-01-01

It has been a puzzling forensic task to determine the cause of death as a result of old myocardial infarction (OMI) in the absence of recognizable acute myocardial infarction. Recent studies indicated that the heterogeneous cardiac nerve sprouting and sympathetic hyperinnervation at border zones of the infarcted site played important roles in sudden cardiac death (SCD). So, the present study explored the value of growth associated protein-43 (GAP-43) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) as objective and specific neural biomarkers combined with Masson-trichrome staining for forensic autopsy cases. Myocardium of left ventricle of 58 medicolegal autopsy cases, 12 OMI cases, 12 acute/OMI cases, and 34 control cases, were immunostained with anti-GAP-43 and anti-TH antibodies. Immunoreactivity of GAP-43 and TH identified nerve fibers and vascular wall in OMI cases and acute/OMI cases. Specifically, TH-positive nerve fibers were abundant at border zones of the infarcted site. There were a few GAP-43 and TH expressions in the control cases. With Masson-trichrome staining, collagen fibers were blue and cardiac muscle fibers were pink in marked contrast with the surrounding tissue, which improved the location of nerve fibers. Thus, these findings suggest that immunohistochemical detection of GAP-43 and TH combined with Masson-trichrome staining can provide the evidence for the medicolegal expertise of SCD due to OMI, and further demonstrate a close relationship between sympathetic hyperinnervation and SCD.

Chronic hepatitis C--assessment in civil law: a case study.

PubMed

Santos, Bruno Miguel; Sousa, Paula; Mena, Filomena; Costa, Graça Santos; Corte-Real, Francisco; Vieira, Duarte Nuno

2010-02-01

This article describes the case of a 58-year-old man who asked for an assessment of physical damage of a civil nature, having been diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C for which he blamed a blood transfusion, supposedly contaminated with hepatitis C virus (HCV). After studying the documentary information, a number of presuppositions were drawn up with a view to determining the causal nexus, but this could not be proved. The assessment of situations like this is not common in civil law. This article is intended to add to the body of information on the forensic assessment of similar cases. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Forensic evaluation of medical liability cases in general surgery.

PubMed

Moreira, H; Magalhães, T; Dinis-Oliveira, Rj; Taveira-Gomes, A

2014-10-01

Although medical liability (disciplinary, civil and criminal) is increasingly becoming an issue, few studies exist, particularly from the perspective of forensic science, which demonstrate the extent to which medical malpractice occurs, or when it does, the reasons for it. Our aims were to evaluate the current situation concerning medical liability in general surgery (GS) in Portugal, the reasons for claims, and the forensic evaluations and conclusions, as well as the association between these issues and the judicial outcomes. We analysed the Medico-Legal Council (CML) reports of the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences of Portugal related to GS during 2001-2010. The judicial outcomes of each case were requested from the Public Prosecutor Office (PPO) and the court. Alleged cases of medical liability in GS represented 11.2% of the total cases analysed by the CML. We estimated that in Portugal, 4:100,000 surgeries are subject to litigation. The majority of complaints were due to the patient's death (75.4%), with laparoscopic cholecystectomy surgeries representing 55.2% of cases. In 76.1% of the cases, the CML believed that there was no violation of legesartis and in 55.2% of cases, no causal nexus was found between the medical practice and the alleged harm. The PPO prosecuted physicians in 6.4% of the cases and resulted in one conviction. Finally, the importance of the CML reports as a relevant technical-scientific tool for judicial decision was evident because these reports significantly (p < 0.05) influenced the prosecutor's decision, whether to prosecute or not. © The Author(s) 2013 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Impact of Repeated Questioning on Interviewers: Learning From a Forensic Interview Training Project.

PubMed

Duron, Jacquelynn F; Cheung, Monit

2016-01-01

Forensic interviewers have a difficult job with high risk for career burnout and secondary trauma. Few studies have addressed how new forensic interviewers or trainees experience repeated questioning and multiple interviews. This study simulated the process of training new forensic interviewers through the creation of two interview videos in which social work graduate students participated as actors portraying the roles of interviewer and child. These films served as instructional aids preparing graduate social work students for professional child welfare roles while promoting research-based approaches to interviewing children about sexual abuse allegations. Qualitative data from two cohorts of student actors were collected to analyze interviewers' perspectives on repeated questioning and interviews in child sexual abuse cases. Two themes were extracted from the subjects' experiences: "It is emotionally taxing" and "Navigating the interviewer role is unexpectedly complex." Exposure to repeated questions and multiple interviews affected the performance and confidence of the interviewers.

Taking the Good Life to the Institution: Forensic Service Users' Perceptions of the Good Lives Model.

PubMed

Barnao, Mary; Ward, Tony; Casey, Sharon

2016-05-01

Previous literature has highlighted a number of concerns about forensic care and rehabilitation by those who use the services. The Good Lives Model (GLM) is a strength-based, humanistic approach to offender rehabilitation that has been largely overlooked by forensic mental health practitioners. This study explored the impact of a brief GLM program on forensic service users' perceptions of rehabilitation, both within and beyond therapeutic programs, using a thematically linked, multiple-case study research design. Pre-post comparisons of participants' perceptions of rehabilitation suggested three different outcomes: definite change, subtle change, and no change. Possible factors associated with participants' divergent experiences included level of exposure to the GLM, readiness to change, and practitioners' adherence to the GLM and experience with the model. The importance of attending to the wider system for successful implementation of this innovative approach is highlighted. © The Author(s) 2015.

Forensic case formulation: theoretical, ethical and practical issues.

PubMed

Davies, Jason; Black, Susie; Bentley, Natalie; Nagi, Claire

2013-10-01

Forensic case formulation, of increasing interest to practitioners and researchers raises many ethical, theoretical and practical issues for them. Systemic, contextual and individual factors which need to be considered include the multitude of staff often involved with any one individual, the pressure to 'get it right' because of the range of risk implications that are associated with individuals within forensic mental health settings, and individual parameters, for example reluctance to be engaged with services. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

[Effectiveness of aftercare treatment after release from prison: A first evaluation of the forensic therapeutic outpatient clinic for serious violent and sexual offenders in Berlin].

PubMed

Sauter, J; Voss, T; Dahle, K-P

2015-05-01

The Forensic Therapeutic Outpatient Clinic (FTA) in Berlin targets the professional aftercare treatment of classified high-risk violent and sexual offenders released from prison or forensic psychiatric hospitals. A comparison sample (n = 32) matched to the patients of the FTA (complete survey n = 32) according to similar criminal histories and diagnoses (ICD-10) was collected from offenders released from prison and forensic psychiatry at a time before the FTA was established. The focus of the study was on recidivism measured by complaints received by police departments during the follow-up period. Sexual recidivism occurred significantly later in the case of released offenders with aftercare treatment compared to those without. Moreover, for the duration of aftercare treatment the general risk of recidivism was approximately 85 % lower; however, after termination of treatment the recidivism rates of both samples converged to almost the same level. Individually adapted measures should be maintained after finishing aftercare treatment; however, because prisoners released from prison are frequently less prepared than patients from forensic psychiatric hospitals, the therapeutic work often reaches its limits in these cases. Therefore, social work should be taken into account right from the start.

Implementing Istanbul Protocol standards for forensic evidence of torture in Kyrgyzstan.

PubMed

Moreno, Alejandro; Crosby, Sondra; Xenakis, Stephen; Iacopino, Vincent

2015-02-01

The Kyrgyz government declared a policy of "zero tolerance" for torture and began reforms to stop such practice, a regular occurrence in the country's daily life. This study presents the results of 10 forensic evaluations of individuals alleging torture; they represent 35% of all criminal investigations into torture for the January 2011-July 2012 period. All individuals evaluated were male with an average age of 34 years. Police officers were implicated as perpetrators in all cases. All individuals reported being subjected to threats and blunt force trauma from punches, kicks, and blows with objects such as police batons. The most common conditions documented during the evaluations were traumatic brain injury and chronic seizures. Psychological sequelae included post-traumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder, which was diagnosed in seven individuals. In all cases, the physical and psychological evidence was highly consistent with individual allegations of abuse. These forensic evaluations, which represent the first ever to be conducted in Kyrgyzstan in accordance with Istanbul Protocol standards, provide critical insight into torture practices in the country. The evaluations indicate a pattern of brutal torture practices and inadequate governmental and nongovernmental forensic evaluations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Integrating forensic information in a crime intelligence database.

PubMed

Rossy, Quentin; Ioset, Sylvain; Dessimoz, Damien; Ribaux, Olivier

2013-07-10

Since 2008, intelligence units of six states of the western part of Switzerland have been sharing a common database for the analysis of high volume crimes. On a daily basis, events reported to the police are analysed, filtered and classified to detect crime repetitions and interpret the crime environment. Several forensic outcomes are integrated in the system such as matches of traces with persons, and links between scenes detected by the comparison of forensic case data. Systematic procedures have been settled to integrate links assumed mainly through DNA profiles, shoemarks patterns and images. A statistical outlook on a retrospective dataset of series from 2009 to 2011 of the database informs for instance on the number of repetition detected or confirmed and increased by forensic case data. Time needed to obtain forensic intelligence in regard with the type of marks treated, is seen as a critical issue. Furthermore, the underlying integration process of forensic intelligence into the crime intelligence database raised several difficulties in regards of the acquisition of data and the models used in the forensic databases. Solutions found and adopted operational procedures are described and discussed. This process form the basis to many other researches aimed at developing forensic intelligence models. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sampling flies or sampling flaws? Experimental design and inference strength in forensic entomology.

PubMed

Michaud, J-P; Schoenly, Kenneth G; Moreau, G

2012-01-01

Forensic entomology is an inferential science because postmortem interval estimates are based on the extrapolation of results obtained in field or laboratory settings. Although enormous gains in scientific understanding and methodological practice have been made in forensic entomology over the last few decades, a majority of the field studies we reviewed do not meet the standards for inference, which are 1) adequate replication, 2) independence of experimental units, and 3) experimental conditions that capture a representative range of natural variability. Using a mock case-study approach, we identify design flaws in field and lab experiments and suggest methodological solutions for increasing inference strength that can inform future casework. Suggestions for improving data reporting in future field studies are also proposed.

"I know it because it happened to me!" Confrontations of children within forensic investigations.

PubMed

Katz, Carmit; Barnetz, Zion

2018-06-06

Confrontations and cross-examination are considered to be a vital stage in forensic investigations; however, laboratory and field studies have systematically shown their adverse effects on children`s testimonies. The current field study aimed to assess the strategies utilized, and the frequency with which they are used, in confrontations within forensic investigations involving children following suspected abuse, and to assess their effects on the children's testimonies. The forensic investigations were conducted using the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Protocol. The transcripts of 224 children aged 4-14, who were referred for forensic investigation following suspected physical or sexual abuse, were analyzed. All the cases included external evidence suggesting a high probability of abuse. The results indicated that confrontations of children were utilized in more than 60% of the forensic interviews, regardless of the child`s age. The vast majority of the interviewers' confrontation strategies involved references to the alleged suspects, with the number of confrontations ranging from 1 to 18 per interview. An examination of the children`s responses to the confrontations revealed that most of the children insisted on their initial reported testimonies; however, some of the children displayed confusion or fear, and one child recanted the allegation. The discussion addresses how confrontations and cross-examination, as a necessary stage of forensic investigation, can affect children`s testimonies, and the implications of these effects for the forensic context. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Metagenomic analyses of bacteria on human hairs: a qualitative assessment for applications in forensic science.

PubMed

Tridico, Silvana R; Murray, Dáithí C; Addison, Jayne; Kirkbride, Kenneth P; Bunce, Michael

2014-01-01

Mammalian hairs are one of the most ubiquitous types of trace evidence collected in the course of forensic investigations. However, hairs that are naturally shed or that lack roots are problematic substrates for DNA profiling; these hair types often contain insufficient nuclear DNA to yield short tandem repeat (STR) profiles. Whilst there have been a number of initial investigations evaluating the value of metagenomics analyses for forensic applications (e.g. examination of computer keyboards), there have been no metagenomic evaluations of human hairs-a substrate commonly encountered during forensic practice. This present study attempts to address this forensic capability gap, by conducting a qualitative assessment into the applicability of metagenomic analyses of human scalp and pubic hair. Forty-two DNA extracts obtained from human scalp and pubic hairs generated a total of 79,766 reads, yielding 39,814 reads post control and abundance filtering. The results revealed the presence of unique combinations of microbial taxa that can enable discrimination between individuals and signature taxa indigenous to female pubic hairs. Microbial data from a single co-habiting couple added an extra dimension to the study by suggesting that metagenomic analyses might be of evidentiary value in sexual assault cases when other associative evidence is not present. Of all the data generated in this study, the next-generation sequencing (NGS) data generated from pubic hair held the most potential for forensic applications. Metagenomic analyses of human hairs may provide independent data to augment other forensic results and possibly provide association between victims of sexual assault and offender when other associative evidence is absent. Based on results garnered in the present study, we believe that with further development, bacterial profiling of hair will become a valuable addition to the forensic toolkit.

Evolution of forensic odontology: An overview

PubMed Central

Balachander, N.; Babu, N. Aravindha; Jimson, Sudha; Priyadharsini, C.; Masthan, K. M. K.

2015-01-01

Forensic dentistry or forensic odontology admits dentists’ participation or identification of the victim and assisting legal and criminal issues. It refers to the proper handling, examination, identification and evaluation of dental evidence. This article summarizes the evolution of forensic odontology that started right from Garden of Eden to the modern scenario in identification of the gang rape case which happened in the state capital. Forensic dentistry plays a significant role in identifying the victims of crime, deceased individuals through the examination of anatomical structures, dental appliances and dental restorations. PMID:26015703

Artefact in forensic medicine: non-missile penetrating injury.

PubMed

Patel, F

1994-12-01

Gunshot wounds are well characterised in forensic textbooks and atypical or unusual ballistic characteristics feature regularly in forensic literature. Forensic practitioners receive continuing education in recognising a variety of gunshot wounds which are created by bullet missiles. Awareness of a non-missile penetrating injury mimicking a gunshot wound is also relevant to forensic medical examiners or others who are likely to attend a scene of death. In this case, which involved self-stabbing with a metal nail, a homicidal firearm death investigation was instigated because of a misinterpretation by crime scene investigators.

Utility of the clue - From assessing the investigative contribution of forensic science to supporting the decision to use traces.

PubMed

Bitzer, Sonja; Albertini, Nicola; Lock, Eric; Ribaux, Olivier; Delémont, Olivier

2015-12-01

In an attempt to grasp the effectiveness of forensic science in the criminal justice process, a number of studies introduced some form of performance indicator. However, most of these indicators suffer from different weaknesses, from the definition of forensic science itself to problems of reliability and validity. We suggest the introduction of the concept of utility of the clue as an internal evaluation indicator of forensic science in the investigation. Utility of the clue is defined as added value of information, gained by the use of traces. This concept could be used to assess the contribution of the trace in the context of the case. By extension, a second application of this concept is suggested. By formalising and considering, a priori, the perceived utility of using traces, we introduce the notion of expected utility that could be used as decision factor when choosing which traces to use, once they have been collected at the crime scene or from an object in the laboratory. In a case-based approach, utility can be assessed in the light of the available information to evaluate the investigative contribution of forensic science. In the decision-making process, the projection or estimation of the utility of the clue is proposed to be a factor to take into account when triaging the set of traces. Copyright © 2015 The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The use of forensic case data in intelligence-led policing: the example of drug profiling.

PubMed

Morelato, Marie; Beavis, Alison; Tahtouh, Mark; Ribaux, Olivier; Kirkbride, Paul; Roux, Claude

2013-03-10

To date, forensic science has predominantly focused on generating evidence for judicial proceedings. While many recognise its broader and important contribution to the initial stages of the forensic process, resources do not seem to be employed efficiently. It is often discovered retrospectively that necessary information was previously available in a database or within existing files. Such information could have been proactively used in order to solve a particular case, a number of linked cases or better understand the criminal activity as a whole. This article reviews this broader contribution of forensic science, with a particular emphasis on drug intelligence at the Australian Federal Police (AFP) in Australia. Using the AFP as a model organisation, an overview of the current situation and the contribution of physical and chemical profiling are first discussed. The situation in Europe, and in particular in Switzerland, is also presented. It is argued that a change of attitude towards a more intelligence-led perspective is required in forensic science in general, and in drug profiling in particular. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Detection and quantitation of trace phenolphthalein (in pharmaceutical preparations and in forensic exhibits) by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, a sensitive and accurate method.

PubMed

Sharma, Kakali; Sharma, Shiba P; Lahiri, Sujit C

2013-01-01

Phenolphthalein, an acid-base indicator and laxative, is important as a constituent of widely used weight-reducing multicomponent food formulations. Phenolphthalein is an useful reagent in forensic science for the identification of blood stains of suspected victims and for apprehending erring officials accepting bribes in graft or trap cases. The pink-colored alkaline hand washes originating from the phenolphthalein-smeared notes can easily be determined spectrophotometrically. But in many cases, colored solution turns colorless with time, which renders the genuineness of bribe cases doubtful to the judiciary. No method is known till now for the detection and identification of phenolphthalein in colorless forensic exhibits with positive proof. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry had been found to be most sensitive, accurate method capable of detection and quantitation of trace phenolphthalein in commercial formulations and colorless forensic exhibits with positive proof. The detection limit of phenolphthalein was found to be 1.66 pg/L or ng/mL, and the calibration curve shows good linearity (r(2) = 0.9974). © 2012 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

An overview of age estimation in forensic anthropology: perspectives and practical considerations.

PubMed

Márquez-Grant, Nicholas

2015-01-01

Information on methods of age estimation in physical anthropology, in particular with regard to age-at-death from human skeletal remains, is widely available in the literature. However, the practicalities and real challenges faced in forensic casework are not always highlighted. To provide a practitioner's perspective, regarding age estimation in forensic anthropology (both in the living as well as the dead), with an emphasis on the types of cases, the value of such work and its challenges and limitations. The paper reviews the current literature on age estimation with a focus on forensic anthropology, but it also brings the author's personal perspective derived from a number of forensic cases. Although much is known about what methods to use, but not always how to apply them, little attention has been given in the literature to the real practicalities faced by forensic anthropologists, for example: the challenges in different types of scenarios; how to report age estimations; responsibilities; and ethical concerns. This paper gathers some of these aspects into one overview which includes the value of such work and the practical challenges, not necessarily with the methods themselves, but also with regard to how these are applied in the different cases where age estimation is required.

Research in Computer Forensics

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-06-01

systems and how they can aid in the recovery of digital evidence in a forensic analysis. Exposures to hacking techniques and tools in CS3675—Internet...cryptography, access control, authentication, biometrics, actions to be taken during an attack and case studies of hacking and information warfare. 11...chat, surfing, instant messaging and hacking with powerful access control and filter capabilities. The monitor can operates in a Prevention mode to

Criminal investigation of child sexual abuse: a comparison of cases referred to the prosecutor to those not referred.

PubMed

Stroud, D D; Martens, S L; Barker, J

2000-05-01

The present study sought to identify characteristics of child sexual abuse cases which differentiate cases referred for criminal prosecution ("criminal-action") from those not referred ("dropped") by investigators. The study sample consisted of 1043 children who completed a forensic interview for sexual abuse that allegedly occurred at the hands of an adult between January 1, 1993 and December 31, 1996 in Bernalillo County of New Mexico. Data was systematically obtained from forensic interview files and offender records at the local prosecutor's office. Differences between criminal-action and dropped cases were found in relation to the children (age, sex and ethnicity), the alleged offenders (age, sex and relationship to child), and the case characteristics (disclosure and injury to the child). The present study provided insight into the characteristics of a previously ignored population (reported child sexual abuse cases that are not referred for prosecution). Recommendations are made to address the needs of these children and their families.

The Differential Diagnosis Between Natural Death and Homicide, an Everlasting Challenge for the Forensic Pathologist: An Exemplar Case Report.

PubMed

di Luca, Alessandro; de Matteis, Valentino; Marcelli, Antonio; Polacco, Matteo; Pascali, Vincenzo L; Oliva, Antonio

2017-03-01

Most of the work performed by the forensic expert is to find proof for different plausible hypotheses that may be used in a trial to serve justice purposes when the "identity" of a case is already unveiled. Yet the previous phase of the investigation is also of great importance, and sometimes (like in the presented case), it represents the core element of the entire investigation. The appropriate determination of the differential diagnosis between a natural death and a death of forensic interest (ie, homicide) is the first and crucial step in the classification of a case. This article analyzes the case of the body of a man found lying on the border of a country road with his wrists tied up with rope and the resulting investigation performed by the medicolegal forensic expert. In the end, as more specific examinations where performed aimed to find the truth, the final conclusions excluded a violent death and confirmed that the cause of the death was an acute myocardial infarction.

Intuitive presentation of clinical forensic data using anonymous and person-specific 3D reference manikins.

PubMed

Urschler, Martin; Höller, Johannes; Bornik, Alexander; Paul, Tobias; Giretzlehner, Michael; Bischof, Horst; Yen, Kathrin; Scheurer, Eva

2014-08-01

The increasing use of CT/MR devices in forensic analysis motivates the need to present forensic findings from different sources in an intuitive reference visualization, with the aim of combining 3D volumetric images along with digital photographs of external findings into a 3D computer graphics model. This model allows a comprehensive presentation of forensic findings in court and enables comparative evaluation studies correlating data sources. The goal of this work was to investigate different methods to generate anonymous and patient-specific 3D models which may be used as reference visualizations. The issue of registering 3D volumetric as well as 2D photographic data to such 3D models is addressed to provide an intuitive context for injury documentation from arbitrary modalities. We present an image processing and visualization work-flow, discuss the major parts of this work-flow, compare the different investigated reference models, and show a number of cases studies that underline the suitability of the proposed work-flow for presenting forensically relevant information in 3D visualizations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

HOMED-homicides eastern Denmark: an introduction to a forensic medical homicide database.

PubMed

Colville-Ebeling, Bonnie; Frisch, Morten; Lynnerup, Niels; Theilade, Peter

2014-11-01

An introduction to a forensic medical homicide database established at the Department of Forensic Medicine in Copenhagen. The database contains substantial clinical and demographic data obtained in conjunction with medico-legal autopsies of victims and forensic clinical examinations of perpetrators in homicide cases in eastern Denmark. The database contains information on all homicide cases investigated at the Department of Forensic Medicine in Copenhagen since 1971. Coverage for the catchment area of the department is assumed to be very good because of a medico-legal homicide autopsy rate close to 100%. Regional differences might exist however, due to the fact that the catchment area of the department is dominated by the city of Copenhagen. The strength of the database includes a long running time, near complete regional coverage and an exhaustive list of registered variables it is useful for research purposes, although specific data limitations apply. © 2014 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.

Pediatric medicolegal autopsy in France: A forensic histopathological approach.

PubMed

Delteil, Clémence; Tuchtan, Lucile; Torrents, Julia; Capuani, Caroline; Piercecchi-Marti, Marie-Dominique

2018-01-01

The aim of postmortem medicolegal examination in pediatric death is primarily to establish the circumstances and causes of death and to exclude child abuse. In France, pediatric death is systematically documented by medicolegal or medical autopsy. In case of medicolegal autopsy, the complementary examinations, requested and financed by justice, are rarely limited to a histopathological examination. However in medical autopsies other tools are available to the pathologist as toxicology, biochemistry and molecular biology. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the efficacy of forensic histopathology in pediatric forensic autopsies. We analyze the main causes of pediatric death in a forensic context. Between 2004 and 2015, 157 infant deaths were identified in Marseille university hospital. The forensic histopathology and autopsy reports of all 157 cases were available for systematic review. Medical or surgical causes represented 41,3% of deaths in our center, accidental causes 8.1% and child abuse 28,8%. The definitive diagnosis was made at autopsy in 30% of cases and at histopathological examination in 70% highlighting that forensic histopathology is an indispensable tool in pediatric medicolegal autopsies. Significant histological abnormalities may be detected in selected organs such as the brain, lungs, heart, liver, adrenal glands and kidneys in spite of macroscopically normal appearances. This justifies systematic sampling of all organs. Despite the implementation of the French sudden infant death protocol which recommends medical autopsies, too many pediatric autopsies are carried out in a medicolegal context. 30% of the cases remain without diagnosis at the end of the autopsy and histological examination. This number could be reduced by the contribution of others laboratory investigation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

A first proposal for a general description model of forensic traces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindauer, Ina; Schäler, Martin; Vielhauer, Claus; Saake, Gunter; Hildebrandt, Mario

2012-06-01

In recent years, the amount of digitally captured traces at crime scenes increased rapidly. There are various kinds of such traces, like pick marks on locks, latent fingerprints on various surfaces as well as different micro traces. Those traces are different from each other not only in kind but also in which information they provide. Every kind of trace has its own properties (e.g., minutiae for fingerprints, or raking traces for locks) but there are also large amounts of metadata which all traces have in common like location, time and other additional information in relation to crime scenes. For selected types of crime scene traces, type-specific databases already exist, such as the ViCLAS for sexual offences, the IBIS for ballistic forensics or the AFIS for fingerprints. These existing forensic databases strongly differ in the trace description models. For forensic experts it would be beneficial to work with only one database capable of handling all possible forensic traces acquired at a crime scene. This is especially the case when different kinds of traces are interrelated (e.g., fingerprints and ballistic marks on a bullet casing). Unfortunately, current research on interrelated traces as well as general forensic data models and structures is not mature enough to build such an encompassing forensic database. Nevertheless, recent advances in the field of contact-less scanning make it possible to acquire different kinds of traces with the same device. Therefore the data of these traces is structured similarly what simplifies the design of a general forensic data model for different kinds of traces. In this paper we introduce a first common description model for different forensic trace types. Furthermore, we apply for selected trace types from the well established database schema development process the phases of transferring expert knowledge in the corresponding forensic fields into an extendible, database-driven, generalised forensic description model. The trace types considered here are fingerprint traces, traces at locks, micro traces and ballistic traces. Based on these basic trace types, also combined traces (multiple or overlapped fingerprints, fingerprints on bullet casings, etc) and partial traces are considered.

[Forensic analysis of injuries in dentistry].

PubMed

Heltai, Nóra; Baráth, Zoltán; Kereszty, Éva M

2016-03-13

Documentation and evaluation of dental injuries in forensic medicine are rather problematic. It needs a professional work up why dental injuries are out of focus, and how the diagnosis, pattern and treatment are influenced by novel approaches of dentistry. The aims of the authors were to characterize dental injuries, to compare their own findings to literature data concerning the type and characteristics of injuries, and propose a diagnostic workflow. Expert's reports between 2009 and 2013 at the Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Szeged were reviewed. Review of about 7000 reports revealed only 20 cases with dental injury, which is in contrast with literature data indicating a significantly higher frequency of dental injuries. Although the number of "dental cases" was low, there were several additional cases where the trauma probably affected the teeth but the injury was not documented. In future more attention is needed in forensic evaluation of the mechanism, therapeutic strategy and prognosis of dental injuries.

Laryngeal teflonoma identified by Fourier-transform infrared microspectroscopy after forensic autopsy: an interesting tool for foreign material identification in forensic cases.

PubMed

Duband, Sébastien; Govin, Alexandre; Dumollard, Jean-Marc; Forest, Fabien; Basset, Thierry; Péoc'h, Michel

2012-01-10

Forensic pathologists are sometimes confronted with microscopic foreign bodies mixed in with soft tissues surrounding wounds and which are thus difficult to identify. This identification, however, could be primordial in investigating a crime and in determining the weapon used. A case of a fatal respiratory distress syndrome due to conjoining suicidal drug intoxication and laryngeal obstruction by a voluminous foreign body giant cell granuloma is presented. The classical histological examination showed exogenous particles in the vocal cord tumor with birefringent qualities. Their analysis with Fourier-Transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry coupled with infrared microscope allows the determination of their chemical nature as polytetrafluoroethylene and to the diagnosis of teflonoma. This case report put the emphasis on the forensic interest of the FTIR imaging. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Forensic Psychiatric Assessment with the Claim of Incitement, Solicitation, Assistance to Suicide, and Reinforcement of Suicide Decision: A Case Report].

PubMed

Eşsizoğlu, Altan; Sercan, Mustafa

2017-01-01

Although the act of suicide is not considered a crime in Turkish Criminal Law, any contribution (incitement, solicitation, assistance and reinforcement of suicide decision) to the commitment of suicide is a crime according to the 84th item. However, the number of cases opened with respect to this item as well as request for forensic psychiatric expertise is very rare. In these cases, forensic psychiatric expertise depends on the psychiatric evaluation of the individual that committed suicide and the analysis of his/her relationship with the person that incited the suicide. If the suicide is completed, then the psychiatric process gains the qualification of a "psychological autopsy". In this paper, we examined a reporting process prepared for an individual that died as a result of suicide and the person accused of inciting him to suicide.Evidence and forensic aspects are discussed.

Dismantling the justice silos: Flowcharting the role and expertise of forensic science, forensic medicine and allied health in adult sexual assault investigations.

PubMed

Kelty, Sally F; Julian, Roberta; Bruenisholz, Eva; Wilson-Wilde, Linzi

2018-04-01

Forensic science is increasingly used to help exonerate the innocent and establishing links between individuals and criminal activities. With increased reliance on scientific services provided by multi-disciplinary (police, medicine, law, forensic science), and multi-organisational in the private and government sectors (health, justice, legal, police) practitioners, the potential for miscommunication resulting unjust outcomes increases. The importance of identifying effective multi-organisational information sharing is to prevent the 'justice silo effect'; where practitioners from different organisations operate in isolation with minimal or no interaction. This paper presents the findings from the second part of the Interfaces Project, an Australia-wide study designed to assess the extent of the justice silos. We interviewed 121 police, forensic scientists, lawyers, judges, coroners, pathologists and forensic physicians. The first paper published in 2013 presented two key findings: first investigative meetings were rare in adult sexual assault cases; second many medical practitioners were semi-invisible in case decision-making with this low level of visibility being due to lawyers, forensic scientists or police not being aware of the role/expertise medical practitioners offer. These findings led to the development of a flowchart model for adult sexual assault that highlights the range of agencies and practitioners typically involved in sexual assault. The rationale for the flowchart is to produce a visual representation of a typical sexual assault investigative process highlighting where and who plays a role in order to minimise the risk of justice silos. This is the second paper in a series of two. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Offending Profiles of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Study of All Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder Examined by the Forensic Psychiatric Service in Norway between 2000 and 2010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Helverschou, Sissel Berge; Rasmussen, Kirsten; Steindal, Kari; Søndanaa, Erik; Nilsson, Britta; Nøttestad, Jim Aage

2015-01-01

This study examined the characteristics of adults with autism spectrum disorder who have undergone a forensic examination and explored any relationships between the diagnosis and the offence. The reports described 41 men and 7 women. The autism spectrum disorder was diagnosed late (mean age: 25.3?years), and 22 of the 48 cases were diagnosed with…

Forensic Comparison of Soil Samples Using Nondestructive Elemental Analysis.

PubMed

Uitdehaag, Stefan; Wiarda, Wim; Donders, Timme; Kuiper, Irene

2017-07-01

Soil can play an important role in forensic cases in linking suspects or objects to a crime scene by comparing samples from the crime scene with samples derived from items. This study uses an adapted ED-XRF analysis (sieving instead of grinding to prevent destruction of microfossils) to produce elemental composition data of 20 elements. Different data processing techniques and statistical distances were evaluated using data from 50 samples and the log-LR cost (C llr ). The best performing combination, Canberra distance, relative data, and square root values, is used to construct a discriminative model. Examples of the spatial resolution of the method in crime scenes are shown for three locations, and sampling strategy is discussed. Twelve test cases were analyzed, and results showed that the method is applicable. The study shows how the combination of an analysis technique, a database, and a discriminative model can be used to compare multiple soil samples quickly. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Format preferences of district attorneys for post-mortem medical imaging reports: understandability, cost effectiveness, and suitability for the courtroom: a questionnaire based study.

PubMed

Ampanozi, Garyfalia; Zimmermann, David; Hatch, Gary M; Ruder, Thomas D; Ross, Steffen; Flach, Patricia M; Thali, Michael J; Ebert, Lars C

2012-05-01

The objective of this study was to explore the perception of the legal authorities regarding different report types and visualization techniques for post-mortem radiological findings. A standardized digital questionnaire was developed and the district attorneys in the catchment area of the affiliated Forensic Institute were requested to evaluate four different types of forensic imaging reports based on four cases examples. Each case was described in four different report types (short written report only, gray-scale CT image with figure caption, color-coded CT image with figure caption, 3D-reconstruction with figure caption). The survey participants were asked to evaluate those types of reports regarding understandability, cost effectiveness and overall appropriateness for the courtroom. 3D reconstructions and color-coded CT images accompanied by written report were preferred regarding understandability and cost/effectiveness. 3D reconstructions of the forensic findings reviewed as most adequate for court. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Power of Exclusion using Automated Osteometric Sorting: Pair-Matching.

PubMed

Lynch, Jeffrey James; Byrd, John; LeGarde, Carrie B

2018-03-01

This study compares the original pair-matching osteometric sorting model (J Forensic Sci 2003;48:717) against two new models providing validation and performance testing across three samples. The samples include the Forensic Data Bank, USS Oklahoma, and the osteometric sorting reference used within the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. A computer science solution to generating dynamic statistical models across a commingled assemblage is presented. The issue of normality is investigated showing the relative robustness against non-normality and a data transformation to control for normality. A case study is provided showing the relative exclusion power of all three models from an active commingled case within the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. In total, 14,357,220 osteometric t-tests were conducted. The results indicate that osteometric sorting performs as expected despite reference samples deviating from normality. The two new models outperform the original, and one of those is recommended to supersede the original for future osteometric sorting work. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

An amazing case of fatal self-immolation.

PubMed

Alunni, Veronique; Grevin, Gilles; Buchet, Luc; Gaillard, Yvan; Quatrehomme, Gérald

2014-11-01

We present a surprising case of suicide by self-immolation. A surveillance camera filmed the victim's agony. We were able to ascertain that he survived 13 min after ignition. This case was the starting point for a review of the literature of the forensic elements required to correctly analyze cases of suicide by self-immolation and to establish the causal link between the burn lesions and death. The authors will focus on the forensic and medical aspects in favor of suicide by self-immolation and on the forensic aspects required to understand the ignition process, the circumstances surrounding the fire with a particular emphasis on determining whether an accelerant was doused on the victim before ignition. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Case-Based Scenario with Interdisciplinary Guided-Inquiry in Chemistry and Biology: Experiences of First Year Forensic Science Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cresswell, Sarah L.; Loughlin, Wendy A.

2017-01-01

In this paper, insight into forensic science students' experiences of a case-based scenario with an interdisciplinary guided-inquiry experience in chemistry and biology is presented. Evaluation of student experiences and interest showed that the students were engaged with all aspects of the case-based scenario, including the curriculum theory…

Post-mortem CT: Hounsfield unit profiles obtained in the lungs with respect to the cause of death assessment.

PubMed

Schober, Daniel; Schwendener, Nicole; Zech, Wolf-Dieter; Jackowski, Christian

2017-01-01

Segmentation of the lungs using post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) data was so far not feasible due to post-mortem changes such as internal livores. Recently, an Osirix plug-in has been developed allowing automatically segmenting lungs also in PMCT data. The aim of this study was to investigate if the Hounsfield unit (HU) profiles obtained in PMCT data of the segmented lung tissue present with specific behaviour in relation to the cause of death. In 105 PMCT data sets of forensic cases, the entire lung volumes were segmented using the Mia Lite plug-in on Osirix. HU profiles of the lungs were generated and correlated to cause of death groups as assessed after forensic autopsy (cardiac death, fatal haemorrhage, craniocerebral injury, intoxication, drowning, hypothermia, hanging and suffocation). Especially cardiac death cases, intoxication cases, fatal haemorrhage cases and hypothermia cases showed very specific HU profiles. In drowning, the profiles showed two different behaviours representing wet and dry drowning. HU profiles rather varied in craniocerebral injury cases, hanging cases as well as in suffocation cases. HU profiles of the lungs segmented from PMCT data may support the cause of death diagnosis as they represent specific morphological changes in the lungs such as oedema, congestion or blood loss. Especially in cardiac death, intoxication, fatal haemorrhage, hypothermia and drowning cases, HU profiles may be very supportive for the forensic pathologist.

Toward a general ontology for digital forensic disciplines.

PubMed

Karie, Nickson M; Venter, Hein S

2014-09-01

Ontologies are widely used in different disciplines as a technique for representing and reasoning about domain knowledge. However, despite the widespread ontology-related research activities and applications in different disciplines, the development of ontologies and ontology research activities is still wanting in digital forensics. This paper therefore presents the case for establishing an ontology for digital forensic disciplines. Such an ontology would enable better categorization of the digital forensic disciplines, as well as assist in the development of methodologies and specifications that can offer direction in different areas of digital forensics. This includes such areas as professional specialization, certifications, development of digital forensic tools, curricula, and educational materials. In addition, the ontology presented in this paper can be used, for example, to better organize the digital forensic domain knowledge and explicitly describe the discipline's semantics in a common way. Finally, this paper is meant to spark discussions and further research on an internationally agreed ontological distinction of the digital forensic disciplines. Digital forensic disciplines ontology is a novel approach toward organizing the digital forensic domain knowledge and constitutes the main contribution of this paper. © 2014 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

[Forensic Analysis of 6 Cases of Sudden Death due to Hyperthyroid Heart Disease].

PubMed

Zhang, M Z; Li, B X; Zhao, R; Guan, D W; Zhang, G H; Wu, X; Zhu, B L; Li, R B

2017-10-01

To analyse the cases of sudden death due to hyperthyroid heart disease, and explore the general information of deaths and the forensic pathological characteristics to provide reference evidence for forensic identification of such cases. Six cases of sudden death due to hyperthyroid heart disease between 2001 and 2016 were selected from School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University. The general information （gender and age）, clinical manifestations, medical history, anatomical and histopathological findings, biochemical parameters and cause of death were analysed retrospectively. Most of the 6 patients had definite history of hyperthyroidism, and they all showed certain degrees of symptoms of cardiovascular disease; had obvious incentive factors of death; histopathological examination of thyroid conformed to the performances of diffuse toxic goiter; with increase of cardiac weight, dilatation of cardiac chambers, myocardial hypertrophy and focal necrosis; postmortem biochemical analyses of pericardial fluid could be used as an additional method for diagnostic of sudden death due to hyperthyroid heart disease. The identification of death due to hyperthyroid heart disease should be based on the clinical history and the results of autopsy, histopathological examination, postmortem toxicology tests. The postmortem biochemical detection of thyroid and cardiac function should be performed if necessary. Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Forensic Medicine

Forensic botany as a useful tool in the crime scene: Report of a case.

PubMed

Margiotta, Gabriele; Bacaro, Giovanni; Carnevali, Eugenia; Severini, Simona; Bacci, Mauro; Gabbrielli, Mario

2015-08-01

The ubiquitous presence of plant species makes forensic botany useful for many criminal cases. Particularly, bryophytes are useful for forensic investigations because many of them are clonal and largely distributed. Bryophyte shoots can easily become attached to shoes and clothes and it is possible to be found on footwear, providing links between crime scene and individuals. We report a case of suicide of a young girl happened in Siena, Tuscany, Italia. The cause of traumatic injuries could be ascribed to suicide, to homicide, or to accident. In absence of eyewitnesses who could testify the dynamics of the event, the crime scene investigation was fundamental to clarify the accident. During the scene analysis, some fragments of Tortula muralis Hedw. and Bryum capillare Hedw were found. The fragments were analyzed by a bryologists in order to compare them with the moss present on the stairs that the victim used immediately before the death. The analysis of these bryophytes found at the crime scene allowed to reconstruct the accident. Even if this evidence, of course, is circumstantial, it can be useful in forensic cases, together with the other evidences, to reconstruct the dynamics of events. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Forensic Linguistics: The Linguistic Analyst and Expert Witness of Language Evidence in Criminal Trials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jordan, Sherilynn Nidever

Forensic linguistics (FL) provides consultation to lawyers through the analysis of language evidence during the pre-trial investigation. Evidence commonly analyzed by linguists in criminal cases includes transcripts of police interviews and language crimes (such as bribery) and anonymous or questioned texts. Forensic linguistic testimony is rarely…

Body models in forensic ballistics: reconstruction of a gunshot injury to the chest by bullet fragmentation after shooting through a finger.

PubMed

Thali, M J; Kneubuehl, B P; Dirnhofer, R; Zollinger, U

2001-11-15

Forensic science uses substitutes to reconstruct injury patterns in order to answer questions regarding the dynamic formation of unusual injuries. Using a case study, an experimental simulation of a finger was designed, for the first time with a combination of hard wood and glycerin soap. With this model as an intermediate target simulation, it was possible not only to demonstrate the "bullet-body (finger) interaction", but also to recreate the wound pattern found in the victim. This case demonstrates that by using ballistic models and body-part substitutes, gunshot cases can be reproduced simply and economically, without coming into conflict with ethical guidelines.

A Forensically Sound Adversary Model for Mobile Devices.

PubMed

Do, Quang; Martini, Ben; Choo, Kim-Kwang Raymond

2015-01-01

In this paper, we propose an adversary model to facilitate forensic investigations of mobile devices (e.g. Android, iOS and Windows smartphones) that can be readily adapted to the latest mobile device technologies. This is essential given the ongoing and rapidly changing nature of mobile device technologies. An integral principle and significant constraint upon forensic practitioners is that of forensic soundness. Our adversary model specifically considers and integrates the constraints of forensic soundness on the adversary, in our case, a forensic practitioner. One construction of the adversary model is an evidence collection and analysis methodology for Android devices. Using the methodology with six popular cloud apps, we were successful in extracting various information of forensic interest in both the external and internal storage of the mobile device.

A Forensically Sound Adversary Model for Mobile Devices

PubMed Central

Choo, Kim-Kwang Raymond

2015-01-01

In this paper, we propose an adversary model to facilitate forensic investigations of mobile devices (e.g. Android, iOS and Windows smartphones) that can be readily adapted to the latest mobile device technologies. This is essential given the ongoing and rapidly changing nature of mobile device technologies. An integral principle and significant constraint upon forensic practitioners is that of forensic soundness. Our adversary model specifically considers and integrates the constraints of forensic soundness on the adversary, in our case, a forensic practitioner. One construction of the adversary model is an evidence collection and analysis methodology for Android devices. Using the methodology with six popular cloud apps, we were successful in extracting various information of forensic interest in both the external and internal storage of the mobile device. PMID:26393812

Studies of felonious crimes by the University Department of Forensic Medicine in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan.

PubMed

Tsunenari, S; Kibayashi, K; Honjyo, K; Hamada, C

1993-01-01

This paper gives an understanding of Japan in the respect of forensic medicine. The fight against felonious crimes in Kumamoto is introduced by reference to the police system, crime statistics, an association of police surgeons and medico-legal autopsy in Kumamoto Prefecture. The police have 23 local police stations with 2,670 police officers and the unique Hashutsu-sho and Chyuzai-sho systems. The crime rate is not very high, but crimes committed by Yakuza groups and traffic accidents are major problems in Kumamoto. Medico-legal autopsy is performed in the university department on only criminal and suspected cases after examination of the body externally by a police surgeon. Two illustrative cases are also introduced in this report, which shows good cooperation among the police force, the university department of forensic medicine, and police surgeons in Kumamoto, Japan.

Windows 7 Antiforensics: A Review and a Novel Approach.

PubMed

Eterovic-Soric, Brett; Choo, Kim-Kwang Raymond; Mubarak, Sameera; Ashman, Helen

2017-07-01

In this paper, we review literature on antiforensics published between 2010 and 2016 and reveal the surprising lack of up-to-date research on this topic. This research aims to contribute to this knowledge gap by investigating different antiforensic techniques for devices running Windows 7, one of the most popular operating systems. An approach which allows for removal or obfuscation of most forensic evidence is then presented. Using the Trojan software DarkComet RAT as a case study, we demonstrate the utility of our approach and that a Trojan Horse infection may be a legitimate possibility, even if there is no evidence of an infection on a seized computer's hard drive. Up-to-date information regarding how forensic artifacts can be compromised will allow relevant stakeholders to make informed decisions when deciding the outcome of legal cases involving digital evidence. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Pattern detection in forensic case data using graph theory: application to heroin cutting agents.

PubMed

Terrettaz-Zufferey, Anne-Laure; Ratle, Frédéric; Ribaux, Olivier; Esseiva, Pierre; Kanevski, Mikhail

2007-04-11

Pattern recognition techniques can be very useful in forensic sciences to point out to relevant sets of events and potentially encourage an intelligence-led style of policing. In this study, these techniques have been applied to categorical data corresponding to cutting agents found in heroin seizures. An application of graph theoretic methods has been performed, in order to highlight the possible relationships between the location of seizures and co-occurrences of particular heroin cutting agents. An analysis of the co-occurrences to establish several main combinations has been done. Results illustrate the practical potential of mathematical models in forensic data analysis.

Trends in child sexual abuse cases referred for forensic examination in Southern Denmark from 2000 to 2011 - Did the 'Tønder-case' have an impact?

PubMed

Skovmand, Sofie; Astrup, Birgitte Schmidt

2015-11-01

In 2005 a serious case of child sexual abuse from the region of Southern Denmark was revealed to the Danish public. The case became known as the 'Tønder-case'. It was the first in a series of 4-5 serious cases of child maltreatment in Denmark, cases which spurred heavy public debate. In this study all the cases of child sexual abuse referred for forensic examination in a 12 year period, a total of 368 cases, were systematically evaluated. In order to identify any trends that could be correlated to an impact of the 'Tønder-case', cases from 2000 to 2002 and cases from 2009 to 2011 underwent an in-depth analysis. In the 12 year period there was a significant increase in numbers of cases. In the subgroups, comprised of 113 cases meeting the inclusion criteria, we found a significant increase in the frequency of cases involving incest and systematic abuse, as well as an uncorrelated increase in the frequency of cases where children were placed in foster care prior to the examination. These results were countered by a significant decrease in the number cases police reported child sexual abuse in the same period. The possible impact that cases like the 'Tønder-case' and the following press coverage may have on disclosure and the handling of this type of case by authorities is discussed, as well as further perspectives of extensive press coverage. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

[The comprehensive approach to ensure the quality of forensic medical examination of a cadaver].

PubMed

Mel'nikov, O V; Mal'tsev, A E; Petrov, S B; Petrov, B A

2015-01-01

The objective of the present work was to estimate the effectiveness of the comprehensive monitoring system designed to enhance the quality of forensic medical expertise for determining the cause of death in the hanging cases. It was shown that the practical application of the algorithmization and automated quality control system improves the effectiveness of forensic medical examination of the cadavers in the hanging cases. The system performs the control, directing, and teaching functions. Moreover, it allows to estimate the completeness of the examination of the cadaver.

Between the Living and the Dead: Trauma Medicine and Forensic Medicine in the Mid-Qing

PubMed Central

Wu, Yi-Li

2015-01-01

This paper analyzes the influence of forensic medicine on therapeutic medicine through a case study of Qian Xiuchang and Hu Tingguang, two Chinese doctors who specialized in treating traumatic injuries. During the early nineteenth century, both men compiled medical treatises that sought to improve on a scholarly model of “rectifying bones” articulated in 1742 by the Imperially-Compiled Golden Mirror of the Medical Lineage. Both texts also incorporated information from forensic medicine, including official inquest diagrams and checklists promulgated by the Qing government. I show that they drew on these forensic materials to help address two interlinked medical issues: understanding the effects of injury on different parts of the body, and clarifying the location and form of the body’s bones. Overall, I suggest that the exchange of ideas between the realm of therapeutic medicine and forensic medicine was an important epistemological strategy that doctors and officials alike employed to improve their knowledge of the material body. PMID:26512255

Between the Living and the Dead: Trauma Medicine and Forensic Medicine in the Mid-Qing.

PubMed

Wu, Yi-Li

2015-03-01

This paper analyzes the influence of forensic medicine on therapeutic medicine through a case study of Qian Xiuchang and Hu Tingguang, two Chinese doctors who specialized in treating traumatic injuries. During the early nineteenth century, both men compiled medical treatises that sought to improve on a scholarly model of "rectifying bones" articulated in 1742 by the Imperially-Compiled Golden Mirror of the Medical Lineage . Both texts also incorporated information from forensic medicine, including official inquest diagrams and checklists promulgated by the Qing government. I show that they drew on these forensic materials to help address two interlinked medical issues: understanding the effects of injury on different parts of the body, and clarifying the location and form of the body's bones. Overall, I suggest that the exchange of ideas between the realm of therapeutic medicine and forensic medicine was an important epistemological strategy that doctors and officials alike employed to improve their knowledge of the material body.

Forensic intelligence framework. Part II: Study of the main generic building blocks and challenges through the examples of illicit drugs and false identity documents monitoring.

PubMed

Baechler, Simon; Morelato, Marie; Ribaux, Olivier; Beavis, Alison; Tahtouh, Mark; Kirkbride, K Paul; Esseiva, Pierre; Margot, Pierre; Roux, Claude

2015-05-01

The development of forensic intelligence relies on the expression of suitable models that better represent the contribution of forensic intelligence in relation to the criminal justice system, policing and security. Such models assist in comparing and evaluating methods and new technologies, provide transparency and foster the development of new applications. Interestingly, strong similarities between two separate projects focusing on specific forensic science areas were recently observed. These observations have led to the induction of a general model (Part I) that could guide the use of any forensic science case data in an intelligence perspective. The present article builds upon this general approach by focusing on decisional and organisational issues. The article investigates the comparison process and evaluation system that lay at the heart of the forensic intelligence framework, advocating scientific decision criteria and a structured but flexible and dynamic architecture. These building blocks are crucial and clearly lay within the expertise of forensic scientists. However, it is only part of the problem. Forensic intelligence includes other blocks with their respective interactions, decision points and tensions (e.g. regarding how to guide detection and how to integrate forensic information with other information). Formalising these blocks identifies many questions and potential answers. Addressing these questions is essential for the progress of the discipline. Such a process requires clarifying the role and place of the forensic scientist within the whole process and their relationship to other stakeholders. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Current and future directions of DNA in wildlife forensic science.

PubMed

Johnson, Rebecca N; Wilson-Wilde, Linzi; Linacre, Adrian

2014-05-01

Wildlife forensic science may not have attained the profile of human identification, yet the scale of criminal activity related to wildlife is extensive by any measure. Service delivery in the arena of wildlife forensic science is often ad hoc, unco-ordinated and unregulated, yet many of those currently dedicated to wildlife conservation and the protection of endangered species are striving to ensure that the highest standards are met. The genetic markers and software used to evaluate data in wildlife forensic science are more varied than those in human forensic identification and are rarely standardised between species. The time and resources required to characterise and validate each genetic maker is considerable and in some cases prohibitive. Further, issues are regularly encountered in the construction of allelic databases and allelic ladders; essential in human identification studies, but also applicable to wildlife criminal investigations. Accreditation and certification are essential in human identification and are currently being strived for in the forensic wildlife community. Examples are provided as to how best practice can be demonstrated in all areas of wildlife crime analysis and ensure that this field of forensic science gains and maintains the respect it deserves. This review is aimed at those conducting human identification to illustrate how research concepts in wildlife forensic science can be used in the criminal justice system, as well as describing the real importance of this type of forensic analysis. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Laughing through this pain: medical clowning during examination of sexually abused children: an innovative approach.

PubMed

Tener, Dafna; Lev-Wiesel, Rachel; Franco, Nessia Lang; Ofir, Shoshi

2010-03-01

This study examined the role of medical clowns during medical examinations of children who were sexually abused. Three case studies are described, illustrating diverse interactions among the victimized child, the medical clown, and the medical forensical examiner during medical forensic examinations held at the Tene Center for Sexually Abused Children, Poria-Pade Medical Center, Israel. The results indicated that medical clowns play a unique role both in lowering anxiety and fear among children before and during the unpleasant forensic examination as well as in mitigating potential retraumatization of the sexual abuse event resulting from the medical examination. The medical clown was found to assist in creating a pleasant and calm atmosphere, thus improving the child's cooperation during the examination.

Child trafficking and the European migration crisis: The role of forensic practitioners.

PubMed

Obertová, Zuzana; Cattaneo, Cristina

2018-01-01

Trafficking in children is one of the worst forms of human rights violation and is categorised as a serious crime. Children at high risk of becoming victims of trafficking are runaways, children with a history of abuse, and migrant children. Internationally, cases of child trafficking are increasing the most in Europe, which is likely the result of the current migration crisis. In crises, preventing and combating human trafficking needs to be prioritized, considering that the aims of humanitarian action include saving lives, easing suffering and preserving human dignity. The involvement of forensic practitioners in investigations of cases of child trafficking mainly concerning the identification of victims may save lives and certainly alleviate suffering of the child victims and their families searching for them. Moreover, by aiding the prosecution process through thorough documentation and expert reporting forensic practitioners may contribute to the protection, rehabilitation and possibly compensation of the child victims, and thus to the restoration of their rights and dignity. So far, forensic practitioners were rarely specifically mentioned as actors in the counter-trafficking efforts in the multitude of policies, regulations, guidelines and recommendations concerning different aspects of child trafficking. This seems surprising considering that the expertise and experience of practitioners from forensic sciences including cyber forensics, document analysis, forensic biology, anthropology, and medicine can be utilised for gathering intelligence in cases of suspected human trafficking, for identifying the victims as well as perpetrators, and for securing evidence for legal proceedings as this paper shows. While this article mainly discusses the role of forensic pathologists and anthropologists, with a specific focus on the identification of child victims of trafficking in the context of the European migration crisis, the notions regarding the contribution of forensic sciences to the counter-trafficking efforts can be adapted to other geographical and sociopolitical contexts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Error rates in forensic DNA analysis: definition, numbers, impact and communication.

PubMed

Kloosterman, Ate; Sjerps, Marjan; Quak, Astrid

2014-09-01

Forensic DNA casework is currently regarded as one of the most important types of forensic evidence, and important decisions in intelligence and justice are based on it. However, errors occasionally occur and may have very serious consequences. In other domains, error rates have been defined and published. The forensic domain is lagging behind concerning this transparency for various reasons. In this paper we provide definitions and observed frequencies for different types of errors at the Human Biological Traces Department of the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI) over the years 2008-2012. Furthermore, we assess their actual and potential impact and describe how the NFI deals with the communication of these numbers to the legal justice system. We conclude that the observed relative frequency of quality failures is comparable to studies from clinical laboratories and genetic testing centres. Furthermore, this frequency is constant over the five-year study period. The most common causes of failures related to the laboratory process were contamination and human error. Most human errors could be corrected, whereas gross contamination in crime samples often resulted in irreversible consequences. Hence this type of contamination is identified as the most significant source of error. Of the known contamination incidents, most were detected by the NFI quality control system before the report was issued to the authorities, and thus did not lead to flawed decisions like false convictions. However in a very limited number of cases crucial errors were detected after the report was issued, sometimes with severe consequences. Many of these errors were made in the post-analytical phase. The error rates reported in this paper are useful for quality improvement and benchmarking, and contribute to an open research culture that promotes public trust. However, they are irrelevant in the context of a particular case. Here case-specific probabilities of undetected errors are needed. These should be reported, separately from the match probability, when requested by the court or when there are internal or external indications for error. It should also be made clear that there are various other issues to consider, like DNA transfer. Forensic statistical models, in particular Bayesian networks, may be useful to take the various uncertainties into account and demonstrate their effects on the evidential value of the forensic DNA results. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

History, research and practice of forensic anthropology in Thailand.

PubMed

Traithepchanapai, Pongpon; Mahakkanukrauh, Pasuk; Kranioti, Elena F

2016-04-01

Forensic anthropology is an increasingly developing discipline born about a century ago in the United States with the objective to contribute the knowledge of bone biology and physical anthropology to the emerging needs of the court of law. The development of research in biological and forensic anthropology has made rapid progress worldwide in the past few years, however, in most countries--with the exception of the United States--forensic anthropology work is still considered within the duties of the forensic pathologist. This paper attempts to summarise the history and development of forensic anthropology in Thailand by providing information on past and current research and practice that can help forensic practitioners to apply existing methods in forensic cases and mass disasters. It is hoped that the lessons learned from the tsunami catastrophe and the emerging need for positive identification in medicolegal settings will lead to rapid advances in education, training and professional engagement of anthropologists from the forensic departments and the law enforcement agencies in Thailand. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The reliability of forensic osteology--a case in point. Case study.

PubMed

Kemkes-Grottenthaler, A

2001-03-01

The medico-legal investigation of skeletons is a trans-disciplinary effort by forensic scientists as well as physical anthropologists. The advent of DNA extraction and amplification from bones and teeth has led to the assumption that morphological assessment of skeletal remains might soon become obsolete. But despite the introduction and success of molecular biology, the analysis of skeletal biology will remain an integral part of the identification process. This is due to the fact, that the skeletal record allows relatively fast and accurate inferences about the identity of the victim. Moreover, a standard biological profile may be established to effectively narrow the police investigator's search parameters. The following study demonstrates how skeletal biology may collaborate in the forensic investigation and support DNA fingerprinting evidence. In this case, the information gained from standard morphological methods about the unknown person's sex, age and heritage immediately led the police to suspect, that the remains were that of a young man from Vietnam, who had been missing for 2.5 years. The investigation then quickly shifted to prove the victim's identity via DNA extraction and mtDNA sequence analysis and biostatistical calculations involving questions of kinship [4].

The first report of Telomerina flavipes (Meigen, 1830) (Diptera, Sphaeroceridae) in a forensic case, with redescription of its pupa.

PubMed

Arnaldos, María-Isabel; Ubero-Pascal, Nicolás; García, Rafael; Carles-Tolrá, Miguel; Presa, Juan-José; García, María-Dolores

2014-09-01

This paper presents a forensic investigation that took place in the city of Murcia (SE Spain) and shows how the entomological specimens collected at the scene were extremely helpful for estimating the minimum post-mortem interval (PMImin). The occurrence of Telomerina flavipes (Meigen, 1830) (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae) is reported here for the first time in a forensic case. Additionally, the importance of other entomological evidence in this case is discussed. The first known images of the puparium are provided, as well as its redescription and that of the cephalopharyngeal skeleton recovered from the puparium. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sleep-related violence and sexual behavior in sleep: a systematic review of medical-legal case reports.

PubMed

Ingravallo, Francesca; Poli, Francesca; Gilmore, Emma V; Pizza, Fabio; Vignatelli, Luca; Schenck, Carlos H; Plazzi, Giuseppe

2014-08-15

To review systematically medical-legal cases of sleep-related violence (SRV) and sexual behavior in sleep (SBS). We searched Pubmed and PsychINFO (from 1980 to 2012) with pre-specified terms. We also searched reference lists of relevant articles. Case reports in which a sleep disorder was purported as the defense during a criminal trial and in which information about the forensic evaluation of the defendant was provided. Information about legal issues, defendant and victim characteristics, circumstantial factors, and forensic evaluation was extracted from each case. A qualitative-comparative assessment of cases was performed. Eighteen cases (9 SRV and 9 SBS) were included. The charge was murder or attempted murder in all SRV cases, while in SBS cases the charge ranged from sexual touching to rape. The defense was based on sleepwalking in 11 of 18 cases. The trial outcome was in favor of the defendant in 14 of 18 cases. Defendants were relatively young males in all cases. Victims were usually adult relatives of the defendants in SRV cases and unrelated young girls or adolescents in SBS cases. In most cases the criminal events occurred 1-2 hours after the defendant's sleep onset, and both proximity and other potential triggering factors were reported. The forensic evaluations widely differed from case to case. SRV and SBS medical-legal cases did not show apparent differences, except for the severity of the charges and the victim characteristics. An international multidisciplinary consensus for the forensic evaluation of SRV and SBS should be developed as an urgent priority.

Computer Forensics Education - the Open Source Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huebner, Ewa; Bem, Derek; Cheung, Hon

In this chapter we discuss the application of the open source software tools in computer forensics education at tertiary level. We argue that open source tools are more suitable than commercial tools, as they provide the opportunity for students to gain in-depth understanding and appreciation of the computer forensic process as opposed to familiarity with one software product, however complex and multi-functional. With the access to all source programs the students become more than just the consumers of the tools as future forensic investigators. They can also examine the code, understand the relationship between the binary images and relevant data structures, and in the process gain necessary background to become the future creators of new and improved forensic software tools. As a case study we present an advanced subject, Computer Forensics Workshop, which we designed for the Bachelor's degree in computer science at the University of Western Sydney. We based all laboratory work and the main take-home project in this subject on open source software tools. We found that without exception more than one suitable tool can be found to cover each topic in the curriculum adequately. We argue that this approach prepares students better for forensic field work, as they gain confidence to use a variety of tools, not just a single product they are familiar with.

Interinstitutional review of slides for forensic pathology: types of inconsistencies.

PubMed

Ersoy, Gokhan; Akyildiz, Elif Ulker; Korkmaz, Gulay; Albek, Emre

2010-09-01

Because of the specific structure of forensic medicine in Turkey, reexamination of histopathologic specimens is a frequent practice. The aim of the present study is the assessment of microscopic diagnostic consistency in forensic pathology between different laboratories. Reports of the Council of Forensic Medicine between 2001 and 2004 were examined, and 150 cases with second pathologic examination were found. Results of histopathologic reports from peripheral laboratories were compared with those made by the Council pathologists with regard to diagnostic consistency. Consistency was assessed in 3 groups and 1 subgroup. Group 1, consistent and minor inconsistency; includes a major consistency subgroup. Group 2, major inconsistency, is the second diagnosis which is lethal; group 3, major inconsistency, is the first diagnosis which is lethal. The lung was found to be the organ with the highest frequency of diagnostic major inconsistency (group 2 and 3) and major consistency. Bronchopneumonia was the most common diagnosis. The brain had the highest frequency of intercenter diagnostic overall consistency (90.2%, group 1). Myocardial infarction was the diagnosis most frequently rejected on reevaluation (group 3). In conclusion, forensic pathology requires different experience than surgical ones. In cases of discrepancy between the anamnesis of the lethal event and pathologic findings, reevaluation of specimen is mandatory to avoid any diagnostic errors. Quality assurance systems with all include internal and external control mechanisms will improve the diagnostic reliability.

A Survey of Attitudes of Board-Certified Veterinary Pathologists to Forensic Veterinary Pathology.

PubMed

McEwen, B J; McDonough, S P

2016-09-01

An electronic survey was conducted to determine the attitudes of veterinary pathologists toward forensic pathology and the adequacy of their training in the discipline. The survey was sent to 1933 diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists and 311 completed responses were analyzed. Of respondents, 80% report receiving at least 1 type of medicolegal case, with cases from law enforcement received most frequently. Most (74%) of the respondents indicated that their previous training did not prepare them adequately to handle forensic cases and almost half of the respondents (48%) indicated that they needed more training on serving as an expert witness. Relative risk ratios (RRR) and odds ratios (OR) were generated to determine the strength of a statistically significant association. Responses from a free-text entry question determining additional training needs could be grouped into 3 main categories: (1) veterinary forensic pathology science and procedures, (2) documentation, evidence collection and handling, and (3) knowledge of the medicolegal system. Last, a field for additional comments or suggestions regarding veterinary forensic pathology was completed by 107 respondents and many reinforced the need for training in the categories previously described. The survey highlights that a significant proportion of diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists are currently engaged in veterinary forensic pathology but feel their training has not adequately prepared them for these cases. Hopefully, the survey results will inform the college and residency training coordinators as they address the training requirements for an important emerging discipline. © The Author(s) 2016.

A Term Project for a Course on Computer Forensics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Warren

2006-01-01

The typical approach to creating an examination disk for exercises and projects in a course on computer forensics is for the instructor to populate a piece of media with evidence to be retrieved. While such an approach supports the simple use of forensic tools, in many cases the use of an instructor-developed examination disk avoids utilizing some…

An Enigmatic Death in Farm Chopping Machine: Is This the Perfect Murder?

PubMed

Gioia, Sara; Lancia, Massimo; Bacci, Mauro; Suadoni, Fabio

2015-09-01

Forensic autopsy, like the other sectors in medicine, has benefited from the technological progress and the creation of multidisciplinary teams to unveil more and more finely planned criminal intents.Forensic pathologists, however, can sometimes deal with very enigmatic cases, meeting so with the limits of their own knowledge. Therefore, in these cases, they must not allow themselves to be pressured by inquiring agencies, remaining instead always faithful to empiric observations.With regard to that, we present a peculiar case of death by shredding inside a grinding machinery. The magistrature consequently opened a dossier for willful murder. Lots of figures were appointed to solve the case and among them is the forensic pathologist. However, a great number of obstacles were put in the investigators' inquiries.Was it a perfect murder?

Reliability of Professional Judgments in Forensic Child Sexual Abuse Evaluations: Unsettled or Unsettling Science?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Everson, Mark D.; Sandoval, Jose Miguel; Berson, Nancy; Crowson, Mary; Robinson, Harriet

2012-01-01

In the absence of photographic or DNA evidence, a credible eyewitness, or perpetrator confession, forensic evaluators in cases of alleged child sexual abuse must rely on psychosocial or "soft" evidence, often requiring substantial professional judgment for case determination. This article offers a three-part rebuttal to Herman's (2009) argument…

Physicians' Initial Forensic Impressions of Hypothetical Cases of Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laskey, Antoinette L.; Sheridan, Michael J.; Hymel, Kent P.

2007-01-01

Objective: To describe physicians' initial forensic impressions of hypothetical cases of pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to compare the responses of pathologists and pediatricians. Method: A survey was administered to physicians who attended workshops on pediatric TBI; were members of two national internet list serves; and were members…

Role of forensic dentistry for dental practitioners: A comprehensive study

PubMed Central

Rathod, Vanita; Desai, Veena; Pundir, Siddharth; Dixit, Sudhanshu; Chandraker, Rashmi

2017-01-01

Objectives: The aim of present study is to analyze assess the awareness about forensic odontology among dental practitioners in center part of India. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of 100 dental practitioners in Bhilai-Durg and data was collected by means of a questionnaire. Results: About 30% of dental practitioners not maintain dental records in their clinic, 70% maintained dental records. Nearly, 60% dental practitioners use the appropriate method for diagnosis, while rest are not. Sixty-five percent dental practitioners know the accurate and sensitive way of identify individuals. Thirty percent dental practitioner did not know the significance of bite-mark patterns of the teeth, about 75% dental practitioners did not aware that they could testify as an expert witness in the court of law. Only 15% dental practitioners have formal training in collecting, evaluating, and presenting dental evidence. Seventy-five percent dental practitioners not confident to deal with forensic cases. Conclusions: Our study revealed inadequate knowledge, lack of awareness about forensic odontology, among dental practitioners in Chhattisgarh. PMID:29263619

Cell phone camera ballistics: attacks and countermeasures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steinebach, Martin; Liu, Huajian; Fan, Peishuai; Katzenbeisser, Stefan

2010-01-01

Multimedia forensics deals with the analysis of multimedia data to gather information on its origin and authenticity. One therefore needs to distinguish classical criminal forensics (which today also uses multimedia data as evidence) and multimedia forensics where the actual case is based on a media file. One example for the latter is camera forensics where pixel error patters are used as fingerprints identifying a camera as the source of an image. Of course multimedia forensics can become a tool for criminal forensics when evidence used in a criminal investigation is likely to be manipulated. At this point an important question arises: How reliable are these algorithms? Can a judge trust their results? How easy are they to manipulate? In this work we show how camera forensics can be attacked and introduce a potential countermeasure against these attacks.

[Forensic identification of floating shoulder injury].

PubMed

Li, Sheng-Ya; Huang, Si-Xing; Zhao, Xing-Bin; Zheng, Xiao-Hong; Zhu, Yi

2006-10-15

To discuss forensic identification of floating shoulder injury (FSI). To analyze fifteen cases of FSI which were accepted from Jan. 1993 to Jan. 2006, including 15 shoulder neck fracture, 13 clavide stem fracture and 2 distal end clavide fracture, the function of shoulder joint was evaluated six months after injure considering the following three aspects: result of forensic examination such as X-ray photograph, CT and MRI, the injurers' symptom, objective sign and joint function, shoulder joint territory, degree of pain and local muscle power. Basing on the curative effect standard of Herscovic, all cases were divided into good. Modest, worst, which included 2, 4, 9 cases respectively; referring the standard of GA35-92, GB18667-2002, all cases were divided into six, seven, eight, nine and ten degree, which included 2,9,2,1,1 cases respectively. As a special powerful injure, FSI always companied with concurrent and multiple injure, and characterized by missed, incorrect and delayed diagnosis and infelicitous treatment, which lead to the high frequency and degree of injure. To prevent missed and incorrect forensic identification, we should have a full realization of the particularity of FSI, and evaluate the function of shoulder all-sidely, objectively and synseticaly.

The importance of scientific evaluation of biological evidence--data from eight years of case review.

PubMed

Coyle, Heather Miller

2012-12-01

In 2009, the National Research Council published a report stating that the addition of more science and technology into the field of forensic science in the United States would be of great benefit to the judicial system. As a starting point to address this NRC report, one needs to make an assessment of the system. One factor that is continuously requested is an estimate of an error rate. In any given scientific area of forensics that is difficult to quantitate except by external review and audits. After eight years of requested defense review of cases with biological and DNA evidence, most cases appear to be scientifically sound in test methods and procedures. However, there were some cases where errors in the forensic science process did occur. This article takes information compiled from those eight years of defense review and summarizes the cases where errors have been discovered and discusses the scientific implications of these errors. The scope of this article is limited to crime scene collection and forensic science laboratory testing of biological materials for body fluid identification and DNA individualization to a source. The greatest value of defense review comes from (a) providing effective balance and independent oversight to the judicial process and (b) collecting data into a format that can be useful as a guide in training programs. Copyright © 2012 Forensic Science Society. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Screening for anabolic steroids in urine of forensic cases using fully automated solid phase extraction and LC-MS-MS.

PubMed

Andersen, David W; Linnet, Kristian

2014-01-01

A screening method for 18 frequently measured exogenous anabolic steroids and the testosterone/epitestosterone (T/E) ratio in forensic cases has been developed and validated. The method involves a fully automated sample preparation including enzyme treatment, addition of internal standards and solid phase extraction followed by analysis by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) using electrospray ionization with adduct formation for two compounds. Urine samples from 580 forensic cases were analyzed to determine the T/E ratio and occurrence of exogenous anabolic steroids. Extraction recoveries ranged from 77 to 95%, matrix effects from 48 to 78%, overall process efficiencies from 40 to 54% and the lower limit of identification ranged from 2 to 40 ng/mL. In the 580 urine samples analyzed from routine forensic cases, 17 (2.9%) were found positive for one or more anabolic steroids. Only seven different steroids including testosterone were found in the material, suggesting that only a small number of common steroids are likely to occur in a forensic context. The steroids were often in high concentrations (>100 ng/mL), and a combination of steroids and/or other drugs of abuse were seen in the majority of cases. The method presented serves as a fast and automated screening procedure, proving the suitability of LC-MS-MS for analyzing anabolic steroids. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Automatic detection of hemorrhagic pericardial effusion on PMCT using deep learning - a feasibility study.

PubMed

Ebert, Lars C; Heimer, Jakob; Schweitzer, Wolf; Sieberth, Till; Leipner, Anja; Thali, Michael; Ampanozi, Garyfalia

2017-12-01

Post mortem computed tomography (PMCT) can be used as a triage tool to better identify cases with a possibly non-natural cause of death, especially when high caseloads make it impossible to perform autopsies on all cases. Substantial data can be generated by modern medical scanners, especially in a forensic setting where the entire body is documented at high resolution. A solution for the resulting issues could be the use of deep learning techniques for automatic analysis of radiological images. In this article, we wanted to test the feasibility of such methods for forensic imaging by hypothesizing that deep learning methods can detect and segment a hemopericardium in PMCT. For deep learning image analysis software, we used the ViDi Suite 2.0. We retrospectively selected 28 cases with, and 24 cases without, hemopericardium. Based on these data, we trained two separate deep learning networks. The first one classified images into hemopericardium/not hemopericardium, and the second one segmented the blood content. We randomly selected 50% of the data for training and 50% for validation. This process was repeated 20 times. The best performing classification network classified all cases of hemopericardium from the validation images correctly with only a few false positives. The best performing segmentation network would tend to underestimate the amount of blood in the pericardium, which is the case for most networks. This is the first study that shows that deep learning has potential for automated image analysis of radiological images in forensic medicine.

Professionals' Attitude Toward Reporting Child Sexual Abuse in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Al-Saif, Dalia M; Al-Eissa, Majid; Saleheen, Hassan; Al-Mutlaq, Huda; Everson, Mark D; Almuneef, Maha A

2018-01-01

Child sexual abuse (CSA) requires specialized knowledge and training that includes forensic interview skills. The aim of this study was to determine variations in professionals' attitudes toward CSA by measuring three aspects of forensic attitudes (sensitivity, specificity, and skepticism) and evaluating disagreements concerning the assessment of CSA cases in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional, web-based study, in which the Child Forensic Attitude Scale was used to measure professionals' attitudes, was conducted. Professionals who dealt with suspected cases of CSA as part of their jobs or were in professions that necessitated involvement with such cases, were selected as participants. Of 327 participants, 53% were aged ≤40 years, and 54% were men. In addition, 24% were doctors/nurses, 20% were therapists/psychiatrists, 24% were social workers, 17% were educators, 9% were law enforcement professionals, and 5% were medical examiners. Attitude subscale scores differed significantly according to participants' sex, specialty, and training. Women, healthcare professionals, and those who had participated in more than five training courses were more concerned about the underreporting of abuse (high sensitivity) relative to other professionals. In comparison, men, medical examiners, law enforcement officers, and undertrained professionals tended to underreport suspected sexual abuse cases (high specificity). High specificity in attitudes toward suspected cases of CSA could affect professionals' judgment and contribute to low reporting rates. Certain strategies, including increasing self-awareness of personal bias, specific CSA recognition courses, and team approaches to case assessment and management, should be implemented to control the influence of subjective factors.

Detection of glass particles on bone lesions using SEM-EDS.

PubMed

Montoriol, Romain; Guilbeau-Frugier, Céline; Chantalat, Elodie; Roumiguié, Mathieu; Delisle, Marie-Bernadette; Payré, Bruno; Telmon, Norbert; Savall, Frédéric

2017-09-01

The problem of identifying the wounding agent in forensic cases is recurrent. Moreover, when several tools are involved, distinguishing the origin of lesions can be difficult. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)/energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS) equipment is increasingly available to the scientific and medical community, and some studies have reported its use in forensic anthropology. However, at our knowledge, no study has reported the use of SEM-EDS in forensic cases involving glass tools, whether in case reports or experiments. We performed an experimental study on human rib fragments, on which we manually created wounds using fragments of window and mirror glass. SEM-EDS was executed on samples without any further preparation on low vacuum mode, then on the same samples after defleshing them completely by boiling them. Window and mirror glass particles were detected on experimental wounds. Both had silica in their spectra, and the opaque side of the mirror contained titanium, allowing for their identification. Boiling and defleshing the bone samples involved a loss of information in terms of the number of wounds detected as positive for glass particles and in the number of glass particles detected, for both window and mirror glass. We suggest the analysis of wounds with suspected glass particles using low vacuum mode and with no defleshment by boiling.

Forensic Toxicology Perspectives of Methadone-associated Deaths in Tehran, Iran, a 7-year Overview.

PubMed

Akhgari, Maryam; Amini-Shirazi, Noushin; Iravani, Fariba Sardari

2018-04-01

Methadone has a long history of pain relief and successful substitute for maintenance treatment in heroin and narcotic addiction. The aim of the study was to assess the trends of methadone-associated deaths in Tehran, Iran, in 2009-2015, from a forensic toxicology point of view. All methadone-associated deaths during this 7-year study period were evaluated according to demographic parameters and forensic toxicology analysis results. Results showed that 1274 cases of methadone-associated deaths were investigated during the study period. The incidence rate of methadone-associated deaths had risen 7.7 times in 2015 in comparison with 2009 (p < 0.05). The majority of cases were men (90.35%), aged from 20 to 40 years. About 80% of cases had shown positive results for other drugs and poisons in combination with methadone. Methamphetamine and tramadol were the most drugs detected in post-mortem samples. Death rates among methadone users in Tehran, Iran, increased year by year during 2009-2015. These findings raise the attention to the concomitant use of drugs with the need for changes in regulation and regulatory policy to restrict access and use of controlled drugs. © 2017 Nordic Association for the Publication of BCPT (former Nordic Pharmacological Society).

Personal identification based on prescription eyewear.

PubMed

Berg, Gregory E; Collins, Randall S

2007-03-01

This study presents a web-based tool that can be used to assist in identification of unknown individuals using spectacle prescriptions. Currently, when lens prescriptions are used in forensic identifications, investigators are constrained to a simple "match" or "no-match" judgment with an antemortem prescription. It is not possible to evaluate the strength of the conclusion, or rather, the potential or real error rates associated with the conclusion. Three databases totaling over 385,000 individual prescriptions are utilized in this study to allow forensic analysts to easily determine the strength of individuation of a spectacle match to antemortem records by calculating the frequency at which the observed prescription occurs in various U.S. populations. Optical refractive errors are explained, potential states and combinations of refractive errors are described, measuring lens corrections is discussed, and a detailed description of the databases is presented. The practical application of this system is demonstrated using two recent forensic identifications. This research provides a valuable personal identification tool that can be used in cases where eyeglass portions are recovered in forensic contexts.

FIA: An Open Forensic Integration Architecture for Composing Digital Evidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raghavan, Sriram; Clark, Andrew; Mohay, George

The analysis and value of digital evidence in an investigation has been the domain of discourse in the digital forensic community for several years. While many works have considered different approaches to model digital evidence, a comprehensive understanding of the process of merging different evidence items recovered during a forensic analysis is still a distant dream. With the advent of modern technologies, pro-active measures are integral to keeping abreast of all forms of cyber crimes and attacks. This paper motivates the need to formalize the process of analyzing digital evidence from multiple sources simultaneously. In this paper, we present the forensic integration architecture (FIA) which provides a framework for abstracting the evidence source and storage format information from digital evidence and explores the concept of integrating evidence information from multiple sources. The FIA architecture identifies evidence information from multiple sources that enables an investigator to build theories to reconstruct the past. FIA is hierarchically composed of multiple layers and adopts a technology independent approach. FIA is also open and extensible making it simple to adapt to technological changes. We present a case study using a hypothetical car theft case to demonstrate the concepts and illustrate the value it brings into the field.

REWRITING ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION HISTORY: DID CARRION ECOLOGISTS GET THERE FIRST?

PubMed

Michaud, Jean-Philippe; Schoenly, Kenneth G; Moreau, Gaétan

2015-03-01

Ecological succession is arguably the most enduring contribution of plant ecologists and its origins have never been contested. However, we show that French entomologist Pierre Mégnin, while collaborating with medical examiners in the late 1800s, advanced the first formal definition and testable mechanism of ecological succession. This discovery gave birth to the twin disciplines of carrion ecology and forensic entomology. As a novel case of multiple independent discovery, we chronicle how the disciplines of plant and carrion ecology (including forensic entomology) accumulated strikingly similar parallel histories and contributions. In the 1900s, the two groups diverged in methodology and purpose, with carrion ecologists and forensic entomologists focusing mostly on case reports and observational studies instead of hypothesis testing. Momentum is currently growing, however, to develop the ecological framework of forensic entomology and advance carrion ecology theory. Researchers are recognizing the potential of carcasses as subjects for testing not only succession mechanisms (without assuming space-for-time substitution), but also aggregation and coexistence models, diversity-ecosystem function relationships, and the dynamics of pulsed resources. By comparing the contributions of plant and carrion ecologists, we hope to stimulate future crossover research that leads to a general theory of ecological succession.

Forensic Analysis of Parachute Deaths.

PubMed

Burke, Michael Philip; Chitty, Johannes

2017-03-01

Deaths associated with parachuting are very uncommon. However, these deaths do tend to be "high profile" in the traditional and social media. When forensic pathologists examine the deceased after a fatal parachuting incident, the anatomical cause of death is usually not in question. For most forensic pathologists, it is usually the case that we will have very limited knowledge of parachuting equipment or the mechanics of a typical successful parachute jump. As such, the investigation of the death should involve a multidisciplinary approach with an appropriate expert providing the formal forensic examination of the parachuting equipment. We have endeavored to describe, in simple terms, the usual components of a typical parachute rig, a précis of the sequence of events in a routine skydive and BASE jump, and the various types of malfunctions that may occur. Last, we present a case report of a BASE jump fatality to illustrate how an expert examination of the BASE jumper's gear aided the medicolegal investigation of the death with some important aspects in the forensic examination of the jumper's equipment.

Mummified remains from the Archaeological Museum in Zagreb, Croatia - Reviewing peculiarities and limitations of human and non-human radiological identification and analysis in mummified remains.

PubMed

Petaros, Anja; Janković, Ivor; Cavalli, Fabio; Ivanac, Gordana; Brkljačić, Boris; Čavka, Mislav

2015-10-01

Forensic protocols and medico-legal techniques are increasingly being employed in investigations of museological material. The final findings of such investigations may reveal interesting facts on historical figures, customs and habits, as well as provide meaningful data for forensic use. Herein we present a case review where forensic experts were requested to identify taxonomic affinities, stage of preservation and provide skeletal analysis of mummified non-human archaeological remains, and verify whether two mummified hands are human or not. The manuscript offers a short review on the process and particularities of radiological species identification, the impact of post-mortem changes in the analysis and imaging of mummified remains as well as the macroscopical interpretation of trauma, pathology and authenticity in mummified remains, which can all turn useful when dealing with forensic cases. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Tau protein (MAPT) as a possible biochemical marker of traumatic brain injury in postmortem examination.

PubMed

Olczak, Mieszko; Niderla-Bielińska, Justyna; Kwiatkowska, Magdalena; Samojłowicz, Dorota; Tarka, Sylwia; Wierzba-Bobrowicz, Teresa

2017-11-01

MAPT is a neuronal protein that plays an important role in axonal stabilization, neuronal development, and neuronal polarity. MAPT release into the CSF and blood has been interpreted as indicative of axonal injury as its elevated levels were observed in olympic boxers even after a mild head trauma suggesting minor CNS injuries. In our study we wanted to check the potential relevance of MAPT examination for forensic purposes. The study was carried out using cases of head injury group and cases of sudden death (cardiopulmonary failure, no injuries of the head - control group) provided by forensic pathologists at the Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw. CSF and blood were collected within 24h after death using suboccipital puncture and femoral vein puncture. Serum and cerebrospinal fluid Tau protein concentrations were compared using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa). Brain specimens (frontal cortex) were collected during forensic autopsies. Sections were stained histologically (hematoxylin-eosin) and immunohistochemically with anti human Tau antibody, anti glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP), anti human macrosialin (CD68) or anti human endothelial cells (CD34). In our study we documented that elevated levels of serum and CSF MAPT may also be considered a marker for mild traumatic brain injury and traumatic brain injury (mTBI and TBI). An increase in CSF and serum levels of MAPT in the absence of visible macroscopic traumatic CNS changes indicates that even minor head injuries may result in changes at the neuronal level that could remain undiagnosed during regular forensic autopsy and routine histopathological examination. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Importance of International Technical Nuclear Forensics to Deter Illicit Trafficking

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, D K

2007-01-30

Illicit trafficking of nuclear materials is a transboundary problem that requires a cooperative approach involving international nuclear forensics to ensure all states understand the threat posed by nuclear smuggling as well as a means to best deter the movement of nuclear contraband. To achieve the objectives, all cases involving illicit trafficking of nuclear and radiological materials must be vigorously pursued and prosecuted when appropriate. The importance of outreach and formal government-to-government relationships with partner nations affected by nuclear trafficking cannot be under-estimated. States that are situated on smuggling routes may be well motivated to counter nuclear crimes to bolster theirmore » own border and transportation security as well as strengthen their economic and political viability. National law enforcement and atomic energy agencies in these states are aggressively pursuing a comprehensive strategy to counter nuclear smuggling through increasing reliance on technical nuclear forensics. As part of these activities, it is essential that these organizations be given adequate orientation to the best practices in this emerging discipline including the categorization of interdicted nuclear material, collection of traditional and nuclear forensic evidence, data analysis using optimized analytical protocols, and how to best fuse forensics information with reliable case input to best develop a law enforcement or national security response. The purpose of formalized USG relationship is to establish an institutional framework for collaboration in international forensics, improve standards of forensics practice, conduct joint exercises, and pursue case-work that benefits international security objectives. Just as outreach and formalized relationships are important to cultivate international nuclear forensics, linking nuclear forensics to ongoing national assistance in border and transpiration security, including port of entry of entry monitoring, nuclear safeguards, and emerging civilian nuclear power initiatives including the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership are crucial components of a successful nuclear detection and security architecture. Once illicit shipments of nuclear material are discovered at a border, the immediate next question will be the nature and the source of the material, as well as the identity of the individual(s) involved in the transfer as well as their motivations. The Nuclear Smuggling International Technical Working Group (ITWG) is a forum for the first responder, law enforcement, policy, and diplomatic community to partner with nuclear forensics experts worldwide to identify requirements and develop technical solutions in common. The ITWG was charted in 1996 and since that time approximately 30 member states and organizations have participated in 11 annual international meetings. The ITWG also works closely with the IAEA to provide countries with support for forensic analyses. Priorities include the development of common protocols for the collection of nuclear forensic evidence and laboratory investigations, organization of forensic round-robin analytical exercises and technical forensic assistance to requesting nations. To promote the science of nuclear forensics within the ITWG the Nuclear Forensics Laboratory Group was organized in 2004. A Model Action Plan for nuclear forensics was developed by the ITWG and published as an IAEA Nuclear security Series document to guide member states in their own forensics investigations. Through outreach, formalized partnerships, common approaches and security architectures, and international working groups, nuclear forensics provides an important contribution to promoting nuclear security and accountability.« less

Retrospective analysis of 319 hanging and strangulation cases between 2001 and 2014 in Shanghai.

PubMed

Ma, Jianlong; Jing, Haojia; Zeng, Yan; Tao, Li; Yang, Yulei; Ma, Kaijun; Chen, Long

2016-08-01

In this study, we retrospectively analyzed 141 cases of hanging and 178 cases of ligature strangulation recorded in the Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau between January 2001 and December 2014 to explore the characteristics of hanging and ligature strangulation and to supply a scientific reference for forensic pathology. Several significant differences between hanging and ligature strangulation were found. Hanging cases were mostly suicide, with some accidental cases. Strangulation cases were mostly homicide, with a few cases of suicide or sexual asphyxia. Male hanging was more common than female hanging, with a ratio of 5:2. However, there were more female than male strangulation cases, with a ratio of 13:5. The ligature marks in hanging cases were almost all of a "U" type and above the hyoid bone. The ligature marks in strangulation cases were almost always a closed circle, but the position varied. The most common vital reactions were subcutaneous hemorrhage, exfoliation and blister, which are strong evidence of antemortem injury. Hemorrhagic spots were found on the temporalis, scalp, chest and back in strangulation cases, but were rare in hanging cases. Hemorrhagic manifestations were most common in the sternocleidomastoid muscle in hanging cases, and in the sternohyoid and sternothyroid muscles in strangulation cases. Fractures occurred in only ∼17% of victims. There are notable differences between hanging and ligature strangulation, which can help distinguish between these causes of death. These characteristics should be considered in forensic practice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Content based information retrieval in forensic image databases.

PubMed

Geradts, Zeno; Bijhold, Jurrien

2002-03-01

This paper gives an overview of the various available image databases and ways of searching these databases on image contents. The developments in research groups of searching in image databases is evaluated and compared with the forensic databases that exist. Forensic image databases of fingerprints, faces, shoeprints, handwriting, cartridge cases, drugs tablets, and tool marks are described. The developments in these fields appear to be valuable for forensic databases, especially that of the framework in MPEG-7, where the searching in image databases is standardized. In the future, the combination of the databases (also DNA-databases) and possibilities to combine these can result in stronger forensic evidence.

The importance of post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) in confrontation with conventional forensic autopsy of victims of motorcycle accidents.

PubMed

Moskała, Artur; Woźniak, Krzysztof; Kluza, Piotr; Romaszko, Karol; Lopatin, Oleksij

2016-01-01

Since traffic accidents are an important problem in forensic medicine, there is a constant search for new solutions to help with an investigation process in such cases. In recent years there was a rapid development of post-mortem imaging techniques, especially post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT). In our work we concentrated on a potential advantage of PMCT in cases of motorcycle accident fatalities. The results of forensic autopsy were compared with combined results of the autopsy and PMCT to check in which areas use of these two techniques gives statistically important increase in number of findings. The hypothesis was confirmed in case of pneumothorax and fractures of skull, spine, clavicle, scapula, lower leg bones. As for majority of other bone fractures locations and brain injures there were single cases with pathologies visible only in PMCT, but too few to reach expected level of p-value. In case of injuries of solid organs and soft tissues statistical analysis did not confirmed any advantage of unenhanced PMCT use. On the whole it has been shown that PMCT used as an adjunct to forensic autopsy can cause an increase in information about vitally important regions in case of motorcycle accident fatalities. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Validation of Differential Extraction Kit in forensic sexual assault cases].

PubMed

Wu, Dan; Cao, Yu; Xu, Yan; He, Bai-Fang; Bi, Gang; Zhou, Huai-Gu

2009-12-01

To evaluate the validity of Differential Extraction Kit in isolating spermatozoa and epithelial cell DNA from mixture samples. Selective lysis of spermatid and epithelial cells combined with paramagnetic particle method were applied to extract the DNA from the mock samples under controlled conditions and forensic case samples, and template DNA were analyzed by STR genotype method. This Differential Extraction Kit is efficient to obtain high quality spermatid and epithelial cell DNA from the mixture samples with different proportion of sperm to epithelial cell. The Differential Extraction Kit can be applied in DNA extraction for mixed stain from forensic sexual assault samples.

Forensic revolution need maintenance of dental records of patients by the dentists: A descriptive study.

PubMed

Gupta, Anamika; Mishra, Gaurav; Bhutani, Hemant; Hoshing, Chetan; Bhalla, Ashish

2016-01-01

With the growth of forensic odontology, dental records have become an essential source of information, especially for medicolegal cases in general practice. It is mandated by the law that every dentist must keep some kind of records for every patient they treat. After the death of an individual, remnants of teeth are usually damaged at the last among all body parts. Dental records assist in personal identification in cases of mass disasters, criminal investigations, and medicolegal issues. However, in India, rules for maintaining dental records are not very strictly followed. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge regarding the maintenance of dental records among dentists in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. Data collection was performed via a questionnaire. The study population responded to the questions pertaining to knowledge regarding forensic odontology methods and the mode of maintaining dental records in their regular practice through a personal interview. A descriptive analysis was carried out for the data. The data were summarized and analyzed using the statistical software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 18.0. A very low percentage (22%) of the dentists were seen to be maintaining records on a regular basis. Seventy-eight percent of the dentists were not maintaining any records. This study clearly indicates that the dentists in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh need to be properly trained for any kind of forensic and medicolegal needs.

n-Ethyl Pentylone-Related Deaths in Alabama.

PubMed

Atherton, Daniel; Dye, Daniel; Robinson, C Andrew; Beck, Rachel

2018-05-16

n-Ethyl pentylone (NEP) is a chemical substance derived from cathinone. Synthetic cathinones are an evolving group of drugs with stimulating, mind-altering effects sometimes referred to as novel or new psychoactive substances (NPS). There is scarce information in the medical literature regarding forensic cases in which NEP is detected in toxicological testing. We present four fatalities involving NEP from Alabama in 2017. Deaths were attributed to NEP toxicity in two cases (peripheral blood concentrations of 0.121 and 0.953 mg/L) and injuries caused by gunshot wounds in two cases (peripheral blood concentrations of 0.045 and 0.031 mg/L). One case involving NEP described an individual who exhibited classic CNS-stimulant induced erratic behavior before being found dead. These cases enhance the forensic literature regarding specific NPS like NEP and provide contextual reference for professionals considering the significance of NEP in toxicological interpretation. © 2018 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Human fatalities from wild elephant attacks--a study of fourteen cases.

PubMed

Das, Sobhan Kr; Chattopadhyay, Saurabh

2011-05-01

Human-wild elephant conflicts are frequently reported from various parts of the country. Encroaching of animal habitat by human civilization is a primary reason for this. The present study comprises of fourteen autopsy cases conducted at the department of Forensic Medicine, B.S Medical College, Bankura, West Bengal, India over a period of three years. The study attempts to find out the nature of injuries caused by wild elephant attack and the common factors contributing to human-wild elephant conflict so that vulnerable population can be cautioned to avoid conflicts. A distinct seasonal as well as diurnal variation of attack incidences was noted. Attacks were sudden and unprovoked. Killer elephants were wild tuskers in all the cases. Victims were from the low socioeconomic group and the cause of death was due to trampling on the vital organs like chest and head. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

DNA testing in homicide investigations.

PubMed

Prahlow, Joseph A; Cameron, Thomas; Arendt, Alexander; Cornelis, Kenneth; Bontrager, Anthony; Suth, Michael S; Black, Lisa; Tobey, Rebbecca; Pollock, Sharon; Stur, Shawn; Cotter, Kenneth; Gabrielse, Joel

2017-10-01

Objectives With the widespread use of DNA testing, police, death investigators, and attorneys need to be aware of the capabilities of this technology. This review provides an overview of scenarios where DNA evidence has played a major role in homicide investigations in order to highlight important educational issues for police, death investigators, forensic pathologists, and attorneys. Methods This was a nonrandom, observational, retrospective study. Data were obtained from the collective files of the authors from casework during a 15-year period, from 2000 through 2014. Results A series of nine scenarios, encompassing 11 deaths, is presented from the standpoint of the police and death investigation, the forensic pathology autopsy performance, the subsequent DNA testing of evidence, and, ultimately, the final adjudication of cases. Details of each case are presented, along with a discussion that focuses on important aspects of sample collection for potential DNA testing, especially at the crime scene and the autopsy. The presentation highlights the diversity of case and evidence types in which DNA testing played a valuable role in the successful prosecution of the case. Conclusions By highlighting homicides where DNA testing contributed to the successful adjudication of cases, police, death investigators, forensic pathologists, and attorneys will be better informed regarding the types of evidence and situations where such testing is of potential value.

Characteristics of Lethal Electrical Injuries in Central and Northeastern Bulgaria for a 27-Year Period (1980–2006)

PubMed Central

Dokov, William

2008-01-01

Objective: Despite the advancement of forensic science, electro-traumas still pose serious challenges. Methods: We have studied the forensic medical documentation from 485 autopsies following electro-trauma over the period 1980–2006, performed at the forensic wards in 6 districts of the country The statistical analysis includes comparison of means and percentages. They are carried out using SPSS Version 11. We accepted statistical significant values of P equals; .05. Results: The incidence of lethal injuries caused by electricity is 1.29 cases per 100000 people per year. The average age of the deceased from electro-trauma is 37.3 years. Men (85%) prevails over women (14.84%). There are 24.32% of the cases that are work-related accidents, and 60.61% of them are domestic. Suicide through electrocution is relatively rare: 7.21%. Homicide has not been registered in our study. Low-voltage injuries (42.06%) are more common than high-voltage ones (30.72%). 62.68% of the lethal cases occur in summer, between June and September. Conclusions: Among the studied cases, electro-trauma occurs at a young age. The victims are typically men. Work-related accidents are more common than domestic ones; injuries by low voltage are observed more frequently than those by high voltage. Suicides are very rare, and not a single case of homicide has been observed in the study. There exists a seasonal variation in incidence of lethal accidents caused by electric current, its peak being during the summer months. PMID:18345280

[Forensic Analysis for 54 Cases of Suxamethonium Chloride Poisoning].

PubMed

Zhao, Y F; Zhao, B Q; Ma, K J; Zhang, J; Chen, F Y

2017-08-01

To observe and analyze the performance of forensic science in the cases of suxa- methonium chloride poisoning, and to improve the identification of suxamethonium chloride poisoning. Fifty-four cases of suxamethonium chloride poisoning were collected. The rules of determination of suxamethonium chloride poisoning were observed by the retrospective analysis of pathological and toxicological changes as well as case features. The pathological features of suxamethonium chloride poisoning were similar to the general changes of sudden death, which mainly included acute pulmonary congestion and edema, and partly showed myocardial disarray and fracture. Suxamethonium chloride could be detected in the heart blood of all cases and in skin tissue of part cases. Suxa-methonium chloride poisoning has the characteristics with fast death and covert means, which are difficult to rescue and easily miss inspection. For the cases of sudden death or suspicious death, determination of suxamethonium chloride should be taken as a routine detection index to prevent missing inspection. Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Forensic Medicine

The Implementation and Growth of an International Online Forensic Science Graduate Program at the University of Florida

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grundmann, Oliver; Wielbo, Donna; Tebbett, Ian

2010-01-01

Forensic science education has evolved as an interdisciplinary science that includes medicine, chemistry, biology, and criminal justice. Therefore, multiple paths can lead to a career in forensic science. A formal education usually requires the student to attend a college or university to obtain a bachelor's or master's degree. In many cases,…

Sudden cardiac death among general population and sport related population in forensic experience.

PubMed

Chappex, Nina; Schlaepfer, Jürg; Fellmann, Florence; Bhuiyan, Zahurul A; Wilhelm, Matthias; Michaud, Katarzyna

2015-10-01

The goal of the study was to assess the causes and analyze the cases of sudden cardiac death (SCD) victims referred to the department of forensic medicine in Lausanne, with a particular focus on sports-related fatalities including also leisure sporting activities. To date, no such published assessment has been done nor for Switzerland nor for the central Europe. This is a retrospective study based on autopsy records of SCD victims, from 10 to 50 years of age, performed at the University Centre of Legal Medicine in Lausanne from 1995 to 2010. The study population was divided into two groups: sport-related (SR) and not sport-related (NSR) SCDs. During the study period, 188 cases of SCD were recorded: 166 (88%) were NSR and 22 (12%) SR. The mean age of the 188 victims was 37.3 ± 10.1 years, with the majority of the cases being male (79%). A cause of death was established in 84%, and the pathology responsible for death varied according to the age of the victims. In the NSR group, the mean age was 38.2 ± 9.2 years and there was 82% of male. Coronary artery disease (CAD) was the main diagnosis in the victims aged 30-50 years. The majority of morphologically normal hearts were observed in the 15-29 year age range. There was no case in the 10-14 year age range. In the SR group, 91% of victims died during leisure sporting activities. In this group the mean age was 30.5 ± 13.5 years, with the majority being male (82%). The main cause of death was CAD, with 6 cases (27%) and a mean age of 40.8 ± 5.5 years. The youngest victim with CAD was 33 years old. A morphologically normal heart was observed in 5 cases (23%), with a mean age of 24.4 ± 14.9 years. The most frequently implicated sporting activities were hiking (26%) and swimming (17%). In this study, CAD was the most common cause of death in both groups. Although this pathology most often affects adults over 35 years of age, there were also some victims under 35 years of age in both groups. SCDs during sport are mostly related to leisure sporting activities, for which preventive measures are not yet usually established. This study highlights also the need to inform both athletes and non athletes of the cardiovascular risks during sport activities and the role of a forensic autopsy and registries involving forensic pathologists for SR SCD. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Are the evidences of forensic entomology preserved in ethanol suitable for SEM studies?

PubMed

López-Esclapez, Raquel; García, María-Dolores; Arnaldos, María-Isabel; Presa, Juan José; Ubero-Pascal, Nicolás

2014-07-01

In forensic practice, the use of arthropod evidences to estimate the postmortem interval is a very good approach when the elapsed time from death is long, but it requires the correct identification of the specimens. This is a crucial step, not always easy to achieve, in particular when dealing with immature specimens. In this case, scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) can be useful, but the techniques used to preserve specimens in forensic practice are usually different from those used to prepare specimens for SEM studies. To determine whether forensic evidences preserving techniques are also compatible with SEM analysis, we have compared specimens of all the immature stages of Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 (Diptera, Calliphoridae) preserved in 70% ethanol, with others prepared with aldehydic fixative techniques that are more appropriate for SEM studies. At the same time, two drying techniques have also been compared with both fixative techniques, the critical point drying and air-drying following with hexamethyldisilizane treatment (HMDS). Our results indicate that there are not basis against recommending the use of ethanol to preserve forensic entomological evidences and that both drying methods appear to offer good results for second and third instar larvae, although HMDS behaves better with eggs and pupae. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Language competence in forensic interviews for suspected child sexual abuse.

PubMed

Fontes, Lisa A; Tishelman, Amy C

2016-08-01

Forensic interviews with children for suspected child sexual abuse require meeting children "where they are" in terms of their developmental level, readiness to disclose, culture, and language. The field lacks research indicating how to accommodate children's diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. This article focuses on language competence, defined here as the ability of an organization and its personnel (in this case, Child Advocacy Centers and forensic interviewers) to communicate effectively with clients regardless of their preferred language(s). In this qualitative study, 39 U.S. child forensic interviewers and child advocacy center directors discussed their experiences, practices, and opinions regarding interviews with children and families who are not native speakers of English. Topics include the importance of interviewing children in their preferred language, problems in interpreted interviews, bilingual interviews, and current and recommended procedures. Recommendations for practice and further research are included. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Forensic SNP Genotyping with SNaPshot: Development of a Novel In-house SBE Multiplex SNP Assay.

PubMed

Zar, Mian Sahib; Shahid, Ahmad Ali; Shahzad, Muhammad Saqib; Shin, Kyoung-Jin; Lee, Hwan Young; Lee, Sang-Seob; Israr, Muhammad; Wiegand, Peter; Kulstein, Galina

2018-04-10

This study introduces a newly developed in-house SNaPshot single-base extension (SBE) multiplex assay for forensic single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping of fresh and degraded samples. The assay was validated with fresh blood samples from four different populations. In addition, altogether 24 samples from skeletal remains were analyzed with the multiplex. Full SNP profiles could be obtained from 14 specimens, while ten remains showed partial SNP profiles. Minor allele frequencies (MAF) of bone samples and different populations were compared and used for association of skeletal remains with a certain population. The results reveal that the SNPs of the bone samples are genetically close to the Pathan population. The findings show that the new multiplex system can be utilized for SNP genotyping of degraded and forensic relevant skeletal material, enabling to provide additional investigative leads in criminal cases. © 2018 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Are soil testate amoebae and diatoms useful for forensics?

PubMed

Wanner, Manfred; Betker, Elisa; Shimano, Satoshi; Krawczynski, René

2018-05-28

Two of the main goals of forensic science are (1) to estimate the time since death, or post mortem interval (PMI) and (2) to find the site where a dead body was buried. Soil testate amoebae and diatoms may be useful indicators for these goals. However, the structure and patchiness of the habitat appears to be a main driver for the amoeba and diatom soil communities (e.g., individual density). In case the soil substrate is very dry and nutrient-poor (as in our study), the influence of a dead body on the soil microfaunal community may be superimposed by natural environmental heterogeneity, especially soil moisture content. Further studies are necessary to clarify if protist abundance data are helpful for forensic investigations. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Deaths Due to Accidental Air Conditioner Compressor Explosion: A Case Series.

PubMed

Behera, Chittaranjan; Bodwal, Jatin; Sikary, Asit K; Chauhan, Mohit Singh; Bijarnia, Manjul

2017-01-01

In an air-conditioning system, the compressor is a large electric pump that pressurizes the refrigerant gas as part of the process of turning it back into a liquid. The explosion of an air conditioner (AC) compressor is an uncommon event, and immediate death resulted from the blast effect is not reported in forensic literature. We report three such cases in which young AC mechanics were killed on the spot due to compressor blast, while repairing the domestic split AC unit. The autopsy findings, the circumstances leading to the explosion of the compressor, are discussed in this study. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Dating human skeletal remains using 90Sr and 210Pb: case studies.

PubMed

Schrag, Bettina; Uldin, Tanya; Mangin, Patrice; Bochud, François; Froidevaux, Pascal

2014-01-01

In legal medicine, the post mortem interval (PMI) of interest covers the last 50 years. When only human skeletal remains are found, determining the PMI currently relies mostly on the experience of the forensic anthropologist, with few techniques available to help. Recently, several radiometric methods have been proposed to reveal PMI. For instance, (14)C and (90)Sr bomb pulse dating covers the last 60 years and give reliable PMI when teeth or bones are available. (232)Th series dating has also been proposed but requires a large amount of bones. In addition, (210)Pb dating is promising but is submitted to diagenesis and individual habits like smoking that must be handled carefully. Here we determine PMI on 29 cases of forensic interest using (90)Sr bomb pulse. In 12 cases, (210)Pb dating was added to narrow the PMI interval. In addition, anthropological investigations were carried out on 15 cases to confront anthropological expertise to the radiometric method. Results show that 10 of the 29 cases can be discarded as having no forensic interest (PMI>50 years) based only on the (90)Sr bomb pulse dating. For 10 other cases, the additional (210)Pb dating restricts the PMI uncertainty to a few years. In 15 cases, anthropological investigations corroborate the radiometric PMI. This study also shows that diagenesis and inter-individual difference in radionuclide uptake represent the main sources of uncertainty in the PMI determination using radiometric methods. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Four Forensic Entomology Case Studies: Records and Behavioral Observations on Seldom Reported Cadaver Fauna With Notes on Relevant Previous Occurrences and Ecology.

PubMed

Lindgren, Natalie K; Sisson, Melissa S; Archambeault, Alan D; Rahlwes, Brent C; Willett, James R; Bucheli, Sibyl R

2015-03-01

A yearlong survey of insect taxa associated with human decomposition was conducted at the Southeast Texas Applied Forensic Science (STAFS) facility located in the Center for Biological Field Studies of Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, TX. During this study, four insect-cadaver interactions were observed that represent previously poorly documented yet forensically significant interactions: Syrphidae maggots colonized a corpse in an aquatic situation; Psychodidae adults mated and oviposited on an algal film that was present on a corpse that had been recently removed from water; several Panorpidae were the first insects to feed upon a freshly placed corpse in the autumn; and a noctuid caterpillar was found chewing and ingesting dried human skin. Baseline knowledge of insect-cadaver interactions is the foundation of forensic entomology, and unique observations have the potential to expand our understanding of decomposition ecology. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Gender and the experience of mental health expert witness testimony.

PubMed

Kaempf, Aimee C; Baxter, Prudence; Packer, Ira K; Pinals, Debra A

2015-03-01

Mental health expert witness testimony involves complex tasks, and the capacity to perform under pressure is a fundamental skill of a forensic professional. In this context, it is important to understand the nuances of the provision of expert witness testimony. There have been several efforts to examine gender bias across legal and medical systems. Despite these reviews, little is known about how men and women differ or are similar with regard to performing expert witness functions. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine whether the testimony experiences of psychiatry and psychology experts vary by gender. Differences across certain domains, such as the sense of never experiencing anxiety and the sense of one's impact on case outcome were seen across genders. Few other gender-based differences in the experience of providing expert witness testimony were seen. Although the findings of this study raise further questions, they highlight some of the important subtleties noted in forensic practice and the work of the expert witness. In future studies, researchers should continue to explore these findings on the influence of gender and expand to consider culture and race as additional factors in the experience of expert witness testimony. As forensic professional practice evolves, it is important to understand unique aspects of forensic practice, to improve training of forensic experts, and to assist forensic experts in anticipating what they may experience related to the provision of expert testimony. © 2015 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.

More comprehensive forensic genetic marker analyses for accurate human remains identification using massively parallel DNA sequencing.

PubMed

Ambers, Angie D; Churchill, Jennifer D; King, Jonathan L; Stoljarova, Monika; Gill-King, Harrell; Assidi, Mourad; Abu-Elmagd, Muhammad; Buhmeida, Abdelbaset; Al-Qahtani, Mohammed; Budowle, Bruce

2016-10-17

Although the primary objective of forensic DNA analyses of unidentified human remains is positive identification, cases involving historical or archaeological skeletal remains often lack reference samples for comparison. Massively parallel sequencing (MPS) offers an opportunity to provide biometric data in such cases, and these cases provide valuable data on the feasibility of applying MPS for characterization of modern forensic casework samples. In this study, MPS was used to characterize 140-year-old human skeletal remains discovered at a historical site in Deadwood, South Dakota, United States. The remains were in an unmarked grave and there were no records or other metadata available regarding the identity of the individual. Due to the high throughput of MPS, a variety of biometric markers could be typed using a single sample. Using MPS and suitable forensic genetic markers, more relevant information could be obtained from a limited quantity and quality sample. Results were obtained for 25/26 Y-STRs, 34/34 Y SNPs, 166/166 ancestry-informative SNPs, 24/24 phenotype-informative SNPs, 102/102 human identity SNPs, 27/29 autosomal STRs (plus amelogenin), and 4/8 X-STRs (as well as ten regions of mtDNA). The Y-chromosome (Y-STR, Y-SNP) and mtDNA profiles of the unidentified skeletal remains are consistent with the R1b and H1 haplogroups, respectively. Both of these haplogroups are the most common haplogroups in Western Europe. Ancestry-informative SNP analysis also supported European ancestry. The genetic results are consistent with anthropological findings that the remains belong to a male of European ancestry (Caucasian). Phenotype-informative SNP data provided strong support that the individual had light red hair and brown eyes. This study is among the first to genetically characterize historical human remains with forensic genetic marker kits specifically designed for MPS. The outcome demonstrates that substantially more genetic information can be obtained from the same initial quantities of DNA as that of current CE-based analyses.

Risk Factors for Fatal Hyperglycaemia Confirmed by Forensic Postmortem Examination - A Nationwide Cohort in Sweden.

PubMed

Walz, Lotta; Jönsson, Anna K; Zilg, Brita; Östgren, Carl Johan; Druid, Henrik

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to identify risk factors associated with confirmed fatal hyperglycaemia, which could predispose potentially preventable deaths in individuals on glucose lowering drugs. A retrospective register-based case-control study conducted on a nationwide cohort with individuals who died due to hyperglycaemia as determined by forensic postmortem examination, in Sweden August 2006 to December 2012. Vitreous glucose was used to diagnose hyperglycaemia postmortem. The forensic findings stored in the National Forensic Medicine Database were linked to nationwide registers. Cases that died due to confirmed hyperglycemia with dispensed glucose lowering drugs were identified and living controls with dispensed glucose lowering drugs were randomly selected in the Swedish prescribed drug register and matched on age and sex. Information on comorbidities, dispensed pharmaceuticals, clinical data and socioeconomic factors were obtained for cases and controls. Adjusted multiple logistic regression models were used to identify risk factors associated with fatal hyperglycaemia. During the study period 322 individuals, mostly males (79%) with the mean age of 53.9 years (SD.± 14) died due to confirmed hyperglycaemia. Risk factors for fatal hyperglycaemia included; insulin treatment (OR = 4.40; 95%CI,1.96, 9.85), poor glycaemic control (OR = 2.00 95%CI,1.23, 3.27), inadequate refill-adherence before death (OR = 3.87; 95%CI,1.99, 7.53), microvascular disease (OR = 3.26; 95% CI, 1.84, 5.79), psychiatric illness (OR = 2.30; 95% CI,1.32, 4.01), substance abuse (OR = 8.85; 95%CI,2.34, 35.0) and/or living alone (OR = 2.25; 95%CI,1.21, 4.18). Our results demonstrate the importance of clinical attention to poor glycaemic control in subjects with psychosocial problems since it may indicate serious non-adherence, which consequently could lead to fatal hyperglycaemia.

A Perspective on Veterinary Forensic Pathology and Medicine in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Newbery, S G; Cooke, S W; Martineau, H M

2016-09-01

Internationally, forensic medicine and pathology are increasingly recognized as an important aspect of work done by veterinary clinicians and veterinary pathologists. In this article, a forensic veterinary clinician, a forensic veterinary pathologist in private practice, and a forensic veterinary pathologist at a veterinary school discuss the interactions among veterinary clinicians, veterinary pathologists, and law enforcement agencies and how future interactions can be improved. The focus is on the United Kingdom, but many of the principles, challenges, and suggestions are applicable to other jurisdictions. Clinicians and pathologists require forensic training to enable them to apply their veterinary knowledge to suspected cases of animal abuse and to subsequently present their findings and conclusions to a court of law in a concise, professional, and unbiased manner, and some opportunities for such advanced training in the United Kingdom are indicated. It is important that forensic veterinary clinicians and pathologists interact in an unbiased and collegial manner to answer the questions posed by courts of law. Opportunities for improved training, communication, and interaction among forensic veterinarians, forensic scientists, and law enforcement are discussed. © The Author(s) 2016.

Blood creatinine level in postmortem cases.

PubMed

Nishida, Atsushi; Funaki, Hironao; Kobayashi, Masaki; Tanaka, Yuka; Akasaka, Yoshihisa; Kubo, Toshikazu; Ikegaya, Hiroshi

2015-05-01

Blood chemical analysis for the diagnosis of diseases in forensic cases should be conducted in the same way as for clinical cases. However, it is sometimes difficult to obtain serum samples in forensic cases because of postmortem changes such as hemolysis and putrefaction. This study aimed to evaluate renal function in postmortem cases by blood creatinine analysis. The blood creatinine level was measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using whole blood samples taken from 77 postmortem cases, and the relationships between blood creatinine level, postmortem interval, and cause of death were examined. The median blood creatinine level was found to be 1.15 mg/dL, with no significant differences between blood samples taken from different parts of the body. The blood creatinine level was stable for 3 days after death and gradually increased after that period, in line with a previous study using enzymatic analysis that found the serum creatinine level was stable in the early postmortem period. The blood creatinine level was high in the cases of blunt injury, intoxication, and in deaths caused by fire. This was considered to reflect acute renal dysfunction. However, the postmortem blood creatinine level remained higher than the clinical normal value despite omitting cases with renal dysfunction from the analysis. Therefore, we next investigated the change in postmortem creatinine levels in mice and found that the blood creatinine level increased with the emergence of rigor mortis. Our findings indicate that HPLC is useful in the postmortem evaluation of renal function even in the cases where serum cannot be obtained. However, the presence of rigor mortis should be considered in the evaluation of blood creatinine values. Copyright © 2014 Forensic Science Society. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Molecular identification of fungi found on decomposed human bodies in forensic autopsy cases.

PubMed

Schwarz, Patrick; Dannaoui, Eric; Gehl, Axel; Felske-Zech, Heike; Birngruber, Christoph G; Dettmeyer, Reinhard B; Verhoff, Marcel A

2015-07-01

To investigate which fungi can be found during forensic autopsies, a PubMed literature review was done in regard to fungal growth on decomposed human bodies. Unfortunately, the existing data is limited and not all fungi were identified to the species level. We, therefore, collected skin samples with macroscopically visible fungal growth from 23 autopsy cases in Germany and identified the fungi to the species level by molecular methods. The identified species included Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida albicans, which pose an allergenic risk, especially to persons with underlying lung diseases. Because safety standards are lacking, we recommend the use of respiratory protection during exhumations and forensic autopsies, when fungal growth is noted. With regard to the future, a database was set up which could possibly be used as a forensic tool to determine the time of death.

An optimized procedure for obtaining DNA from fired and unfired ammunition.

PubMed

Montpetit, Shawn; O'Donnell, Patrick

2015-07-01

Gun crimes are a significant problem facing law enforcement agencies. Traditional forensic examination of firearms involves comparisons of markings imparted to bullets and cartridge casings during the firing process. DNA testing of casings and cartridges may not be routinely done in crime laboratories due a variety of factors including the typically low amounts of DNA recovered. The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) Crime Laboratory conducted a study to optimize the collection and profiling of DNA from fired and unfired ammunition. The method was optimized to where interpretable DNA results were obtained for 26.1% of the total number of forensic casework evidence samples, and provided some insights into the level of secondary transfer that might be expected from this type of evidence. Briefly detailed are the results from the experimental study and the forensic casework analysis using the optimized process. Mixtures (samples having more DNA types than the loader's known genotype detected or visible at any marker) were obtained in 39.8% of research samples and the likely source of DNA mixtures is discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Forensic Investigation of Cooperative Storage Cloud Service: Symform as a Case Study.

PubMed

Teing, Yee-Yang; Dehghantanha, Ali; Choo, Kim-Kwang Raymond; Dargahi, Tooska; Conti, Mauro

2017-05-01

Researchers envisioned Storage as a Service (StaaS) as an effective solution to the distributed management of digital data. Cooperative storage cloud forensic is relatively new and is an under-explored area of research. Using Symform as a case study, we seek to determine the data remnants from the use of cooperative cloud storage services. In particular, we consider both mobile devices and personal computers running various popular operating systems, namely Windows 8.1, Mac OS X Mavericks 10.9.5, Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS, iOS 7.1.2, and Android KitKat 4.4.4. Potential artefacts recovered during the research include data relating to the installation and uninstallation of the cloud applications, log-in to and log-out from Symform account using the client application, file synchronization as well as their time stamp information. This research contributes to an in-depth understanding of the types of terrestrial artifacts that are likely to remain after the use of cooperative storage cloud on client devices. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

[Psychopathological and psychosocial aspects of military crimes].

PubMed

Woś, Jarosław; Florkowski, Antoni; Zboralski, Krzysztof

2013-03-01

Crimes in the military, as well as criminal behaviors in the civilian community are determined by multiple factors. However, in case of military crimes committed by soldiers on active duty, an important part of forensic psychiatric opinion, is to assess whether occurring mental disorder resulted in inability to perform military duties. was to investigate the psychopathological and psychosocial determinants of criminal behavior in soldiers who committed military crime. The study included 122 soldiers who committed military crime. Material for this study consisted of forensic psychiatric opinions formed on the order of military prosecutor and the military judicial authorities. The results indicate that military crimes are determined by multiple factors. In most cases, the criminal behavior was associated with personality disorder (70%), alcohol problems (43%) and psychoactive substance use (30%). Psychosocial factors analysis revealed more frequent behavioral problems during childhood and adolescence (51%), history of parental alcohol problem (31%) and previous criminal record (29%). Forensic psychiatric examinations revealed that military crimes are more frequent in soldiers on compulsory military service, and in those with personality disorder or/and alcohol problems.

Clinicopathological Findings of Suicide in the Elderly: Three Cases

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peisah, Carmelle; Snowdon, John; Kril, Jillian; Rodriguez, Michael

2007-01-01

The neuropathological correlates of suicide in older persons have received little research attention. Our recent study of elderly suicide victims from an Australian forensic medicine department (n = 143), unlike a previous case-control study, did not find an increased prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in older persons who committed suicide…

Analysis of dental injuries with clinical implications: A forensic case report.

PubMed

Tan, Si-Lei; Peng, Shu-Ya; Wan, Lei; Chen, Jie-Min; Xia, Wen-Tao

2018-01-01

Dental injuries, especially of the incisors, caused by punches in violent criminal attacks could be seen in daily forensic casework involving the identification of injuries to a living body. Sometimes, when there is neither circumstantial evidence nor information about the surrounding circumstances, it is difficult to discern the cause of these injuries and the manner in which they were inflicted. As an example of clinical forensic medicine, we present the case of a 58-year-old woman whose teeth were injured when fighting with her son-in-law over household affairs with no witnesses present. The two parties had conflicting stories about the cause of the woman's injury. The woman claimed that her teeth were lost while she was being beaten by her son-in-law, and the man argued that the damage to his mother-in-law's teeth was self-inflicted when she bit his fingers. The police attending the crime called for a forensic examination. Forensic practitioners analysed the mechanism of the tooth loss using multi-slice spiral computed tomography (MSCT) and imaging reconstruction technology. Local alveolar bone (medial alveolar) fracture and a small area of alveolar bone loss were found on MSCT. Thus, forensic medical experts speculated that the woman's lower central and lateral incisors were lost as a result of a violent attack and were not self-inflicted. Finally, forensic practitioners helped police in avoiding a miscarriage of justice and wrongful conviction.

Forensic-metrological considerations on assessment of compliance (or non-compliance) in forensic blood alcohol content determinations: A case study with software application.

PubMed

Zamengo, Luca; Frison, Giampietro; Tedeschi, Gianpaola; Frasson, Samuela

2016-08-01

Blood alcohol concentration is the most frequent analytical determination carried out in forensic toxicology laboratories worldwide. It is usually required to assess if an offence has been committed by comparing blood alcohol levels with specified legal limits, which can vary widely among countries. Due to possible serious legal consequences associated with non-compliant alcohol levels, measurement uncertainty should be carefully evaluated, along with other metrological aspects which can influence the final result. The whole procedure can be time-consuming and error-generating in routine practice, increasing the risks for unreliable assessments. A software application named Ethanol WorkBook (EtWB) was developed at the author's laboratory by using Visual Basic for Application language and MS Excel(®), with the aim of providing help to forensic analysts involved in blood alcohol determinations. The program can (i) calculate measurement uncertainties and decision limits with different methodologies; (ii) assess compliance to specification limits with a guard-band approach; (iii) manage quality control (QC) data and create control charts for QC samples; (iv) create control maps from real cases data archives; (v) provide laboratory reports with graphical outputs for elaborated data and (vi) create comprehensive searchable case archives. A typical example of drink driving case is presented and discussed to illustrate the importance of a metrological approach for reliable compliance assessment and to demonstrate software application in routine practice. The tool is made freely available to the scientific community at request. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geoethics and Forensic Geology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donnelly, Laurance

2017-04-01

The International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS), Initiative on Forensic Geology (IFG) was set up in 2011 to promote and develop the applications of geology to policing and law enforcement throughout the world. This includes the provision of crime scene examinations, searches to locate graves or items of interest that have been buried beneath the ground surface as part of a criminal act and geological trace analysis and evidence. Forensic geologists may assist the police and law enforcement in a range of ways including for example; homicide, sexual assaults, counter terrorism, kidnapping, humanitarian incidents, environmental crimes, precious minerals theft, fakes and fraudulent crimes. The objective of this paper is to consider the geoethical aspects of forensic geology. This includes both delivery to research and teaching, and contribution to the practical applications of forensic geology in case work. The case examples cited are based on the personal experiences of the authors. Often, the technical and scientific aspect of forensic geology investigation may be the most straightforward, after all, this is what the forensic geologist has been trained to do. The associated geoethical issues can be the most challenging and complex to manage. Generally, forensic geologists are driven to carry-out their research or case work with integrity, honesty and in a manner that is law abiding, professional, socially acceptable and highly responsible. This is necessary in advising law enforcement organisations, society and the scientific community that they represent. As the science of forensic geology begins to advance around the world it is desirable to establish a standard set of principles, values and to provide an agreed ethical a framework. But what are these core values? Who is responsible for producing these? How may these become enforced? What happens when geoethical standards are breached? This paper does not attempt to provide all of the answers, as further work is required. However, it draws attention to some of the relevant geoethical issues within forensic geology and forensic geoscience. This paper also highlights the need for the development of a set of resources; references and guidelines, standards and protocols, a code of conduct (including for example integrity, accountability, honesty, professional fairness, courtesy, trustworthiness), data sharing and information transparency, education and training, multi-disciplinary collaboration, development of research, fair debate, evaluating uncertainty and risk, regulation and accreditation, effective communication and diplomacy, attendance at crime scenes, presenting evidence in courts of law, dealing with the media and elimination of potential bias. The uptake of Forensic Geoscience brings with it considerable challenges arising from the direct and often very sensitive human interactions. By developing this ethical component to the work that the IUGS-IFG group does, combines technical approaches with sensitive solutions, and also in parallel helps define an ethical framework for forensic geoscientists' research and practice in addressing these challenges.

FORENSIC OBSTETRICS

PubMed Central

Russell, Keith P.

1959-01-01

Some of the more important and current aspects of forensic obstetrics are, broadly, 1. Fulfillment of basic criteria in all cases of alleged traumatic abortion. 2. Utilization of therapeutic abortion review boards, as well as sterilization committees, in all hospitals, with the active support of such committees by all those physicians interested in advancing the art and practice of obstetrics. 3. Early and active joint study of professional liability problems by combined groups of physicians and lawyers in every community. PMID:14440311

Evaluating different types of malpractices in midwifery that were referred to the forensic medicine commission and the medical council between 2006 and 2011 in Isfahan province, 2013

PubMed Central

Beigi, Marjan; Asadi, Leila; Valiani, Mahbube; Mardani, Fardin

2015-01-01

Background: Medical malpractices in obstetrics are one of the main health concerns since in addition to the mortalities and morbidities caused for the two susceptible groups of mothers and neonates, they may lead to difficulties for the accused gynecologists and midwives in returning to their routine medical career and giving services to the patients. Hence, this study was conducted to evaluate different types of malpractices in midwifery that were referred to the legal medical commission and medical council in Isfahan province. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, we evaluated the data from all midwifery cases referred to the forensic medicine commission and medical council in Isfahan province between 2006 and 2011, with at least one lawsuit confirmed by the jury. Results: The results showed that in a total of 206 investigated cases at the medical council and forensic medicine commission in Isfahan, 66 cases of medical error sentences including 38 cases in medical council and 28 cases in forensic medicine commission were proved, which revealed 32% of malpractice in midwifery services in 2006–2011 in Isfahan. Negligence (39.2%), imprudence (23.5%), and disobedience of governmental regulations (19.6%) stood among the most commonly reported malpractices. Our findings also suggest that the most common malpractices happened in the postpartum period with a frequency of 44.7%; in addition, governmental hospitals were shown to have the most frequent malpractices with a frequency of 50%. Conclusions: Our results reveal that malpractices in midwifery services during and after delivery are so common, leading to irreversible complications to the mothers’ and neonates’ health in the society. On the other hand, considering the fact that most of these malpractices are preventable, related education, pertinent plans, and proper supervision sys. PMID:26257795

Forensic Geopedology and Micropedology: New Indications and Lookouts from Pigs Experimental Burials.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ern, Stephania Irmgard Elena; Trombino, Luca

2013-04-01

The role played by soil scientists in the modern forensic science is very real and important, above all in the crime scenes when buried remains, both strongly decomposed or skeletal, are found. Thanks to a PhD project on Forensic Geopedology, an interdisciplinary team of the Universities of Milano and Milano Bicocca, has been working for the last four years on several sets of experimental burials of pigs and piglets, in different soil types and for different times of burial, in order to get new evidences on environmental responses to the burial, including geopedological and micropedological aspects. The present work constitutes a conclusive synthesis of results emerged from comparative soil characterizations, listed as follow: - Grainsize analyses; - Determination of pH in H2O and KCl; - Total Nitrogen and Organic Carbon analyses: - Quantification of Available Phosphorous; - Determination of Cation Exchange Capacity and Base Saturation; - Analyses of Volatile Fatty Acids; - Scanning Electron Microscope and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy analyses; - Petrographic Optical Microscope analyses (including thin sections descriptions). It is proposed a diachronic picture of the project where it is possible to follow the variability of significance of the different kinds of analyses carried out. The achieved results, especially when cross-checked, are very stimulating as regards the setting of analytical protocols for: - The determination of time since burial (TSB); - The discrimination between primary and secondary burials; - The identification of corpses concealments. All the analyses and different approaches discussed and addressed in this work require extreme care when applied to real forensic scenarios; however, the protocols tested can be a piece of a large and articulated puzzle that depicts the major forensic case studies in which Geopedology can be of help in solving problems or in answering some peculiar questions. It is important to understand that a science so rich in variability, as soil science is, has a great potential to reconstruct and solve various forensic cases. Many studies and experiments still need to be carried out to improve the knowledge of the specific processes, in order to give the correct answer to forensic and legal questions, together with the aim of reaching standardization for the analyses carried out.

Peer review in forensic science.

PubMed

Ballantyne, Kaye N; Edmond, Gary; Found, Bryan

2017-08-01

Peer review features prominently in the forensic sciences. Drawing on recent research and studies, this article examines different types of peer review, specifically: editorial peer review; peer review by the scientific community; technical and administrative review; and verification (and replication). The article reviews the different meanings of these quite disparate activities and their utility in relation to enhancing performance and reducing error. It explains how forensic practitioners should approach and use peer review, as well as how it should be described in expert reports and oral testimony. While peer review has considerable potential, and is a key component of modern quality management systems, its actual value in most forensic science settings has yet to be determined. In consequence, forensic practitioners should reflect on why they use specific review procedures and endeavour to make their actual practices and their potential value transparent to consumers; whether investigators, lawyers, jurors or judges. Claims that review increases the validity of a scientific technique or accuracy of opinions within a particular case should be avoided until empirical evidence is available to support such assertions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

"You Have the Right to Remain Silent." Two Case Studies in Forensic Linguistics Involving Spanish Speaking Suspects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perissinotto, Giorgio

Two case studies involving possible violations of the rights of Spanish speaking criminal suspects are presented. In cases where suspects do not understand English, the Miranda warnings regarding the right to remain silent must be delivered in their native language and in a way that is understandable to the suspects. In the two cases involving…

Skeletal Indicators of Shark Feeding on Human Remains: Evidence from Florida Forensic Anthropology Cases.

PubMed

Stock, Michala K; Winburn, Allysha P; Burgess, George H

2017-11-01

This research examines a series of six Florida forensic anthropology cases that exhibit taphonomic evidence of marine deposition and shark-feeding activities. In each case, we analyzed patterns of trauma/damage on the skeletal remains (e.g., sharp-force bone gouges and punctures) and possible mechanisms by which they were inflicted during shark predation/scavenging. In some cases, shark teeth were embedded in the remains; in the absence of this evidence, we measured interdental distance from defects in the bone to estimate shark body length, as well as to draw inferences about the potential species responsible. We discuss similarities and differences among the cases and make comparisons to literature documenting diagnostic shark-inflicted damage to human remains from nearby regions. We find that the majority of cases potentially involve bull or tiger sharks scavenging the remains of previously deceased, adult male individuals. This scavenging results in a distinctive taphonomic signature including incised gouges in cortical bone. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

[Analysis of Forensic Characteristics about 23 Family Homicide Cases].

PubMed

Xie, X; Dong, X D

2016-08-01

To provide references for forensic analysis of family homicides cases by analyzing the situations of scene, injuries and individual which were related to the family homicide cases in a county. The data of 23 family homicide cases from 2004 to 2013 were collected. The basic situation of individual involved, the relationship between dead and suspect, the cause of death, the motive, the location, time and tools of the crime and the behavior of the suspect after crime etc. were analyzed. The characteristics of the 23 family homicides cases showed that couple relationship was the most common relationship; passion killing was the most common motive; local materials were mostly used as the tools for committing crimes; most crimes were committed in residences; most time of crime was night. The analysis of family homicide cases should be based on the scene investigation, the examination of the body and combined with the investigation of the situation. Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Forensic Medicine

An approach to peer review in forensic pathology.

PubMed

Sims, D Noel; Langlois, Neil E I; Byard, Roger W

2013-07-01

Peer review in forensic pathology has been a long time in evolution but may provide a very useful mechanism to check for, and to correct, errors, in addition to establishing an important educative vehicle for pathologists. A process is reported that has been established at our institution that involves both informal peer review in the mortuary and formal auditing of a set number of cases. Every autopsy case is discussed at a daily meeting of pathologists before a provisional cause of death is released. In addition, one in ten cases including all homicides, deaths in custody, suspicious and paediatric cases, and randomly selected additional cases undergo formal auditing by a second pathologist. Finally, administrative staff check the completed report. This formalized process, in a jurisdiction where autopsies are usually performed by only one pathologist, has been extremely useful in standardizing autopsy reports and in enabling pathologists to discuss cases and associated issues on a regular basis. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

A demonstration of the application of the new paradigm for the evaluation of forensic evidence under conditions reflecting those of a real forensic-voice-comparison case.

PubMed

Enzinger, Ewald; Morrison, Geoffrey Stewart; Ochoa, Felipe

2016-01-01

The new paradigm for the evaluation of the strength of forensic evidence includes: The use of the likelihood-ratio framework. The use of relevant data, quantitative measurements, and statistical models. Empirical testing of validity and reliability under conditions reflecting those of the case under investigation. Transparency as to decisions made and procedures employed. The present paper illustrates the use of the new paradigm to evaluate strength of evidence under conditions reflecting those of a real forensic-voice-comparison case. The offender recording was from a landline telephone system, had background office noise, and was saved in a compressed format. The suspect recording included substantial reverberation and ventilation system noise, and was saved in a different compressed format. The present paper includes descriptions of the selection of the relevant hypotheses, sampling of data from the relevant population, simulation of suspect and offender recording conditions, and acoustic measurement and statistical modelling procedures. The present paper also explores the use of different techniques to compensate for the mismatch in recording conditions. It also examines how system performance would have differed had the suspect recording been of better quality. Copyright © 2015 The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Rape and transgression. Forensic medicine and sexual morality in Spain in the 19th century].

PubMed

Carpena, Amalio Lorente

2010-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the importance of the contribution of the Spanish forensic medical discourse in the 19th century, and its application in cases of sexual harassment, to legitimize the sexual moral value of the time. For that reason we will analyse the main forensic medicine treaties edited in Spain during this century.

Molecular pathology of brain matrix metalloproteases, claudin5, and aquaporins in forensic autopsy cases with special regard to methamphetamine intoxication.

PubMed

Wang, Qi; Ishikawa, Takaki; Michiue, Tomomi; Zhu, Bao-Li; Guan, Da-Wei; Maeda, Hitoshi

2014-05-01

Methamphetamine (METH) is a highly addictive drug of abuse and toxic to the brain. Recent studies indicated that besides direct damage to dopamine and 5-HT terminals, neurotoxicity of METH may also result from its ability to modify the structure of blood-brain barrier (BBB). The present study investigated the postmortem brain mRNA and immunohistochemical expressions of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs), claudin5 (CLDN5), and aquaporins (AQPs) in forensic autopsy cases of carbon monoxide (n = 14), METH (n = 21), and phenobarbital (n = 17) intoxication, compared with mechanical asphyxia (n = 15), brain injury (n = 11), non-brain injury (n = 21), and sharp instrument injury (n = 15) cases. Relative mRNA quantification using Taqman real-time PCR assay demonstrated higher expression of AQP4 and MMP9, lower expression of CLDN5 in METH intoxication cases and lower expression of MMP2 in phenobarbital intoxication cases. Immunostaining results showed substantial interindividual variations in each group, showing no evident differences in distribution or intensity among all the causes of death. These findings suggest that METH may increase BBB permeability by altering CLDN5 and MMP9, and the self-protective system maybe activated to eliminate accumulating water from the extracellular space of the brain by up-regulating AQP4. Systematic analysis of gene expressions using real-time PCR may be a useful procedure in forensic death investigation.

Forensic services, public mental health policy, and financing: charting the course ahead.

PubMed

Pinals, Debra A

2014-01-01

High-quality forensic evaluations can be critical for criminal cases brought before the court. In addition, forensic practitioners and mental health and forensic administrators have increasingly taken a broader view of the revolving door between the mental health and criminal justice systems. More attention is now paid to why individuals with mental disorders, including co-occurring substance use, come into the criminal justice system and the challenges that they face on re-entry into the community. In particular, individuals who receive care across civil, forensic, and correctional systems are at especially increased risk of disrupted health care access and coverage. With health care reform on the horizon, it is important to understand public financing and its impact on forensic services for this crossover population. This article is a review of historical and future trends in public mental health funding focused on Medicaid and other federal resources, the movement toward community-based services, and the impact of these areas on forensic practice and forensic systems. Tensions between recovery principles and legal mandates are also addressed as community services are emphasized, even in forensic contexts. This article calls forensic practitioners to action and offers suggested areas of focus for training to increase knowledge of public mental health funding, policy, and practice from a forensic perspective.

Forensic differentiation between peripheral and menstrual blood in cases of alleged sexual assault-validating an immunochromatographic multiplex assay for simultaneous detection of human hemoglobin and D-dimer.

PubMed

Holtkötter, Hannah; Dias Filho, Claudemir Rodrigues; Schwender, Kristina; Stadler, Christian; Vennemann, Marielle; Pacheco, Ana Claudia; Roca, Gabriela

2018-05-01

Sexual assault is a serious offense and identification of body fluids originating from sexual activity has been a crucial aspect of forensic investigations for a long time. While reliable tests for the detection of semen and saliva have been successfully implemented into forensic laboratories, the detection of other body fluids, such as vaginal or menstrual fluid, is more challenging. Especially, the discrimination between peripheral and menstrual blood can be highly relevant for police investigations because it provides potential evidence regarding the issue of consent. We report the forensic validation of an immunochromatographic test that allows for such discrimination in forensic stains, the SERATEC PMB test, and its performance on real casework samples. The PMB test is a duplex test combining human hemoglobin and D-dimer detection and was developed for the identification of blood and menstrual fluid, both at the crime scene and in the laboratory. The results of this study showed that the duplex D-dimer/hemoglobin assay reliably detects the presence of human hemoglobin and identifies samples containing menstrual fluid by detecting the presence of D-dimers. The method distinguished between menstrual and peripheral blood in a swab from a historical artifact and in real casework samples of alleged sexual assaults. Results show that the development of the new duplex test is a substantial progress towards analyzing and interpreting evidence from sexual assault cases.

Epidemiological data and forensic aspects of road traffic fatalities in Lomé, Togo.

PubMed

Tchin, D; Atsi, W; Tchaa, T Hodabalo; Essossinam, Kpelao; Edèm, J Yaovii; Amégbor, K Koffi; Gado, N-K

2016-08-01

We collected 190 forensic records from the only pathology laboratory in Lomé, over the period from January 2010 to December 2014. The sex ratio (M/F) was 4.4 and the decedents' average age 33.4 years. In 43.2% of cases, the accident resulted from a collision between a pedestrian and a motorcycle; excess speed noted in 56.8% of cases. Four principal groups of fatal injuries were observed: polytrauma (136 cases), isolated severe head injury (49 cases), isolated thoracic contusion (3 cases), and abdominal pelvic contusion with perinea trauma (2 cases).

Forensic, Cultural, and Systems Issues in Child Sexual Abuse Cases--Part 2: Research and Practitioner Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tishelman, Amy C.; Geffner, Robert

2010-01-01

This article introduces the second issue of the special double issue focusing on forensic, cultural, and systems issues in child sexual abuse cases. We briefly review the articles, which include a discussion of child sexual abuse myths, an empirical analysis of extended child sexual abuse evaluations, an article on the role of the medical provider…

[Drug-facilitated crimes: prospective data collection in a forensic unit in Paris].

PubMed

Questel, Franck; Sec, Isabelle; Sicot, Romain; Pourriat, Jean-Louis

2009-01-01

Little is known about the rate of crimes that are facilitated by the administration of psychoactive products without the victim's knowledge. This study analyzes the cases collected over a two-year period in a forensic unit in Paris. The study covers the period from January 1, 2005 and December /31, 2006. It includes crime victims who consulted for toxicological testing in the forensic unit of the Hôtel Dieu in Paris, after filing a criminal complaint describing symptoms suggestive of chemical submission (amnesia, impaired vigilance or behavior) and whose toxicological tests indicated the presence of a psychoactive product that they had not been aware of taking. The tests used chromatographic techniques on blood, urine, hair, and food or drink residue. Toxicological testing identified 52 cases of drug-facilitated crimes, primarily for theft and sexual abuse (including rape). The psychoactive products were most often incorporated in drinks, half of them alcoholic beverages. Benzodiazepines accounted for 77% of the cases. Other substances, found more rarely, included antihistamines, neuroleptics, and GHB. Appropriate samples must be taken from victims rapidly to enable toxicological analysis. Chromatographic analysis must supplement immunological analysis, which is not sufficiently specific or sensitive. The collection of this information must continue in order to quantify the phenomenon and monitor the emergence of new products.

How reliable are forensic evaluations of legal sanity?

PubMed

Gowensmith, W Neil; Murrie, Daniel C; Boccaccini, Marcus T

2013-04-01

When different clinicians evaluate the same criminal defendant's legal sanity, do they reach the same conclusion? Because Hawaii law requires multiple, independent evaluations when questions about legal sanity arise, Hawaii allows for the first contemporary study of the reliability of legal sanity opinions in routine practice in the United States. We examined 483 evaluation reports, addressing 165 criminal defendants, in which up to three forensic psychiatrists or psychologists offered independent opinions on a defendant's legal sanity. Evaluators reached unanimous agreement regarding legal sanity in only 55.1% of cases. Evaluators tended to disagree more often when a defendant was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the offense. But evaluators tended to agree more often when they agreed about diagnosing a psychotic disorder, or when the defendant had been psychiatrically hospitalized shortly before the offense. In court, judges followed the majority opinion among evaluators in 91% of cases. But when judges disagreed with the majority opinion, they usually did so to find defendants legally sane, rather than insane. Overall, this study indicates that reliability among practicing forensic evaluators addressing legal sanity may be poorer than the field has tended to assume. Although agreement appears more likely in some cases than others, the frequent disagreements suggest a need for improved training and practice.

An analysis of firearms-related deaths between 1993-2010: a retrospective study.

PubMed

Toygar, Mehmet; Türker, Türker; Eroğlu, Murat; Kaldırım, Umit; Poyrazoğlu, Yavuz; Eyi, Yusuf Emrah; Durusu, Murat; Eryılmaz, Mehmet

2013-11-01

Firearm injuries (FI) are the most common cause of death among military personnel. In this study, postmortem examination and autopsy records of deaths resulting from firearm injuries recorded in the Department of Forensic Medicine of Gulhane Military Medical Academy between 1993-2010 were examined retrospectively. We evaluated the characteristics of 153 firearm deaths accounting for 36.6% of all medical-legal autopsies. The cases included 152 men (99.3%) and 1 woman (0.7%). The mean age of the cases was 23.1 years (±4.7; range, 20-43 years). The manner of death was determined in all cases with 41.8% of cases identified as suicide and 39.9% as homicide. The most common sites of firearm entrance wounds were the head and neck region (n=109, 71.2%), the chest (n=26, 17%), or the abdomen (n=14, 9.2%). The type of firearm was not clear in most cases. In conclusion, complete forensic and medical records will facilitate the rapid and accurate conclusion of the legal process and will enhance future retrospective studies.

The use of Leptodyctium riparium (Hedw.) Warnst in the estimation of minimum postmortem interval.

PubMed

Lancia, Massimo; Conforti, Federica; Aleffi, Michele; Caccianiga, Marco; Bacci, Mauro; Rossi, Riccardo

2013-01-01

The estimation of the postmortem interval (PMI) is still one of the most challenging issues in forensic investigations, especially in cases in which advanced transformative phenomena have taken place. The dating of skeletal remains is even more difficult and sometimes only a rough determination of the PMI is possible. Recent studies suggest that plant analysis can provide a reliable estimation for skeletal remains dating, when traditional techniques are not applicable. Forensic Botany is a relatively recent discipline that includes many subdisciplines such as Palynology, Anatomy, Dendrochronology, Limnology, Systematic, Ecology, and Molecular Biology. In a recent study, Cardoso et al. (Int J Legal Med 2010;124:451) used botanical evidence for the first time to establish the PMI of human skeletal remains found in a forested area of northern Portugal from the growth rate of mosses and shrub roots. The present paper deals with a case in which the study of the growth rate of the bryophyte Leptodyctium riparium (Hedw.) Warnst, was used in estimating the PMI of some human skeletal remains that were found in a wooded area near Perugia, in Central Italy. © 2012 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

FBI's DNA analysis program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, John R.

1994-03-01

Forensic DNA profiling technology is a significant law enforcement tool due to its superior discriminating power. Applying the principles of population genetics to the DNA profile obtained in violent crime investigations results in low frequency of occurrence estimates for the DNA profile. These estimates often range from a frequency of occurrence of 1 in 50 unrelated individuals to 1 in a million unrelated individuals or even smaller. It is this power to discriminate among individuals in the population that has propelled forensic DNA technology to the forefront of forensic testing in violent crime cases. Not only is the technology extremely powerful in including or excluding a criminal suspect as the perpetrator, but it also gives rise to the potential of identifying criminal suspects in cases where the investigators of unknown suspect cases have exhausted all other available leads.

Folie à deux in forensic setting.

PubMed

Kraya, N A; Patrick, C

1997-12-01

This paper is written with the aim of presenting a series of cases of folie à deux, an unusual disorder, occurring in a forensic setting where all the victims suffered a fatal or near-fatal outcome. Similarities in the psychopathology in these cases are drawn and comments are made about their outcome in court. The paper is also written to draw attention to the potential risks involved in this type of case and to accent patterns in psychopathology and in legal outcomes. Five folie à deux cases are described. All are well known to one of the authors (NK), who has treated them at some stage of their illness, provided medicolegal reports for the trial of cases 3, 4 and 5, and provided expert witness testimony in the trial of case 3. All case notes and other relevant documents were studied in detail and a brief summary is provided for each case. The cases appear to conform with the description of folie à deux given in the literature and consist of husband and wife (three cases), mother and daughter (one case) and twin brothers (one case). None of these cases had had any past psychiatric or criminal history, yet all the victims suffered a fatal or near fatal outcome. Additionally, all had shared religious delusions in one form or another. Folie à deux cases with shared religious delusions can be a very high risk and could be potentially fatal in a family setting. The authors also highlight the difficulties inherent in a forensic system restricted to McNaughton rules, particularly when a person is on trial having committed, or being alleged to have committed, a serious offence, and who is found to be suffering from a psychotic illness.

[Clinical forensic examination findings and legal outcome in cases of suspected physical child abuse].

PubMed

Bode-Jänisch, Stefanie; Meyer, Yvonne; Schroeder, Günter; Günther, Detlef; Debertin, Anette Solveig

2011-01-01

Clinical forensic examinations performed at the Institute of Legal Medicine of the Hanover Medical School between 1999 and 2008 in cases of suspected physical abuse of children were analyzed retrospectively with special emphasis on the legal consequences. Altogether, 192 children (85 girls, 107 boys) with a median age of 4.4 years were examined. In 47 cases (24.5 %), the clinical forensic examination findings were interpreted as accidental injuries, birth traumas or unspecific findings. 29 victims (20.0 %) had suffered a shaken baby syndrome. Only part of the presented cases ended with conviction, which was more likely if the victims were aged between 7 and 11 years. Prison terms of 2 years and more were imposed only if the child suffered potentially or acute life-threatening injuries or if additional anogenital lesions were diagnosed indicating sexual child abuse.

Elderly sexual offenders: two unusual cases.

PubMed

Carabellese, Felice; Candelli, Chiara; Vinci, Francesco; Tamma, Manuela; Catanesi, Roberto

2012-09-01

The aim of this case report is to describe two cases of sexual abuse by elderly subjects for which the Judge commissioned an expert psychiatric-forensic opinion. The elderly are generally believed to commit nonviolent crimes, whereas the two cases we observed feature forcible rape committed by elderly offenders, who showed no form of mental disease and had rationally planned their offense. They had never previously committed similar acts and had no history of homosexuality; both had been married for many years before the death of their wives and had adult children. Finally, no previous episodes of rape emerged in their personal histories during interrogations. The sociocultural context in which the crimes were committed was identical and arouses interest as regards both the method employed and how the crimes were discovered. The legal authorities then commissioned accurate investigations including medicolegal and psychiatric-forensic evaluations of the offenders and their victims. © 2012 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

DNA Commission of the International Society for Forensic Genetics: Recommendations on the validation of software programs performing biostatistical calculations for forensic genetics applications.

PubMed

Coble, M D; Buckleton, J; Butler, J M; Egeland, T; Fimmers, R; Gill, P; Gusmão, L; Guttman, B; Krawczak, M; Morling, N; Parson, W; Pinto, N; Schneider, P M; Sherry, S T; Willuweit, S; Prinz, M

2016-11-01

The use of biostatistical software programs to assist in data interpretation and calculate likelihood ratios is essential to forensic geneticists and part of the daily case work flow for both kinship and DNA identification laboratories. Previous recommendations issued by the DNA Commission of the International Society for Forensic Genetics (ISFG) covered the application of bio-statistical evaluations for STR typing results in identification and kinship cases, and this is now being expanded to provide best practices regarding validation and verification of the software required for these calculations. With larger multiplexes, more complex mixtures, and increasing requests for extended family testing, laboratories are relying more than ever on specific software solutions and sufficient validation, training and extensive documentation are of upmost importance. Here, we present recommendations for the minimum requirements to validate bio-statistical software to be used in forensic genetics. We distinguish between developmental validation and the responsibilities of the software developer or provider, and the internal validation studies to be performed by the end user. Recommendations for the software provider address, for example, the documentation of the underlying models used by the software, validation data expectations, version control, implementation and training support, as well as continuity and user notifications. For the internal validations the recommendations include: creating a validation plan, requirements for the range of samples to be tested, Standard Operating Procedure development, and internal laboratory training and education. To ensure that all laboratories have access to a wide range of samples for validation and training purposes the ISFG DNA commission encourages collaborative studies and public repositories of STR typing results. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Developmental validation of the HIrisPlex system: DNA-based eye and hair colour prediction for forensic and anthropological usage.

PubMed

Walsh, Susan; Chaitanya, Lakshmi; Clarisse, Lindy; Wirken, Laura; Draus-Barini, Jolanta; Kovatsi, Leda; Maeda, Hitoshi; Ishikawa, Takaki; Sijen, Titia; de Knijff, Peter; Branicki, Wojciech; Liu, Fan; Kayser, Manfred

2014-03-01

Forensic DNA Phenotyping or 'DNA intelligence' tools are expected to aid police investigations and find unknown individuals by providing information on externally visible characteristics of unknown suspects, perpetrators and missing persons from biological samples. This is especially useful in cases where conventional DNA profiling or other means remain non-informative. Recently, we introduced the HIrisPlex system, capable of predicting both eye and hair colour from DNA. In the present developmental validation study, we demonstrate that the HIrisPlex assay performs in full agreement with the Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods (SWGDAM) guidelines providing an essential prerequisite for future HIrisPlex applications to forensic casework. The HIrisPlex assay produces complete profiles down to only 63 pg of DNA. Species testing revealed human specificity for a complete HIrisPlex profile, while only non-human primates showed the closest full profile at 20 out of the 24 DNA markers, in all animals tested. Rigorous testing of simulated forensic casework samples such as blood, semen, saliva stains, hairs with roots as well as extremely low quantity touch (trace) DNA samples, produced complete profiles in 88% of cases. Concordance testing performed between five independent forensic laboratories displayed consistent reproducible results on varying types of DNA samples. Due to its design, the assay caters for degraded samples, underlined here by results from artificially degraded DNA and from simulated casework samples of degraded DNA. This aspect was also demonstrated previously on DNA samples from human remains up to several hundreds of years old. With this paper, we also introduce enhanced eye and hair colour prediction models based on enlarged underlying databases of HIrisPlex genotypes and eye/hair colour phenotypes (eye colour: N = 9188 and hair colour: N = 1601). Furthermore, we present an online web-based system for individual eye and hair colour prediction from full and partial HIrisPlex DNA profiles. By demonstrating that the HIrisPlex assay is fully compatible with the SWGDAM guidelines, we provide the first forensically validated DNA test system for parallel eye and hair colour prediction now available to forensic laboratories for immediate casework application, including missing person cases. Given the robustness and sensitivity described here and in previous work, the HIrisPlex system is also suitable for analysing old and ancient DNA in anthropological and evolutionary studies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The collation of forensic DNA case data into a multi-dimensional intelligence database.

PubMed

Walsh, S J; Moss, D S; Kliem, C; Vintiner, G M

2002-01-01

The primary aim of any DNA Database is to link individuals to unsolved offenses and unsolved offenses to each other via DNA profiling. This aim has been successfully realised during the operation of the New Zealand (NZ) DNA Databank over the past five years. The DNA Intelligence Project (DIP), a collaborative project involving NZ forensic and law enforcement agencies, interrogated the forensic case data held on the NZ DNA databank and collated it into a functional intelligence database. This database has been used to identify significant trends which direct Police and forensic personnel towards the most appropriate use of DNA technology. Intelligence is being provided in areas such as the level of usage of DNA techniques in criminal investigation, the relative success of crime scene samples and the geographical distribution of crimes. The DIP has broadened the dimensions of the information offered through the NZ DNA Databank and has furthered the understanding and investigative capability of both Police and forensic scientists. The outcomes of this research fit soundly with the current policies of 'intelligence led policing', which are being adopted by Police jurisdictions locally and overseas.

Novel application of three-dimensional technologies in a case of dismemberment.

PubMed

Baier, Waltraud; Norman, Danielle G; Warnett, Jason M; Payne, Mark; Harrison, Nigel P; Hunt, Nicholas C A; Burnett, Brian A; Williams, Mark A

2017-01-01

This case study reports the novel application of three-dimensional technologies such as micro-CT and 3D printing to the forensic investigation of a complex case of dismemberment. Micro-CT was successfully employed to virtually align severed skeletal elements found in different locations, analyse tool marks created during the dismemberment process, and virtually dissect a charred piece of evidence. High resolution 3D prints of the burnt human bone contained within were created for physical visualisation to assist the investigation team. Micro-CT as a forensic radiological method provided vital information and the basis for visualisation both during the investigation and in the subsequent trial making it one of the first examples of such technology in a UK court. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Child suicide in the north of Portugal.

PubMed

Mendes, Ricardo; Santos, Sara; Taveira, Francisco; Dinis-Oliveira, Ricardo Jorge; Santos, Agostinho; Magalhães, Teresa

2015-03-01

Suicide in children is a rare finding and is probably motivated by acts of impulsiveness. This study aims to contribute to the characterization of child suicide in a forensic perspective in the Portuguese population. Data of forensic autopsies from 2004 to 2012 related to suicide victims under 18 years were reviewed. A total of 17 cases, with a male predominance (64.7%) and a mean age of 15.24 ± 1.348 for both genders, were registered. The leading suicide method was hanging (35.3%), and a suicide note was found in 41.2%. Psychological autopsy proved to be useful in promoting a better understanding of these incidents and their antecedents. This study also offers useful information, namely the implied risk factors, for future programs of suicide research and prevention. © 2014 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Next generation sequencing (NGS): a golden tool in forensic toolkit.

PubMed

Aly, S M; Sabri, D M

The DNA analysis is a cornerstone in contemporary forensic sciences. DNA sequencing technologies are powerful tools that enrich molecular sciences in the past based on Sanger sequencing and continue to glowing these sciences based on Next generation sequencing (NGS). Next generation sequencing has excellent potential to flourish and increase the molecular applications in forensic sciences by jumping over the pitfalls of the conventional method of sequencing. The main advantages of NGS compared to conventional method that it utilizes simultaneously a large number of genetic markers with high-resolution of genetic data. These advantages will help in solving several challenges such as mixture analysis and dealing with minute degraded samples. Based on these new technologies, many markers could be examined to get important biological data such as age, geographical origins, tissue type determination, external visible traits and monozygotic twins identification. It also could get data related to microbes, insects, plants and soil which are of great medico-legal importance. Despite the dozens of forensic research involving NGS, there are requirements before using this technology routinely in forensic cases. Thus, there is a great need to more studies that address robustness of these techniques. Therefore, this work highlights the applications of forensic sciences in the era of massively parallel sequencing.

Digital and multimedia forensics justified: An appraisal on professional policy and legislation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popejoy, Amy Lynnette

Recent progress in professional policy and legislation at the federal level in the field of forensic science constructs a transformation of new outcomes for future experts. An exploratory and descriptive qualitative methodology was used to critique and examine Digital and Multimedia Science (DMS) as a justified forensic discipline. Chapter I summarizes Recommendations 1, 2, and 10 of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Report 2009 regarding disparities and challenges facing the forensic science community. Chapter I also delivers the overall foundation and framework of this thesis, specifically how it relates to DMS. Chapter II expands on Recommendation 1: "The Promotion and Development of Forensic Science," and focuses chronologically on professional policy and legislative advances through 2014. Chapter III addresses Recommendation 2: "The Standardization of Terminology in Reporting and Testimony," and the issues of legal language and terminology, model laboratory reports, and expert testimony concerning DMS case law. Chapter IV analyzes Recommendation 10: "Insufficient Education and Training," identifying legal awareness for the digital and multimedia examiner to understand the role of the expert witness, the attorney, the judge and the admission of forensic science evidence in litigation in our criminal justice system. Finally, Chapter V studies three DME specific laboratories at the Texas state, county, and city level, concentrating on current practice and procedure.

Forensic genetics and genomics: Much more than just a human affair.

PubMed

Arenas, Miguel; Pereira, Filipe; Oliveira, Manuela; Pinto, Nadia; Lopes, Alexandra M; Gomes, Veronica; Carracedo, Angel; Amorim, Antonio

2017-09-01

While traditional forensic genetics has been oriented towards using human DNA in criminal investigation and civil court cases, it currently presents a much wider application range, including not only legal situations sensu stricto but also and, increasingly often, to preemptively avoid judicial processes. Despite some difficulties, current forensic genetics is progressively incorporating the analysis of nonhuman genetic material to a greater extent. The analysis of this material-including other animal species, plants, or microorganisms-is now broadly used, providing ancillary evidence in criminalistics in cases such as animal attacks, trafficking of species, bioterrorism and biocrimes, and identification of fraudulent food composition, among many others. Here, we explore how nonhuman forensic genetics is being revolutionized by the increasing variety of genetic markers, the establishment of faster, less error-burdened and cheaper sequencing technologies, and the emergence and improvement of models, methods, and bioinformatics facilities.

Implications of Pseudologia Fantastica in Criminal Forensic Evaluations: A Review and Case Report.

PubMed

Frierson, Richard L; Joshi, Kaustubh G

2018-05-01

Pseudologia fantastica, a psychological phenomenon that has been described in the literature for at least a century, is an understudied and poorly understood entity. Sometimes referred to as pathological lying, pseudologia fantastica involves disproportionate fabrication that may be present for many years or a lifetime. In a forensic context, it can significantly complicate the evaluation of capacity to stand trial and, in certain jurisdictions, criminal responsibility. We review the current literature regarding pseudologia fantastica and present a case to highlight the clinical and forensic challenges it may create. We specifically discuss the complications that pseudologia fantastica may have on the assessment of a defendant's rational ability to consult with an attorney, a required element of capacity to stand trial. In addition, we discuss the implications of pseudologia fantastica in the evaluation of criminal responsibility. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Forensic genetics and genomics: Much more than just a human affair

PubMed Central

Oliveira, Manuela; Pinto, Nadia; Carracedo, Angel

2017-01-01

While traditional forensic genetics has been oriented towards using human DNA in criminal investigation and civil court cases, it currently presents a much wider application range, including not only legal situations sensu stricto but also and, increasingly often, to preemptively avoid judicial processes. Despite some difficulties, current forensic genetics is progressively incorporating the analysis of nonhuman genetic material to a greater extent. The analysis of this material—including other animal species, plants, or microorganisms—is now broadly used, providing ancillary evidence in criminalistics in cases such as animal attacks, trafficking of species, bioterrorism and biocrimes, and identification of fraudulent food composition, among many others. Here, we explore how nonhuman forensic genetics is being revolutionized by the increasing variety of genetic markers, the establishment of faster, less error-burdened and cheaper sequencing technologies, and the emergence and improvement of models, methods, and bioinformatics facilities. PMID:28934201

Forensic botany: using plant evidence to aid in forensic death investigation.

PubMed

Miller Coyle, Heather; Lee, Cheng-Lung; Lin, Wen-Yu; Lee, Henry C; Palmbach, Timothy M

2005-08-01

Forensic botany is still an under-utilized resource in forensic casework, although it has been used on occasion. It is an area of specialty science that could include traditional botanical classification of species, DNA, or materials evidence (trace and transfer evidence), crime mapping or geo-sourcing, all dependent on the specific case application under consideration. Critical to the evaluation of plant evidence is careful collection, documentation, and preservation for later scientific analysis. This article reviews proper procedures and recent cases where botanical evidence played a role in establishing either manner or time of death. Plant evidence can be useful for determining if a death was due to an accident, suicide, or homicide, or what time of year burial may have taken place. In addition, plant evidence can be used to determine if a crime scene is a primary or secondary scene and to locate missing bodies.

[The use of entomologic methods in determining the time of death--case studies].

PubMed

Kaczorowska, Elzbieta; Pieśniak, Dorota; Szczerkowska, Zofia

2004-01-01

This paper describes a number of cases in which the determination of the time of death was based on entomological methods. These cases took place in the Pomorskie Province, and the autopsies were carried out in the Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk.

Out of sight, out of mind: the presence of forensic evidence counts more than its absence.

PubMed

Eerland, Anita; Post, Lysanne S; Rassin, Eric; Bouwmeester, Samantha; Zwaan, Rolf A

2012-05-01

Recent evidence suggests that decision makers in criminal procedures are susceptible to biases. We previously found support for the presence of a feature positive effect (FPE, i.e., people attach more meaning to present than to absent information) in legal-decision making. In this study, we tried to uncover the mechanisms behind the FPE. Taking a cue from the literature on situation models in language comprehension, we investigated whether a FPE manifests itself in the memorization and use of forensic evidence. Students read a case file about a fistfight as well as additional evidence. The forensic evidence was manipulated such that a FPE on guilt estimation and conviction rate could be assessed. While subjects read additional forensic evidence, their eye movements were recorded to explore the presence of FPE in online processing. Afterwards, subjects were asked to decide on the suspect's guilt. They had to recall all information they remembered from the case file and indicate which parts of information they considered relevant to this decision. The results provided evidence for the occurrence of FPE in memorization and use of information and can be explained by the theoretical construct of situation models. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Rapid and Efficient Method for Evaluation of Suspect Testimony: Palynological Scanning.

PubMed

Wiltshire, Patricia E J; Hawksworth, David L; Edwards, Kevin J

2015-11-01

A rapid method for evaluating suspect testimony is valuable at any stage in an inquiry and can result in a change of direction in an investigation. Rape cases, in particular, can present problems where a defendant renders DNA analysis redundant by claiming that the claimant consented to have sexual relations. Forensic palynology is valuable in confirming or eliminating locations as being crime scenes, thus checking the testimony of both parties. In contrast to some forensic disciplines, forensic palynology can provide critical information without time-consuming full analysis. Two cases are described where the palynological assemblages from comparator samples of pertinent places were compared with those obtained from clothing of claimants and defendants. The results of rapid microscopical scanning of relevant preparations led to early confessions, thus obviating the need for costly analyses and protracted court proceedings. A third case demonstrates the unbiased nature of this technique where a man, although innocent of any offense, lied about having visited the crime scene for fear of prosecution. This highlights the need for sensitive policing in claims of rape. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Medico legal aspects of self-injection of metallic mercury in cases of suicide or self-harming.

PubMed

Da Broi, Ugo; Moreschi, Carlo; Colatutto, Antonio; Marcon, Barbara; Zago, Silvia

2017-08-01

Metallic mercury may be self-injected for suicidal or self-harm purposes or sometimes for superstitious or other inadvisable reasons. Local tissue or systemic consequences such as mercurialism can frequently occur in cases of subcutaneous or deep injection, while death due to pulmonary embolism and cardiac, brain, hepatic or renal toxicity may occur in cases of high dosage intravenous administration. The aim of this review is to focus on the diagnostic difficulties facing coroners and forensic pathologists when the courts require confirmation that evidence of self-injection of metallic mercury is the result of suicide or self-harming. Forensic examination performed on the corpses of victims who died in or out of hospital or on surviving injured or intoxicated victims showing signs of mercurialism, demands the careful evaluation of the death scene, of all related circumstances and of the clinical and autopsy data. Close interaction between forensic pathologists and toxicologists is also needed to identify and quantify mercury levels in blood, urine and tissue. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

DNA in the Criminal Justice System: The DNA Success Story in Perspective.

PubMed

Mapes, Anna A; Kloosterman, Ate D; de Poot, Christianne J

2015-07-01

Current figures on the efficiency of DNA as an investigative tool in criminal investigations only tell part of the story. To get the DNA success story in the right perspective, we examined all forensic reports from serious (N = 116) and high-volume crime cases (N = 2791) over the year 2011 from one police region in the Netherlands. These data show that 38% of analyzed serious crime traces (N = 384) and 17% of analyzed high-volume crime traces (N = 386) did not result in a DNA profile. Turnaround times (from crime scene to DNA report) were 66 days for traces from serious crimes and 44 days for traces from high-volume crimes. Suspects were truly identified through a match with the Offender DNA database of the Netherlands in 3% of the serious crime cases and in 1% of the high-volume crime cases. These data are important for both the forensic laboratory and the professionals in the criminal justice system to further optimize forensic DNA testing as an investigative tool. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Forensic entomology: applications and limitations.

PubMed

Amendt, J; Richards, C S; Campobasso, C P; Zehner, R; Hall, M J R

2011-12-01

Forensic entomology is the science of collecting and analysing insect evidence to aid in forensic investigations. Its main application is in the determination of the minimum time since death in cases of suspicious death, either by estimating the age of the oldest necrophagous insects that developed on the corpse, or by analysing the insect species composition on the corpse. In addition, toxicological and molecular examinations of these insects may help reveal the cause of death or even the identity of a victim, by associating a larva with its last meal, for example, in cases where insect evidence is left at a scene after human remains have been deliberately removed. Some fly species can develop not only on corpses but on living bodies too, causing myiasis. Analysis of larvae in such cases can demonstrate the period of neglect of humans or animals. Without the appropriate professional collection of insect evidence, an accurate and convincing presentation of such evidence in court will be hampered or even impossible. The present paper describes the principles and methods of forensic entomology and the optimal techniques for collecting insect evidence.

The Veterinary Forensic Necropsy: A Review of Procedures and Protocols.

PubMed

Brownlie, H W Brooks; Munro, R

2016-09-01

Investigation of animal-related crime, and therefore submission of forensic cases to veterinary pathology facilities, is increasing, yet many veterinary pathologists are unfamiliar and often uncomfortable with involvement in the forensic necropsy. This article discusses various aspects of the forensic necropsy without specific attention to any particular species group or crime. General advice is given on procedures, documentation, and recording of the examination, and the article indicates how these features may differ from those used in investigation of natural disease. It also discusses evidence management, including recordkeeping, identification of evidence, labeling of photographs, and use of standard operating procedures and protocols. Various written and visual methods for documentation of the forensic necropsy are covered, and adjunctive topics such as sample collection, assessment, and description of wounds and taphonomy are included. Cause, mechanism, and manner of death are defined, and guidance to the use of these terms is given. The aim of this article is to offer guidance on procedural aspects of the forensic necropsy that will help those developing their forensic services, contribute to standardization of the provision of forensic veterinary pathology, and build the confidence of the "uncomfortable" forensic veterinary pathologist. © The Author(s) 2016.

Forensic geoscience: applications of geology, geomorphology and geophysics to criminal investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruffell, Alastair; McKinley, Jennifer

2005-03-01

One hundred years ago Georg Popp became the first scientist to present in court a case where the geological makeup of soils was used to secure a criminal conviction. Subsequently there have been significant advances in the theory and practice of forensic geoscience: many of them subsequent to the seminal publication of "Forensic Geology" by Murray and Tedrow [Murray, R., Tedrow, J.C.F. 1975 (republished 1986). Forensic Geology: Earth Sciences and Criminal Investigation. Rutgers University Press, New York, 240 pp.]. Our review places historical development in the modern context of how the allied disciplines of geology (mineralogy, sedimentology, microscopy), geophysics, soil science, microbiology, anthropology and geomorphology have been used as tool to aid forensic (domestic, serious, terrorist and international) crime investigations. The latter half of this paper uses the concept of scales of investigation, from large-scale landforms through to microscopic particles as a method of categorising the large number of geoscience applications to criminal investigation. Forensic geoscience has traditionally used established non-forensic techniques: 100 years after Popp's seminal work, research into forensic geoscience is beginning to lead, as opposed to follow other scientific disciplines.

The use of clinical CCT images in the forensic examination of closed head injuries.

PubMed

Bauer, M; Polzin, S; Patzelt, D

2004-04-01

The forensic evaluation of clinical cranial computed tomographies (CCT) frequently is the only reliable source of morphological evidence in head injuries when the injured individual survives or when death is delayed and autopsy findings are characterized by secondary changes. We have reviewed 21 cases where clinical CCT examinations were used to establish a medico-legal diagnosis. In 18 cases falls (n = 13) could be distinguished from blows (n = 5) due to the presence and/or absence of coup and contrecoup lesions and linear or depressed skull fractures. In two cases the striking object could be identified by digital superimposition. The minimum number of blows could be determined in 1 case. Only in 3 remaining cases the results were inconclusive. In our experience, CCT scans provide an important source of information for the forensic expert. To have unbiased access to these information, it is useful to evaluate the CT scans personally which requires a basic knowledge of traumatic changes found on radiographs.

Clinical and forensic signs related to opioids abuse.

PubMed

Dinis-Oliveira, Ricardo Jorge; Carvalho, Felix; Moreira, Roxana; Duarte, Jose Alberto; Proenca, Jorge Brandao; Santos, Agostinho; Magalhaes, Teresa

2012-12-01

For a good performance in Clinical and Forensic Toxicology it is important to be aware of the biological and non-biological signs and symptoms related to xenobiotic exposure. This manuscript highlights and analyzes clinical and forensic imaging related to opioids abuse critically. Particularly, respiratory depression, track marks and hemorrhages, skin "popping", practices of phlebotomy, tissue necrosis and ulceration, dermatitis, tongue hyperpigmentation, "coma blisters", intra-arterial administration, candidiasis, wounds associated with anthrax or clostridium contaminated heroin, desomorphine related lesions and characteristic non-biological evidences are some commonly reported findings in opioids abuse, which will be discussed. For this purpose, clinical and forensic cases from our database (National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, North Branch, Portugal), in addition to literature data, are reviewed.

[Advance of Forensic Research in Insulin Poisoning].

PubMed

Tong, F; Liang, Y; Shi, Q; Zhang, L; L, W H; Zhou, Y W

2017-02-01

Insulin as a common clinical hypoglycemic agent can effectively control serves to lower the concentration of blood glucose. However, insulin overdose can lead to death. In the whole fatal cases of insulin overdose, medical accident is the most common, followed by suicide. Though insulin homicide is extremely rare, it deserves great attention. Though there are some researches about insulin poisoning on forensic toxicology and pathology, it is still a difficult task in forensic practice. In this paper, the mechanism of death, pathological changes, detection methods and diagnose criteria of insulin overdose will be discussed in the view of forensic toxicology and pathology. We hope that this paper could enhance relative knowledges of insulin poisoning for medical examiners. Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Forensic Medicine.

Maternal and pregnancy-related death: causes and frequencies in an autopsy study population.

PubMed

Buschmann, Claas; Schmidbauer, Martina; Tsokos, Michael

2013-09-01

Maternal deaths during pregnancy, both from pregnancy-related or other causes, are rare in Western industrialized countries. In this study we report maternal and pregnancy-related deaths in a large autopsy population focusing on medical history, autopsy findings and histological examinations. Medico-legal autopsy files (n = 11,270) from the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, University Medical Centre Charité, University of Berlin, and the State Institute of Legal and Social Medicine, Berlin, from 2005 to 2010 were reviewed. All female cases between 15 and 49 years were checked for maternal and pregnancy-related death, and deaths of pregnant women from non-natural causes were also included. Fatalities that met the chosen criteria were classified as "direct gestational death," "indirect gestational death" or "non-gestational death." 13 female fatalities (0.12 %) met the chosen criteria (median age 28 years ± 6.87 SD). Eight (61.5 %) women died in-hospital, four (30.8 %) at home, and one woman died in public. Three cases (23.1 %) were "non-gestational deaths," and one case (7.7 %) remained unclear after autopsy and additional examinations. Of the remaining nine cases, six cases (46.5 %) were "direct gestational deaths," and two cases (15.4 %) were "indirect gestational deaths." One case (7.7 %) was not to be defined as "late maternal death," but the cause of death seemed to be directly related to previous gestation ["(very) late maternal death"]. Maternal deaths during pregnancy, both from pregnancy-related or other causes, remain an uncommon event in routine forensic autopsy practice. We report on the collection and analysis of maternal and pregnancy-related deaths in a large autopsy population, with particular attention to the phenomenology of pregnancy, pathophysiological changes in different organ systems and their detection, and the forensic autopsy assessment.

Spectroscopic Sleuthing. An Introduction to Forensic Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zdravkovich, Vera; Cunniff, Patricia A.

1991-01-01

Described is a program in which students learn about spectroscopy and instrumentation to solve a chemical forensic mystery. Infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, refractometry, and chromatographic techniques were used. An example of a mystery case is included. (KR)

Testing photogrammetry-based techniques for three-dimensional surface documentation in forensic pathology.

PubMed

Urbanová, Petra; Hejna, Petr; Jurda, Mikoláš

2015-05-01

Three-dimensional surface technologies particularly close range photogrammetry and optical surface scanning have recently advanced into affordable, flexible and accurate techniques. Forensic postmortem investigation as performed on a daily basis, however, has not yet fully benefited from their potentials. In the present paper, we tested two approaches to 3D external body documentation - digital camera-based photogrammetry combined with commercial Agisoft PhotoScan(®) software and stereophotogrammetry-based Vectra H1(®), a portable handheld surface scanner. In order to conduct the study three human subjects were selected, a living person, a 25-year-old female, and two forensic cases admitted for postmortem examination at the Department of Forensic Medicine, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic (both 63-year-old males), one dead to traumatic, self-inflicted, injuries (suicide by hanging), the other diagnosed with the heart failure. All three cases were photographed in 360° manner with a Nikon 7000 digital camera and simultaneously documented with the handheld scanner. In addition to having recorded the pre-autopsy phase of the forensic cases, both techniques were employed in various stages of autopsy. The sets of collected digital images (approximately 100 per case) were further processed to generate point clouds and 3D meshes. Final 3D models (a pair per individual) were counted for numbers of points and polygons, then assessed visually and compared quantitatively using ICP alignment algorithm and a cloud point comparison technique based on closest point to point distances. Both techniques were proven to be easy to handle and equally laborious. While collecting the images at autopsy took around 20min, the post-processing was much more time-demanding and required up to 10h of computation time. Moreover, for the full-body scanning the post-processing of the handheld scanner required rather time-consuming manual image alignment. In all instances the applied approaches produced high-resolution photorealistic, real sized or easy to calibrate 3D surface models. Both methods equally failed when the scanned body surface was covered with body hair or reflective moist areas. Still, it can be concluded that single camera close range photogrammetry and optical surface scanning using Vectra H1 scanner represent relatively low-cost solutions which were shown to be beneficial for postmortem body documentation in forensic pathology. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Forensic analysis of 7 infant homicide cases in Suzhou].

PubMed

Wei, Ming; Zhu, Jin-Long; Zhang, Lu; Wu, Rong-Qi; Chen, Xin

2014-02-01

To discuss and summarize the major characteristics, autopsy examination, and scene investigation in infant homicide cases. From 2008 to 2013 in Suzhou, the information of seven detected infant homicide cases were collected and analyzed. The criminal suspects were victims' mothers with young ages and pregnancies were premarital. Infant homicide cases occurred at the same location of the delivery. The infants died of mechanical asphyxia in the majority of the cases. Most bodies were naked and their umbilical cords were not cut by iatrogenic method and didn't connect with the bodies. The standardization of forensic investigation can improve the analysis and detection of infant homicide cases.

Criminalistics and the forensic nursing process.

PubMed

Burgess, Ann Wolbert; Piatelli, Michael J; Pasqualone, Georgia

2011-06-01

Students learn science by actually performing science activities. The 12 laboratories described in this article assist students in applying the fundamental techniques germane to the field of forensic science to "solve" contrived cases and present "evidence" in a mock trial. Moreover, students are also confronted with some of the legal and ethical issues concerning the validity, reliability, and application of some forensic techniques. The pedagogical design of the laboratory course provides a rich, challenging, and interdisciplinary academic experience intended to augment and compliment the didactic forensic lecture portion of the course. This laboratory course was designed to engender, embody, and articulate one of the University's directive goals to support interdisciplinary teaching, research, and programming. Because we developed the laboratories on minimal funds, we demonstrated that it could be cost-effective. And thus, we recommend a laboratory science course be included as part of the curriculum of all forensic nursing students and practitioners. © 2011 International Association of Forensic Nurses.

State of the art in bile analysis in forensic toxicology.

PubMed

Bévalot, F; Cartiser, N; Bottinelli, C; Guitton, J; Fanton, L

2016-02-01

In forensic toxicology, alternative matrices to blood are useful in case of limited, unavailable or unusable blood sample, suspected postmortem redistribution or long drug intake-to-sampling interval. The present article provides an update on the state of knowledge for the use of bile in forensic toxicology, through a review of the Medline literature from 1970 to May 2015. Bile physiology and technical aspects of analysis (sampling, storage, sample preparation and analytical methods) are reported, to highlight specificities and consequences from an analytical and interpretative point of view. A table summarizes cause of death and quantification in bile and blood of 133 compounds from more than 200 case reports, providing a useful tool for forensic physicians and toxicologists involved in interpreting bile analysis. Qualitative and quantitative interpretation is discussed. As bile/blood concentration ratios are high for numerous molecules or metabolites, bile is a matrix of choice for screening when blood concentrations are low or non-detectable: e.g., cases of weak exposure or long intake-to-death interval. Quantitative applications have been little investigated, but small molecules with low bile/blood concentration ratios seem to be good candidates for quantitative bile-based interpretation. Further experimental data on the mechanism and properties of biliary extraction of xenobiotics of forensic interest are required to improve quantitative interpretation. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Fast nuclear staining of head hair roots as a screening method for successful STR analysis in forensics.

PubMed

Lepez, Trees; Vandewoestyne, Mado; Van Hoofstat, David; Deforce, Dieter

2014-11-01

The success rate of STR profiling of hairs found at a crime scene is quite low and negative results of hair analysis are frequently reported. To increase the success rate of DNA analysis of hairs in forensics, nuclei in hair roots can be counted after staining the hair root with DAPI. Two staining methods were tested: a longer method with two 1h incubations in respectively a DAPI- and a wash-solution, and a fast, direct staining of the hair root on microscope slides. The two staining methods were not significantly different. The results of the STR analysis for both procedures showed that 20 nuclei are necessary to obtain at least partial STR profiles. When more than 50 nuclei were counted, full STR profiles were always obtained. In 96% of the cases where no nuclei were detected, no STR profile could be obtained. However, 4% of the DAPI-negative hair roots resulted in at least partial STR profiles. Therefore, each forensic case has to be evaluated separately in function of the importance of the evidential value of the found hair. The fast staining method was applied in 36 forensic cases on 279 hairs in total. A fast screening method using DAPI can be used to increase the success rate of hair analysis in forensics. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

["Self-inflicted injuries"--psychiatric, forensic and insurance aspects (II)].

PubMed

Möllhoff, G; Schmidt, G

1999-03-01

German law distinguishes between attempted suicide which is not punishable and self-mutilation which is prohibited. This article describes the historical development of self-injurious behaviour, reviews the social, juridical, and ethical assessments of the past, and examines the statistical and biological results of current research. It relates observations from forensic medicine and psychiatry to specific clinical symptoms, toxicological circumstances, and social influences (stress incurred by everyday life, war, or imprisonment). Drawing on pertinent cases, it clarifies criminal and civil jurisdiction and emphasizes the importance of self-mutilation for private insurers. Intended for insurers, forensic scientists, and psychiatrists, recommendations concern the procedures to be followed in the examination, jurisdiction, and therapy involving cases of self-inflicted injuries.

The Case for Forensic Toxicology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, William P.; DeBeus, Elizabeth; Jones, Carleton

2006-01-01

Understanding natural and human-induced hazards is an important part of the standards-based science curriculum. Experience, however, indicates that the topic is a difficult one for many students. We have developed an exciting investigative laboratory exercise that uses simulated food-based case studies to promote critical thinking and improve…

Forensic examination of the mentally disabled sexual abuse complainant.

PubMed

Chave-Cox, Rebecca S

2014-07-01

Individuals who have mental disabilities are more vulnerable to sexual abuse than the general population and even less likely to report the offence. Furthermore they face greater barriers if they wish to seek help, support or prosecution. Where abuse is alleged or suspected, a complainant with a mental disability will often have the capacity to decide whether they wish to undergo intimate forensic examination. However, in cases where the individual truly lacks capacity it must be decided on an case to case basis without assumption or preconception whether such an examination is truly in their best interests. This aim of this review is to discuss sexual offences against adults with mental disabilities and the identification and management of these individuals. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Forensic science: the truth is out there

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herold, Lynne D.

2002-06-01

Criminalistics, one of the many sub-divisions of forensic science, is an applied science in which items of evidence are analyzed to provide investigative information and scientific evidence to be used in courts of law. Laboratories associated with governmental public agencies are typically involved in criminal cases as opposed to civil cases, and those types of cases that fall within the jurisdiction of the particular agency. Common analytical divisions within criminalistics laboratories include blood alcohol testing, toxicology, narcotics, questioned documents, biology, firearms, latent fingerprints, physical and trace evidence sections. Specialized field investigative services may be provided in the areas of clandestine drug laboratories and major crimes (firearms, biology, trace, arson/explosives). Forensic science best practice requires the use of non-destructive testing whenever reasonably possible. Several technically difficult situations (bodies and evidence encased in cement and metal) are presented as a challenge to audience.

Discerning bias in forensic psychological reports in insanity cases.

PubMed

Neal, Tess M S

2018-04-19

This project began as an attempt to develop systematic, measurable indicators of bias in written forensic mental health evaluations focused on the issue of insanity. Although forensic clinicians observed in this study did vary systematically in their report-writing behaviors on several of the indicators of interest, the data are most useful in demonstrating how and why bias is hard to ferret out. Naturalistic data were used in this project (i.e., 122 real forensic insanity reports), which in some ways is a strength. However, given the nature of bias and the problem of inferring whether a particular judgment is biased, naturalistic data also made arriving at conclusions about bias difficult. This paper describes the nature of bias - including why it is a special problem in insanity evaluations - and why it is hard to study and document. It details the efforts made in an attempt to find systematic indicators of potential bias, and how this effort was successful in part, but also how and why it failed. The lessons these efforts yield for future research are described. We close with a discussion of the limitations of this study and future directions for work in this area. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Sleep-Related Violence and Sexual Behavior in Sleep: A Systematic Review of Medical-Legal Case Reports

PubMed Central

Ingravallo, Francesca; Poli, Francesca; Gilmore, Emma V.; Pizza, Fabio; Vignatelli, Luca; Schenck, Carlos H.; Plazzi, Giuseppe

2014-01-01

Objective: To review systematically medical-legal cases of sleep-related violence (SRV) and sexual behavior in sleep (SBS). Search Methods: We searched Pubmed and PsychINFO (from 1980 to 2012) with pre-specified terms. We also searched reference lists of relevant articles. Selection Criteria: Case reports in which a sleep disorder was purported as the defense during a criminal trial and in which information about the forensic evaluation of the defendant was provided. Data Extraction and Analysis: Information about legal issues, defendant and victim characteristics, circumstantial factors, and forensic evaluation was extracted from each case. A qualitative-comparative assessment of cases was performed. Results: Eighteen cases (9 SRV and 9 SBS) were included. The charge was murder or attempted murder in all SRV cases, while in SBS cases the charge ranged from sexual touching to rape. The defense was based on sleepwalking in 11 of 18 cases. The trial outcome was in favor of the defendant in 14 of 18 cases. Defendants were relatively young males in all cases. Victims were usually adult relatives of the defendants in SRV cases and unrelated young girls or adolescents in SBS cases. In most cases the criminal events occurred 1-2 hours after the defendant's sleep onset, and both proximity and other potential triggering factors were reported. The forensic evaluations widely differed from case to case. Conclusion: SRV and SBS medical-legal cases did not show apparent differences, except for the severity of the charges and the victim characteristics. An international multidisciplinary consensus for the forensic evaluation of SRV and SBS should be developed as an urgent priority. Citation: Ingravallo F, Poli F, Gilmore EV, Pizza F, Vignatelli L, Schenck CH, Plazzi G. Sleep-related violence and sexual behavior in sleep: a systematic review of medical-legal case reports. J Clin Sleep Med 2014;10(8):927-935. PMID:25126042

The effect of image quality and forensic expertise in facial image comparisons.

PubMed

Norell, Kristin; Läthén, Klas Brorsson; Bergström, Peter; Rice, Allyson; Natu, Vaidehi; O'Toole, Alice

2015-03-01

Images of perpetrators in surveillance video footage are often used as evidence in court. In this study, identification accuracy was compared for forensic experts and untrained persons in facial image comparisons as well as the impact of image quality. Participants viewed thirty image pairs and were asked to rate the level of support garnered from their observations for concluding whether or not the two images showed the same person. Forensic experts reached their conclusions with significantly fewer errors than did untrained participants. They were also better than novices at determining when two high-quality images depicted the same person. Notably, lower image quality led to more careful conclusions by experts, but not for untrained participants. In summary, the untrained participants had more false negatives and false positives than experts, which in the latter case could lead to a higher risk of an innocent person being convicted for an untrained witness. © 2014 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Suicidal Decapitation by Hanging-A Population-based Study.

PubMed

Byard, Roger W; Gilbert, John D

2018-05-01

A prospective study was undertaken at Forensic Science SA over a 15-year period from July 2002 to June 2017 for all cases of adult (>18 years) suicidal hangings with decapitation. A total of 1446 cases of suicidal hangings were identified from a general population of approximately 1.5 million (1206 males-age range 18-97 years, average 42.6; and 240 females-age range 18-96 years, average 40.1). Only three cases of decapitation were found, all from long-drop hangings; these consisted of three males (ages 32-55 years; average 45 years). Spinal transections had occurred between the first and second, second and third, and third and fourth cervical vertebrae, respectively. In this study, the number of suicidal hangings with decapitation represented only 0.2% of the total number of hangings. These events are therefore extremely rare, most likely due to most suicidal hangings occurring from relatively low levels in a domestic environment. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Interdisciplinary team communication among forensic nurses and rape victim advocates.

PubMed

Patterson, Debra

2014-01-01

Victim advocates and forensic nurses provide integrated care to address the complex legal, medical, and mental health needs of rape survivors. Research suggests that conflict exists between nurses and advocates, but it remains unknown how their communication patterns contribute to or resolve these conflicts. Utilizing a qualitative case study approach, the current study interviewed 24 nurses and advocates from a Midwest organization to better understand team communication patterns when addressing conflicts. The findings suggest that most nurses communicate concerns directly while advocates avoid direct communication. Factors that influenced direct and indirect communication and their implications for practice will be discussed.

A set of autosomal multiple InDel markers for forensic application and population genetic analysis in the Chinese Xinjiang Hui group.

PubMed

Xie, Tong; Guo, Yuxin; Chen, Ling; Fang, Yating; Tai, Yunchun; Zhou, Yongsong; Qiu, Pingming; Zhu, Bofeng

2018-07-01

In recent years, insertion/deletion (InDel) markers have become a promising and useful supporting tool in forensic identification cases and biogeographic research field. In this study, 30 InDel loci were explored to reveal the genetic diversities and genetic relationships between Chinese Xinjiang Hui group and the 25 previously reported populations using various biostatistics methods such as forensic statistical parameter analysis, phylogenetic reconstruction, multi-dimensional scaling, principal component analysis, and STRUCTURE analysis. No deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium tests were found at all 30 loci in the Chinese Xinjiang Hui group. The observed heterozygosity and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.1971 (HLD118) to 0.5092 (HLD92), 0.2222 (HLD118) to 0.5000 (HLD6), respectively. The cumulative probability of exclusion and combined power of discrimination were 0.988849 and 0.99999999999378, respectively, which indicated that these 30 loci could be qualified for personal identification and used as complementary genetic markers for paternity tests in forensic cases. The results of present research based on the different methods of population genetic analysis revealed that the Chinese Xinjiang Hui group had close relationships with most Chinese groups, especially Han populations. In spite of this, for a better understanding of genetic background of the Chinese Xinjiang Hui group, more molecular genetic markers such as ancestry informative markers, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and copy number variations will be conducted in future studies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Experience and Opinions of Forensic Psychiatrists Regarding PTSD in Criminal Cases.

PubMed

Cohen, Ziv E; Appelbaum, Paul S

2016-03-01

By the end of 2014, 1.5 million veterans of the Second Iraq and Afghan wars were to have returned home, up to 35 percent with PTSD. The potential use of PTSD as the basis for legal claims in criminal defense is therefore a pressing problem. Using a Web-based survey, we examined the experiences and attitudes of members of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (AAPL) regarding PTSD in the criminal forensic setting. Of 238 respondents, 50 percent had been involved in a criminal case involving PTSD, 41 percent in the previous year. Eighty-six percent of cases involved violent crime and 40 percent homicides. Forty-two percent of defendants were soldiers in active service or veterans, of whom 89 percent had had combat exposure, mostly in the Second Iraq and Afghan wars. Outcomes reported were not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI) (7%), guilty on the original charge (40%), and pleading guilty to a lesser charge (23%). The findings suggest that many forensic psychiatrists will be asked to evaluate PTSD in the criminal setting, with a growing number of cases related to combat exposure in recent veterans. The implications of these findings for the practice of forensic psychiatry are discussed. © 2016 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.

What Torture Survivors Teach Assessors About Being More Fully Human.

PubMed

Evans, F Barton

2016-01-01

This article illustrates the complex sociocultural components in the forensic psychological assessment of a young Ethiopian woman's claim for political asylum due to a well-founded fear of persecution and for relief under the Convention Against Torture. It draws attention to the subtle social and cultural influences in the practice of forensic psychological assessment with an emphasis of reflective practice, which is contextualized in the interpersonal theory of Sullivan. In the interpersonal approach, the essential work of the assessor is to pay careful attention to the microinteractions between the client and the assessor as reflections of the interpersonal (meaning social and cultural) processes, eschewing the illusion of objectivity. In this case study, I illustrate the particular cultural dilemmas for client and assessor in conducting a forensic assessment of psychological trauma, including cross-cultural, gender, and legal difficulties in arriving at an informed, objective, and compassionate assessment of an individual seeking asylum after an especially brutal experience of torture. I argue that collaborative therapeutic assessment methods adapted for forensic practice offer an approach to assessment of psychological trauma that provides more accurate and compassionate assessment than so-called neutral standard forensic assessment practice.

Recording routine forensic mental health evaluations should be a standard of practice in the 21st century.

PubMed

Siegel, David M; Kinscherff, Robert

2018-04-25

The standard of practice for forensic interviews in criminal and delinquency cases, other than those conducted as part of brief preliminary screening evaluations or in emergency situations, should include a digital recording requirement. This standard should be adopted because of the greater availability of, and familiarity with, recording technology on the part of mental health professionals, the greater use and proven effectiveness of recording in other contexts of the criminal justice system, and the improvement in court presentation and accuracy of judicial determinations involving forensic assessments that recording will provide. The experience of practitioners with recording since professional associations last studied the issue should be taken into account, as informal data suggest it has been positive. Unfortunately, the legal system is unlikely to prompt this advance without its reconsideration by the forensic mental health professions, because current constitutional jurisprudence does not require recording and effectively makes it contingent upon request by examiners. Forensic evaluators thus have a valuable opportunity to educate the legal system on the utility and importance of this key reform, and so should adopt it as a best practice. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Analytical Characterization of Erythritol Tetranitrate, an Improvised Explosive.

PubMed

Matyáš, Robert; Lyčka, Antonín; Jirásko, Robert; Jakový, Zdeněk; Maixner, Jaroslav; Mišková, Linda; Künzel, Martin

2016-05-01

Erythritol tetranitrate (ETN), an ester of nitric acid and erythritol, is a solid crystalline explosive with high explosive performance. Although it has never been used in any industrial or military application, it has become one of the most prepared and misused improvise explosives. In this study, several analytical techniques were explored to facilitate analysis in forensic laboratories. FTIR and Raman spectrometry measurements expand existing data and bring more detailed assignment of bands through the parallel study of erythritol [(15) N4 ] tetranitrate. In the case of powder diffraction, recently published data were verified, and (1) H, (13) C, and (15) N NMR spectra are discussed in detail. The technique of electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry was successfully used for the analysis of ETN. Described methods allow fast, versatile, and reliable detection or analysis of samples containing erythritol tetranitrate in forensic laboratories. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Investigator® HDplex (Qiagen) reference population database for forensic use in Argentina.

PubMed

Martínez, Gustavo; Borosky, Alicia; Corach, Daniel; Llull, Cintia; Locarno, Laura; Lojo, Mercedes; Marino, Miguel; Miozzo, María Cecilia; Modesti, Nidia; Pacharoni, Carla; Pilili, Juan Pablo; Ramella, María Isabel; Sala, Andrea; Schaller, Cecilia; Vullo, Carlos; Toscanini, Ulises

2017-01-01

Currently, autosomal Short Tandem Repeat (STR) markers represent the method of election in forensic human identification. Commercial kits of most common use nowadays -e.g. PowerPlex ® Fusion, Promega Corp.; AmpFlSTR GlobalFiler, Thermofisher scientific; Investigator 24Plex QS,Qiagen-, allow the co-amplification of 23 highly polymorphic STR loci providing a high discrimination power in human identity testing. However, in complex kinship analysis and familial database searches involving distant relationships, additional DNA typing is often required in order to achieve well-founded conclusions. The recently developed kit Investigator ® HDplex (Qiagen) co-amplify twelve autosomal STRs markers (D7S1517, D3S1744, D12S391, D2S1360, D6S474, D4S2366, D8S1132, D5S2500, D18S51, D21S2055, D10S2325, SE33), nine of which are not present in the above mentioned kits, providing a set of efficient supplementary markers for human identification purposes. In this study we genotyped a sample of 980 individuals from urban areas of ten Argentinean provinces using the Investigator ® HDplex kit, aiming to provide forensic estimates for use in forensic casework and parentage testing in Argentina. We report reference allelic frequency databases for each of the provinces studied as well as for the combined samples. No deviation of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was observed. A reasonable discrimination capacity and power of exclusion was estimated which allowed predicting an acceptable forensic behavior of this kit, either to be used as the main STR panel for simple cases or as an auxiliary tool in complex cases. Additionally, population comparison tests showed that the studied samples are relatively homogeneous across the country for these STR set. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Homemade Firearm Suicide With Dumbbell Pipe Triggering by an Air-Compressed Gun: Case Report and Review of Literature.

PubMed

Le Garff, Erwan; Delannoy, Yann; Mesli, Vadim; Berthezene, Jean Marie; Morbidelli, Philippe; Hédouin, Valéry

2015-12-01

Firearm suicides are frequent and well described in the forensic literature, particularly in Europe and the United States. However, the use of homemade and improvised firearms is less well described. The present case reports a suicide with an original improvised gun created using an air-compressed pellet gun and a dumbbell pipe. The aims of this study were to describe the scene, the external examination of the corpse, the body scan, and the autopsy; to understand the mechanism of death; and to compare the results with a review of the forensic literature to highlight the epidemiology of homemade firearm use, the tools used for homemade and improvised firearms in suicides versus homicides, and the manners in which homemade firearms are used (homicide or suicide, particularly in complex suicide cases).

Analysis of Suicide Notes: An experience in Eskişehir City.

PubMed

Karbeyaz, Kenan; Akkaya, Harun; Balci, Yasemin; Urazel, Beyza

2014-09-01

It is estimated that a million people around the world die by suicide each year. It has been reported that a note was left in 5%-43% of the suicides. In this study, it we aimed to evaluate and discuss suicide notes in our city which is situated in Western Anatolia and where several universities are located. All forensic deaths in Eskişehir in 10-year period between 2001 and 2011 were evaluated. Forensic investigation files were assessed. After investigation, Out of 399 cases, 168 (42.1%) cases, who were determined to have left a suicide letter, telephone message (sms) or message via social network sites, were included in the scope of the study. It was found that 95 (56.5%) of all cases had left a suicide letter, 69 (41.1%) cases had sent a telephone message to a person or more than one person, 4 (2.4%) cases had written notes about suicide and death in social networking sites. A suicide note is an important finding in suicide cases to clarify the case. However, the note should be confirmed by investigation to be accepted as evidence.

"It's a Mystery!": A Case Study of Implementing Forensic Science in Preschool as Scientific Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howitt, Christine; Upson, Emily; Lewis, Simon

2011-01-01

Children have immense curiosity, a thirst for knowledge and a questioning attitude. They are innate scientists. The challenge for early childhood educators is to fuel this curiosity through the provision of appropriate learning experiences and an engaging environment within early learning centres. This paper presents a detailed case study of how a…

A Comparison of Case Study and Traditional Teaching Methods for Improvement of Oral Communication and Critical-Thinking Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noblitt, Lynnette; Vance, Diane E.; Smith, Michelle L. DePoy

2010-01-01

This study compares a traditional paper presentation approach and a case study method for the development and improvement of oral communication skills and critical-thinking skills in a class of junior forensic science majors. A rubric for rating performance in these skills was designed on the basis of the oral communication competencies developed…

Forensic Analysis of Windows Hosts Using UNIX-based Tools

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cory Altheide

2004-07-19

Many forensic examiners are introduced to UNIX-based forensic utilities when faced with investigating a UNIX-like operating system for the first time. They will use these utilities for this very specific task, because in many cases these tools are the only ones for the given job. For example, at the time of this writing, given a FreeBSD 5.x file system, the author's only choice is to use The Coroner's Toolkit running on FreeBSD 5.x. However, many of the same tools examiners use for the occasional UNIX-like system investigation are extremely capable when a Windows system is the target. Indeed, the Linuxmore » operating system itself can prove to be an extremely useful forensics platform with very little use of specialized forensics utilities at all.« less

Expansion of Microbial Forensics

PubMed Central

Schmedes, Sarah E.; Sajantila, Antti

2016-01-01

Microbial forensics has been defined as the discipline of applying scientific methods to the analysis of evidence related to bioterrorism, biocrimes, hoaxes, or the accidental release of a biological agent or toxin for attribution purposes. Over the past 15 years, technology, particularly massively parallel sequencing, and bioinformatics advances now allow the characterization of microorganisms for a variety of human forensic applications, such as human identification, body fluid characterization, postmortem interval estimation, and biocrimes involving tracking of infectious agents. Thus, microbial forensics should be more broadly described as the discipline of applying scientific methods to the analysis of microbial evidence in criminal and civil cases for investigative purposes. PMID:26912746

Forensic medicine experts' opinion on medico-legal autopsies in hospital deaths: a questionnaire survey.

PubMed

D'Souza, Deepak Herald; Pant, Sadip; Menezes, Ritesh George

2013-10-01

Medico-legal autopsy is conducted routinely in some countries and selectively in others in hospital deaths. This study was conducted to evaluate the views of the forensic medicine experts regarding this matter. A questionnaire pro forma was sent to sixty-five forensic medicine experts practicing in different medical institutions all around India. Designations and experiences of the participants were noted by requests in the same questionnaire. Their specific experience in conducting medico-legal autopsy in hospital deaths was also requested for. Responses were charted in frequency distribution tables and analyzed using SPSS, version 17.0. One-third of the participants felt that a medico-legal autopsy was necessary in all the hospital death cases as defined in the present study. Ten percent of the participants opined that a medico-legal autopsy was unnecessary in hospital deaths. The majority of the experts mentioned finding the cause of death, followed by finding the manner of death and collecting the evidentiary materials, as the reasons for medico-legal autopsy in hospital deaths. Twenty percent of the participants felt that internal findings at autopsy poorly matched with the case records. All the experts agreed that external autopsy findings matched with the hospital case records. Nearly two-third of the participants felt that it was difficult in some cases to interpret the autopsy findings without case records from the hospital where the deceased was treated. Our findings suggest that the exercise of carrying out medico-legal autopsy routinely in every hospital death as evident in the Indian framework is often unnecessary as per the experts' opinion. Autopsy findings in hospital deaths often correlate with hospital case records.

Implant bone integration importance in forensic identification.

PubMed

De Angelis, Danilo; Cattaneo, Cristina

2015-03-01

Odontological identification consists of the comparison of antemortem dental information regarding a missing person with postmortem data from an unidentified corpse or human remains. Usually, the comparison concerns morphologic features that the operator chooses among all the visible characteristics because of inter-individual uniqueness; for this reason, implants can be of enormous assistance. A case concerning the recovery of a burnt oral implant, connected to a bone fragment, among 2780 charred bone fragments, suspected to have belonged to a victim of homicide, is presented to demonstrate that dental implants and their site of bone integration represent a very precious element for personal forensic identification. Because of their morphological invariability in time and because of their morphologic uniqueness, they were used as evidence to associate unidentified human charred remains to a missing person where DNA analysis failed to do so. The case illustrates the fundamental contribution, not yet described in literature, given by the clinical aspects of tooth replacement with dental implants to a forensic discipline. Clinical practitioners should therefore be aware of the great importance of their work and of dental records in a forensic identification scenario. © 2014 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Mass-Spectrometry-Based Proteomics Reveals Organ-Specific Expression Patterns To Be Used as Forensic Evidence.

PubMed

Dammeier, Sascha; Nahnsen, Sven; Veit, Johannes; Wehner, Frank; Ueffing, Marius; Kohlbacher, Oliver

2016-01-04

Standard forensic procedures to examine bullets after an exchange of fire include a mechanical or ballistic reconstruction of the event. While this is routine to identify which projectile hit a subject by DNA analysis of biological material on the surface of the projectile, it is rather difficult to determine which projectile caused the lethal injury--often the crucial point with regard to legal proceedings. With respect to fundamental law it is the duty of the public authority to make every endeavor to solve every homicide case. To improve forensic examinations, we present a forensic proteomic method to investigate biological material from a projectile's surface and determine the tissues traversed by it. To obtain a range of relevant samples, different major bovine organs were penetrated with projectiles experimentally. After tryptic "on-surface" digestion, mass-spectrometry-based proteome analysis, and statistical data analysis, we were able to achieve a cross-validated organ classification accuracy of >99%. Different types of anticipated external variables exhibited no prominent influence on the findings. In addition, shooting experiments were performed to validate the results. Finally, we show that these concepts could be applied to a real case of murder to substantially improve the forensic reconstruction.

The detection of NBOMe designer drugs on blotter paper by high resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) with and without chromatography.

PubMed

Botch-Jones, Sabra; Foss, Jamie; Barajas, David; Kero, Frank; Young, Craig; Weisenseel, Jason

2016-10-01

New psychoactive substances (NPS) have been associated with fatalities and severe injuries in a number of cases in the United States and have led investigators to rethink traditional drug monitoring protocols. Of particular interest are the variable phenethylamine chemical structures known as 'NBOMes', which pose an emerging threat to public health with incidence steadily growing over the past decade. In this study, direct sample analysis (DSA)-time of flight mass spectrometry was employed to leverage rapid and sensitive ambient ionization mass spectrometry without chromatographic separation as verified with an authentic case sample. Samples for method development were prepared at Boston University School of Medicine's Biomedical Forensic Sciences program (Boston, MA) and analyzed at the State of Maine Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory's Forensic Chemistry Section (Augusta, ME). Preliminary method development work was performed at the University of Central Florida (Orlando, FL). DSA without any extraction step in addition to the evaluation of methanol, dichloromethane and hexane extractions were conducted. Methanol was found to not be a suitable extraction solvent for DSA analysis of these compounds. For the screening of NBOMe designer drug variables on blotter paper, DSA-TOFMS was successful at reducing analysis time to ∼15s per sample, for qualitative identification for the selected analytes of interest. The analysis of an authentic forensic case sample by DSA-TOFMS using the method development parameters demonstrates its utility in forensic laboratories. 25C-NBOMe was identified with an exact mass accuracy of 0.60ppm. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Confocal Raman imaging and chemometrics applied to solve forensic document examination involving crossed lines and obliteration cases by a depth profiling study.

PubMed

Borba, Flávia de Souza Lins; Jawhari, Tariq; Saldanha Honorato, Ricardo; de Juan, Anna

2017-03-27

This article describes a non-destructive analytical method developed to solve forensic document examination problems involving crossed lines and obliteration. Different strategies combining confocal Raman imaging and multivariate curve resolution-alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) are presented. Multilayer images were acquired at subsequent depth layers into the samples. It is the first time that MCR-ALS is applied to multilayer images for forensic purposes. In this context, this method provides a single set of pure spectral ink signatures and related distribution maps for all layers examined from the sole information in the raw measurement. Four cases were investigated, namely, two concerning crossed lines with different degrees of ink similarity and two related to obliteration, where previous or no knowledge about the identity of the obliterated ink was available. In the crossing line scenario, MCR-ALS analysis revealed the ink nature and the chronological order in which strokes were drawn. For obliteration cases, results making active use of information about the identity of the obliterated ink in the chemometric analysis were of similar quality as those where the identity of the obliterated ink was unknown. In all obliteration scenarios, the identity of inks and the obliterated text were satisfactorily recovered. The analytical methodology proposed is of general use for analytical forensic document examination problems, and considers different degrees of complexity and prior available information. Besides, the strategies of data analysis proposed can be applicable to any other kind of problem in which multilayer Raman images from multicomponent systems have to be interpreted.

Forensic Entomologists: An Evaluation of their Status

PubMed Central

Magni, Paola; Guercini, Silvia; Leighton, Angela; Dadour, Ian

2013-01-01

The National Academy of Sciences (2009) published a review charting several key recommendations on strengthening the forensic sciences as an entity as part of an initiative put forth by the USA Congress to streamline and improve the quality of the forensic sciences and their impact on the judiciary process. Although the review was not totally inclusive, many of its sentiments have permeated into all the forensic sciences. The following paper is designed to determine who is practicing the science of forensic entomology, and in what capacity, by questioning practicing forensic entomologists about the type of education obtained, their countries' standards and accreditation processes, as well as general demographic information such as age and gender. A 28-question survey was sent out to 300 forensic entomologists worldwide in 2009. Of the 70 respondents, 80% had a formal education (either Masters or PhD), and 66% published their research. Approximately 50% of respondents were involved in the delivery of expert evidence and writing up case reports, and countries were actively involved with accrediting personnel, facilities, and entomology kits. Many discrepancies within the reported practices and accreditation processes highlight the need for the adoption of a standard code of practice among forensic entomologists. PMID:24219583

Forensic entomologists: an evaluation of their status.

PubMed

Magni, Paola; Guercini, Silvia; Leighton, Angela; Dadour, Ian

2013-01-01

The National Academy of Sciences ( 2009 ) published a review charting several key recommendations on strengthening the forensic sciences as an entity as part of an initiative put forth by the USA Congress to streamline and improve the quality of the forensic sciences and their impact on the judiciary process. Although the review was not totally inclusive, many of its sentiments have permeated into all the forensic sciences. The following paper is designed to determine who is practicing the science of forensic entomology, and in what capacity, by questioning practicing forensic entomologists about the type of education obtained, their countries' standards and accreditation processes, as well as general demographic information such as age and gender. A 28-question survey was sent out to 300 forensic entomologists worldwide in 2009. Of the 70 respondents, 80% had a formal education (either Masters or PhD), and 66% published their research. Approximately 50% of respondents were involved in the delivery of expert evidence and writing up case reports, and countries were actively involved with accrediting personnel, facilities, and entomology kits. Many discrepancies within the reported practices and accreditation processes highlight the need for the adoption of a standard code of practice among forensic entomologists.

Self-Identified Vampirism and Risk for False Positives: A Case Example of Team Homicide and Implications for Forensic Behavioral Science.

PubMed

Williams, D J

2017-05-01

Historically, reported cases of self-identified vampirism typically have been associated with psychopathology and sometimes a propensity for violence. However, scholars recently have noted a wide range of diverse practices and meanings that all fall under the general description of self-identified vampirism. This brief report focuses on a homicide case (male and female partnered offenders), wherein a single victim was murdered and dismembered. Due to specific case evidence, there was controversy regarding whether or not the homicide was motivated by ritualistic self-identified vampirism. Court documents were reviewed and assessed, and findings suggest that the evidence used to support assertions that homicidal motivations occurred due to ritualistic vampirism was misinterpreted due to the omission of a growing multidisciplinary literature on self-identified vampirism. It is important for forensic experts to be aware of emerging research on alternative identities, including vampirism, that challenge traditional theories and assumptions. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

[Identification of a murderer on the basis of a biting pattern on body of the victim].

PubMed

Zaba, Czesław; Lorkiewicz-Muszyńska, Dorota; Glapiński, Mariusz; Smoluch, Krzysztof; Swiderski, Paweł

2010-01-01

The authors present a case of identification of a a murderer on the basis of his dentition pattern, reflected by a biting wound on the breast of the victim. The case is exceptional not only from the viewpoint of the authors, but also in view of very sporadic reports on this subject in forensic literature. Cases of biting by humans are not frequent in the forensic/ medical practice, and instances of identification of the perpetrator by his dental pattern reflected in the biting wound are very rare. In Poland, such problems have been the domain of mainly criminologists and only occasionally of forensic medics in collaboration with dentists and anthropologists. Due to the very low number of such cases in Poland, no experts in the matter are available. For this reason, we deemed it purposeful to present respective investigative principles and techniques for identification of a human perpetrator on the basis of the dental pattern reflected in a biting wound on the victim's body.

The identification of living persons on images: A literature review.

PubMed

Gibelli, D; Obertová, Z; Ritz-Timme, S; Gabriel, P; Arent, T; Ratnayake, M; De Angelis, D; Cattaneo, C

2016-03-01

Personal identification in the forensic context commonly concerns unknown decedents. However, recently there has been an increase in cases which require identification of living persons, especially from surveillance systems. These cases bring about a relatively new challenge for forensic anthropologists and pathologists concerning the selection of the most suitable methodological approaches with regard to the limitations of the photographic representation of a given person for individualization and identity. Facial features are instinctively the primary focus for identification approaches. However, other body parts (e.g. hands), and body height and gait (on videos) have been considered in cases of personal identification. This review aims at summarizing the state-of-the-art concerning the identification of the living on images and videos, including a critical evaluation of the advantages and limitations of different methods. Recommendations are given in order to aid forensic practitioners who face cases of identification of living persons. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Metropolitan Forensic Anthropology Team (MFAT) studies in identification: 1. Race and sex assessment by discriminant function analysis of the postcranial skeleton.

PubMed

Taylor, J V; DiBennardo, R; Linares, G H; Goldman, A D; DeForest, P R

1984-07-01

A case study is presented to demonstrate the utility of the team approach to the identification of human remains, and to illustrate a methodological innovation developed by MFAT. Case 1 represents the first of several planned case studies, each designed to present new methodological solutions to standard problems in identification. The present case describes a test, by application, of race and sex assessment of the postcranial skeleton by discriminant function analysis.

[Forensic Analysis of 63 Cases of Non-violent Death Occurred in Custody].

PubMed

Yang, S M; Cheng, Y B

2017-10-01

To collect cases of non-violent death occurred in custody for analyzing the forensic characteristics and related influencing factors. Sixty-three cases of non-violent death among detainees in custody that handled by a forensic science center from 2000 to 2015 were collected. The type, onset season, medical history, clinical manifestation, treatment and duration of related fatal diseases were analyzed retrospectively. The deaths due to diseases in custody were common in male, and with a high incidence in middle aged adults. The most common cause of death was cardiac death （50.8%）. Chronic inflammatory diseases such as gastrointestinal perforation, pulmonary tuberculosis, pneumonia, hepatitis and pancreatitis, were common. There was a peak incidence in summer. The acute symptoms included sudden onset during sleep and sudden apsychia, and emesis, abdominal pain, fatigue, chest tightness, shortness of breath, fever and anorexia were the most common chronic symptoms. The management system, custody condition, medical level and rescue rudiment of custody still need improvements. It should be pay more attention to collecting the information of medical history, autopsy, histological examination and toxicological analysis, etc. Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Forensic Medicine

Differentiation between Lucilia cuprina and Hemipyrellia ligurriens (Diptera: Calliphoridae) larvae for use in forensic entomology applications.

PubMed

Sukontason, Kom; Sribanditmongkol, Pongruk; Ngoen-klan, Ratchadawan; Klong-klaew, Tunwadee; Moophayak, Kittikhun; Sukontason, Kabkaew L

2010-02-01

Lucilia cuprina and Hemipyrellia ligurriens are forensically important blow flies in many countries. The immature stage, in particular the third instar, of both species are generally similar in morphological appearance. In this study, the use of three main characteristics, the posterior spiracle, the dorsal spines between the first and second thoracic segments, and the cephalopharyngeal skeleton, allows for identification of both fly species, with the number of papillae on anterior spiracle being a supportive characteristic in some cases. Comparison of these characteristics is illustrated in detail.

[Medical-legal conduct with individuals in judicial or police custody].

PubMed

Medallo Muñiz, Jordi; Martín-Fumadó, Carles; Nuno Vieira, Duarte

2014-03-01

The problems involved in caring for individuals in custody, as well as deaths that occur during custody, are relevant aspects of legal and forensic medicine in terms of the possible criminal, civil and administrative responsibility of health professionals and/or public or private institutions that might hold individuals in custody and deprived of freedom. The rule of law should ensure that these cases comply with state law and international agreements and treaties related to human rights and the special treatment of individuals deprived of freedom in hospitals or detention centers. Of particular mention is the medical-forensic activity regarding deaths associated with the use of control holds and/or restraint during the detention of individuals by members of the armed forces or law enforcement or in healthcare centers by safety and healthcare personnel. In these cases, both the immediate healthcare treatment subsequent to the events and the medical-forensic study should be particularly careful. These situations, which are often high profile, cause social alarm and involve judicial actions that can result in especially severe liabilities. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

State-of-the-art of bone marrow analysis in forensic toxicology: a review.

PubMed

Cartiser, Nathalie; Bévalot, Fabien; Fanton, Laurent; Gaillard, Yvan; Guitton, Jérôme

2011-03-01

Although blood is the reference medium in the field of forensic toxicology, alternative matrices are required in case of limited, unavailable or unusable blood samples. The present review investigated the suitability of bone marrow (BM) as an alternative matrix to characterize xenobiotic consumption and its influence on the occurrence of death. Basic data on BM physiology are reported in order to highlight the specificities of this matrix and their analytical and toxicokinetic consequences. A review of case reports, animal and human studies involving BM sample analysis focuses on the various parameters of interpretation of toxicological results: analytic limits, sampling location, pharmacokinetics, blood/BM concentration correlation, stability and postmortem redistribution. Tables summarizing the analytical conditions and quantification of 45 compounds from BM samples provide a useful tool for toxicologists. A specific section devoted to ethanol shows that, despite successful quantification, interpretation is highly dependent on postmortem interval. In conclusion, BM is an interesting alternative matrix, and further experimental data and validated assays are required to confirm its great potential relevance in forensic toxicology.

Forensic Palynology as Classroom Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Babcock, Steven L.; Warny, Sophie

2014-01-01

This activity introduces the science of "forensic palynology": the use of microscopic pollen and spores (also called "palynomorphs") to solve criminal cases. Plants produce large amounts of pollen or spores during reproductive cycles. Because of their chemical resistance, small size, and morphology, pollen and spores can be…

Biological Evidence Management for DNA Analysis in Cases of Sexual Assault

PubMed Central

Magalhães, Teresa; Dinis-Oliveira, Ricardo Jorge; Silva, Benedita; Corte-Real, Francisco; Nuno Vieira, Duarte

2015-01-01

Biological evidence with forensic interest may be found in several cases of assault, being particularly relevant if sexually related. Sexual assault cases are characterized by low rates of disclosure, reporting, prosecution, and conviction. Biological evidence is sometimes the only way to prove the occurrence of sexual contact and to identify the perpetrator. The major focus of this review is to propose practical approaches and guidelines to help health, forensic, and law enforcement professionals to deal with biological evidence for DNA analysis. Attention should be devoted to avoiding contamination, degradation, and loss of biological evidence, as well as respecting specific measures to properly handle evidence (i.e., selection, collection, packing, sealing, labeling, storage, preservation, transport, and guarantee of the chain custody). Biological evidence must be carefully managed since the relevance of any finding in Forensic Genetics is determined, in the first instance, by the integrity and quantity of the samples submitted for analysis. PMID:26587562

Recommendations for teaching upon sensitive topics in forensic and legal medicine in the context of medical education pedagogy.

PubMed

Kennedy, Kieran M; Scriver, Stacey

2016-11-01

Undergraduate medical curricula typically include forensic and legal medicine topics that are of a highly sensitive nature. Examples include suicide, child abuse, domestic and sexual violence. It is likely that some students will have direct or indirect experience of these issues which are prevalent in society. Those students are vulnerable to vicarious harm from partaking in their medical education. Even students with no direct or indirect experience of these issues may be vulnerable to vicarious trauma, particularly students who are especially empathetic to cases presented. Despite these risks, instruction relating to these topics is necessary to ensure the competencies of graduating doctors to respond appropriately to cases they encounter during their professional careers. However, risk can be minimised by a well-designed and thoughtfully delivered educational programme. We provide recommendations for the successful inclusion of sensitive forensic and legal medicine topics in undergraduate medical curricula. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Role of Orthodontics in Forensic Odontology- A Social Responsibility

PubMed Central

Reddy, Vinay P; Sharma, Meenakshi; Aggarwal, Monika

2016-01-01

Orthodontics like any other specialty has much to offer law enforcement in the detection and solution of crime or in civil proceedings. Forensic odontology often requires an interdisciplinary approach towards dentistry for the purpose of proper diagnosis of cases. In cases where the forensic odontologist has to establish a person’s identity, an orthodontist can be of great help at times. Teeth, with their anatomic/physiologic variations and therapy such as orthodontic treatment, restorations and prosthesis may record information that remains throughout life and beyond. The teeth may also be used as weapons for defense or offense and as such may leave information about the identity of the biter at the time of crime. Forensic odontology also plays an important role in the recognition of crime and abuse among people of all ages. Orthodontists like all other dental professionals can play a major role by maintaining proper dental records and thus providing important or vital information or clues to the legal authorities in order to help them in their search. PMID:27190968

Accidental death in autoerotic maneuvers.

PubMed

Focardi, Martina; Gualco, Barbara; Norelli, GianAristide

2008-03-01

The authors from the Florence Forensic Department present a case that demonstrates the paradigms attached to accidental deaths while performing autoerotic maneuvers. The incidents of such practices are underestimated and are only the tip of the iceberg since they do not represent the cases that are never reported due to successful practice. After analyzing the statistic data, the authors describe the case and discuss about the element that prove the accidental nature of the death and the importance of the correct application of forensic methodology at the scene and in the mortuary.

Distinguishing between forensic science and forensic pseudoscience: testing of validity and reliability, and approaches to forensic voice comparison.

PubMed

Morrison, Geoffrey Stewart

2014-05-01

In this paper it is argued that one should not attempt to directly assess whether a forensic analysis technique is scientifically acceptable. Rather one should first specify what one considers to be appropriate principles governing acceptable practice, then consider any particular approach in light of those principles. This paper focuses on one principle: the validity and reliability of an approach should be empirically tested under conditions reflecting those of the case under investigation using test data drawn from the relevant population. Versions of this principle have been key elements in several reports on forensic science, including forensic voice comparison, published over the last four-and-a-half decades. The aural-spectrographic approach to forensic voice comparison (also known as "voiceprint" or "voicegram" examination) and the currently widely practiced auditory-acoustic-phonetic approach are considered in light of this principle (these two approaches do not appear to be mutually exclusive). Approaches based on data, quantitative measurements, and statistical models are also considered in light of this principle. © 2013.

Commentary: Coming Full Circle--Psychoanalysis, Psychodynamics, and Forensic Psychiatry.

PubMed

Hegarty, Angela M

2015-12-01

Drs. Simopoulos and Cohen argue that knowledge of one's unconscious processes improves the forensic psychiatrist's capacity to manage complex forensic situations and to generate forensic formulations and opinions that are demonstrably more valid and reliable, much like competence in cultural assessment and formulation. In practice, the challenges posed by the application of these principles in forensic settings are far outweighed by the potential benefit. Forensic practice is informed by many specialties. Forensic psychiatrists do not have to complete full training in these disciplines to make use of the knowledge and perspectives they offer. The same may not be true of psychodynamic assessment and formulation. Although much can be learned from supervision, case seminars, conferences, and reading, such knowledge does little to foster awareness of one's unconscious processes that by definition operate outside awareness and thus contribute to the vitiating effect of bias. To date, the only method whereby psychiatrists can effectively come to appreciate their own unconscious processes in action is arguably through their own analysis conducted in the course of training in analysis or psychodynamic psychotherapy. © 2015 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.

Animal Models in Forensic Science Research: Justified Use or Ethical Exploitation?

PubMed

Mole, Calvin Gerald; Heyns, Marise

2018-05-01

A moral dilemma exists in biomedical research relating to the use of animal or human tissue when conducting scientific research. In human ethics, researchers need to justify why the use of humans is necessary should suitable models exist. Conversely, in animal ethics, a researcher must justify why research cannot be carried out on suitable alternatives. In the case of medical procedures or therapeutics testing, the use of animal models is often justified. However, in forensic research, the justification may be less evident, particularly when research involves the infliction of trauma on living animals. To determine how the forensic science community is dealing with this dilemma, a review of literature within major forensic science journals was conducted. The frequency and trends of the use of animals in forensic science research was investigated for the period 1 January 2012-31 December 2016. The review revealed 204 original articles utilizing 5050 animals in various forms as analogues for human tissue. The most common specimens utilized were various species of rats (35.3%), pigs (29.3%), mice (17.7%), and rabbits (8.2%) although different specimens were favored in different study themes. The majority of studies (58%) were conducted on post-mortem specimens. It is, however, evident that more needs to be done to uphold the basic ethical principles of reduction, refinement and replacement in the use of animals for research purposes.

Intentional fatal metallic phosphide poisoning in a dog--a case report.

PubMed

Nagy, Andras-Laszlo; Bolfa, Pompei; Mihaiu, Marian; Catoi, Cornel; Oros, Adrian; Taulescu, Marian; Tabaran, Flaviu

2015-07-23

Metallic phosphides are extremely toxic pesticides that are regulated in their usage. Information concerning the impact of metallic phosphides on human health is abundant. Data regarding the clinical pathology of phosphide poisoning in humans or domestic and wild animals is largely incomplete with only a few cases of metallic phosphide poisoning being reported every year, especially in humans. For the majority of cases reported in dogs the data are vague or incomplete. Here we report a complete and detailed description of pathological changes in a case of intentional metallic phosphide poisoning in a dog including an exhaustive examination of the brain. A 1 year old, male, Belgian Shepherd crossbreed dog with a clean medical history and no observed clinical signs prior to death, was submitted for post mortem examination. The dog was found dead by the owner. Near the body a suspect mix of bread, fat and a blackish powder was found. The owner announced the authorities and submitted the animal and the possible bait for forensic examination. At necropsy, multisystemic necrotic and degenerative lesions were observed. Histological exam confirmed the presence of necrotic and degenerative lesions of variable severity in all of the examined organs. The toxicological forensic examination revealed the presence of the phosphine gas in the gastric content and the bait. Metallic phosphide poisoning is a rarely reported entity, since the diagnosis of intentional poisoning with these compounds is a great challenge for forensic pathologists and toxicologists. To our knowledge, this is the first study describing the lesions completely in veterinary forensic toxicology. We assume that the toxic shows systemic endotheliotropism and damage of the endothelial cells responsible for the hemorrhagic lesions and for the secondary ischemic necrosis in various organs. This report will contribute to a better understanding of the pathogenesis in cases of acute metallic phosphide exposure in animals.

Understanding forensic expert evaluative evidence: A study of the perception of verbal expressions of the strength of evidence.

PubMed

Arscott, Eleanor; Morgan, Ruth; Meakin, Georgina; French, James

2017-05-01

Verbal expressions of evidential strength are routinely used when presenting forensic expert evaluative evidence. The degree to which these verbal expressions are interpreted uniformly among different individuals requires further empirical study. This study focussed on groups of individuals with different roles within the criminal justice system and individuals with varying degrees of expertise and knowledge. Three groups of individuals were identified: laypeople, legal professionals and those with some forensic or investigative knowledge. The participants in the study (n=230) were provided with a case summary to which a verbal expression of the strength of evidence was randomly assigned. Participants were subsequently invited to indicate their perception of the strength of the evidence on a scale that was provided. Generally, across the study groups, the trend was one of increased perceived strength of evidence as the intended strength of the verbal expression was increased, with some notable exceptions. In general, there was good concordance between the groups in the way the different expressions were perceived. It was found that participants performed poorly when it came to differentiating between expressions at the 'strong' end of the scale ('strong', 'very strong' and 'extremely strong'). The findings resonate with calls for validated and robust communication frameworks for evaluative opinions. Further empirical research in this area is warranted and that such research can represent an important contribution towards improving the communication and presentation of forensic evidence. Copyright © 2017 The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Fatal poisonings during a 5-year period in Eastern Denmark].

PubMed

Worm, K; Steentoft, A; Toft, J

1999-11-29

In the period 1992-1996, both years included, 1079 cases of deaths from poisoning by drugs or poisons were found by forensic-chemical analyses at The Institute of Forensic Medicine, Dept. of Forensic Chemistry, in Copenhagen, covering a population of 2.4 million. Morphine was by far the most frequently occurring compound accounting for 421 deaths, followed by methadone with 185 deaths. Then alcohol, ketobemidone, and carbon monoxide were represented with 80, 74 and 66 deaths, respectively. Drug addicts dominated in the survey with 549 cases. According to Danish law, autopsy with following chemical analyses must be performed on all dead drug addicts, whereas many other deaths by poisoning are defined only from the medicine found in the vicinity of the dead body.

DNA barcode based wildlife forensics for resolving the origin of claw samples using a novel primer cocktail.

PubMed

Khedkar, Gulab D; Abhayankar, Shil Bapurao; Nalage, Dinesh; Ahmed, Shaikh Nadeem; Khedkar, Chandraprakash D

2016-11-01

Excessive wildlife hunting for commercial purposes can have negative impacts on biodiversity and may result in species extinction. To ensure compliance with legal statutes, forensic identification approaches relying on molecular markers may be used to identify the species of origin of animal material from hairs, claw, blood, bone, or meat. Using this approach, DNA sequences from the COI "barcoding" gene have been used to identify material from a number of domesticated animal species. However, many wild species of carnivores still present great challenges in generating COI barcodes using standard "universal" primer pairs. In the work presented here, the mitochondrial COI gene was successfully amplified using a novel primer cocktail, and the products were sequenced to determine the species of twenty one unknown samples of claw material collected as part of forensic wildlife case investigations. Sixteen of the unknown samples were recognized to have originated from either Panthera leo or P. pardus individuals. The remaining five samples could be identified only to the family level due to the absence of reference animal sequences. This is the first report on the use of COI sequences for the identification of P. pardus and P. leo from claw samples as part of forensic investigations in India. The study also highlights the need for adequate reference material to aid in the resolution of suspected cases of illegal wildlife harvesting.

Forensically Important Blow Flies Chrysomya pinguis, C. villeneuvi, and Lucilia porphyrina (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in a Case of Human Remains in Thailand.

PubMed

Monum, Tawatchai; Sukontason, Kabkaew L; Sribanditmongkol, Pongruk; Sukontason, Kom; Samerjai, Chutharat; Limsopatham, Kwankamol; Suwannayod, Suttida; Klong-Klaew, Tunwadee; Wannasan, Anchalee

2017-02-01

This is the first study to report Chrysomya pinguis (Walker) and Lucilia porphyrina (Walker) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) as forensically important blow fly species from human cadavers in Thailand, in addition to Chrysomya villeneuvi (Patton) already known in Thailand. In 2016, a fully decomposed body of an unknown adult male was discovered in a high mountainous forest during winter in Chiang Mai province. The remains were infested heavily with thousands of blow fly larvae feeding simultaneously on them. Morphological identification of adults reared from the larvae, and molecular analysis based on sequencing of 1,247 bp partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene ( CO1 ) of the larvae and puparia, confirmed the above mentioned 3 species. The approving forensic fly evidence by molecular approach was described for the first time in Thailand. Moreover, neighbor-joining phylogenetic analysis of the CO1 was performed to compare the relatedness of the species, thereby affirming the accuracy of identification. As species of entomofauna varies among cases in different geographic and climatic circumstances, C. pinguis and L. porphyrina were added to the list of Thai forensic entomology caseworks, including colonizers of human remains in open, high mountainous areas during winter. Further research should focus on these 3 species, for which no developmental data are currently available.

Demonstrating the effect of forensic firearm countermeasures: Bullet characteristics generated due to barrel modifications.

PubMed

O'Keeffe, C; Champion, S; Allsop, D

2015-12-01

Forensic awareness and the declining availability of firearms have resulted in an increase in the use of modified and re-activated firearms in crime. Although some modifications are undertaken to simply acquire a functioning firearm, others are perpetrated as a direct forensic countermeasure to prevent the association between a firearm and a crime. This article describes the effects of these modifications on bullet striation patterns imparted from the barrel to a fired bullet. The key results indicated that the investigated modifications display assessable characteristics. The use of an oversized barrel imparted striations consistent with firing with the absence of typical rifling. Subsequent or consecutively fired bullets possessed striation variations, with the first showing the least evidence of striations. The application of a choke resulted in more obvious bullet elongation compared to a smoothbore barrel. The restriction caused merging of lands and groves of the imparted rifling and obscured their usual definition. Effects of breech adaption were also characterised by observing the buckling and enlargement of the cartridge case. This deformity of the cartridge case was most evident when the barrel pressure increased due to the presence of the choke. From this study it was evident that unique characteristic impressions associated with different modifications most commonly found in criminal investigations can be utilised by a forensic expert and impart significant intelligence to an investigation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Forensically Important Blow Flies Chrysomya pinguis, C. villeneuvi, and Lucilia porphyrina (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in a Case of Human Remains in Thailand

PubMed Central

Monum, Tawatchai; Sukontason, Kabkaew L.; Sribanditmongkol, Pongruk; Sukontason, Kom; Samerjai, Chutharat; Limsopatham, Kwankamol; Suwannayod, Suttida; Klong-klaew, Tunwadee; Wannasan, Anchalee

2017-01-01

This is the first study to report Chrysomya pinguis (Walker) and Lucilia porphyrina (Walker) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) as forensically important blow fly species from human cadavers in Thailand, in addition to Chrysomya villeneuvi (Patton) already known in Thailand. In 2016, a fully decomposed body of an unknown adult male was discovered in a high mountainous forest during winter in Chiang Mai province. The remains were infested heavily with thousands of blow fly larvae feeding simultaneously on them. Morphological identification of adults reared from the larvae, and molecular analysis based on sequencing of 1,247 bp partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene (CO1) of the larvae and puparia, confirmed the above mentioned 3 species. The approving forensic fly evidence by molecular approach was described for the first time in Thailand. Moreover, neighbor-joining phylogenetic analysis of the CO1 was performed to compare the relatedness of the species, thereby affirming the accuracy of identification. As species of entomofauna varies among cases in different geographic and climatic circumstances, C. pinguis and L. porphyrina were added to the list of Thai forensic entomology caseworks, including colonizers of human remains in open, high mountainous areas during winter. Further research should focus on these 3 species, for which no developmental data are currently available. PMID:28285509

Risk Factors for Fatal Hyperglycaemia Confirmed by Forensic Postmortem Examination - A Nationwide Cohort in Sweden

PubMed Central

Walz, Lotta; Jönsson, Anna K.; Zilg, Brita; Östgren, Carl Johan; Druid, Henrik

2016-01-01

Aims/Hypothesis The aim of this study was to identify risk factors associated with confirmed fatal hyperglycaemia, which could predispose potentially preventable deaths in individuals on glucose lowering drugs. Methods A retrospective register-based case-control study conducted on a nationwide cohort with individuals who died due to hyperglycaemia as determined by forensic postmortem examination, in Sweden August 2006 to December 2012. Vitreous glucose was used to diagnose hyperglycaemia postmortem. The forensic findings stored in the National Forensic Medicine Database were linked to nationwide registers. Cases that died due to confirmed hyperglycemia with dispensed glucose lowering drugs were identified and living controls with dispensed glucose lowering drugs were randomly selected in the Swedish prescribed drug register and matched on age and sex. Information on comorbidities, dispensed pharmaceuticals, clinical data and socioeconomic factors were obtained for cases and controls. Adjusted multiple logistic regression models were used to identify risk factors associated with fatal hyperglycaemia. Results During the study period 322 individuals, mostly males (79%) with the mean age of 53.9 years (SD.± 14) died due to confirmed hyperglycaemia. Risk factors for fatal hyperglycaemia included; insulin treatment (OR = 4.40; 95%CI,1.96, 9.85), poor glycaemic control (OR = 2.00 95%CI,1.23, 3.27), inadequate refill-adherence before death (OR = 3.87; 95%CI,1.99, 7.53), microvascular disease (OR = 3.26; 95% CI, 1.84, 5.79), psychiatric illness (OR = 2.30; 95% CI,1.32, 4.01), substance abuse (OR = 8.85; 95%CI,2.34, 35.0) and/or living alone (OR = 2.25; 95%CI,1.21, 4.18). Conclusions/Interpretation Our results demonstrate the importance of clinical attention to poor glycaemic control in subjects with psychosocial problems since it may indicate serious non-adherence, which consequently could lead to fatal hyperglycaemia. PMID:27768720

Pesticide intoxications in the Centre of Portugal: three years analysis.

PubMed

Teixeira, Helena; Proença, Paula; Alvarenga, Margarida; Oliveira, Margarida; Marques, Estela P; Vieira, Duarte Nuno

2004-07-16

Pesticides are used in most countries around the world to protect agricultural and horticultural crops against damage. Poisoning by these toxicant agents occurs as a result of misuse or accidental exposure, and also by oral ingestion (voluntary or not). In Portugal, pesticide intoxications are still a cause of death, found in a considerable number of cases. The authors retrospectively examined the cases of pesticide poisoning in the Centre of Portugal, from autopsies performed in the Forensic Pathology Service of Coimbra's Delegation of the National Institute of Legal Medicine (NILM) and from other autopsies carried out in the Centre of Portugal, as well as some samples taken in hospitals in cases of suspected intoxication. In this study, the positive cases have been especially studied, in order to identify the pesticide used, as well as the etiology. The frequency of intoxications and its distribution by sex and age were also analyzed. Between January 2000 and December 2002, the Forensic Toxicology Laboratory received 639 pesticide analysis requests. In 2000, in a total of 149 analysis requests, 30 cases were positive, 63.3% from male individuals and 36.7% from female. In 2001, the analysis requests increased to 240 as well as the positive cases (43), 74.4% from male individuals and 25.6% from female and in 2002, the total cases analyzed also increased to 250, with 38 positive (73.6% from male individuals and 26.4% from female). Among the pesticides, organophosphorus insecticides still constitute the most important class detected in forensic intoxications, representing 63% of the total positive cases, followed by herbicides, with 33% of the positive results. Quinalphos is the most important organophosphorus insecticide, present in 32 of the 111 positive cases, followed by the herbicide paraquat, detected in 31 cases. The study emphasizes the increasing number of pesticide analyses, particularly relevant for the organophosphorus compounds and herbicides. Intoxication suspicion, accidental or voluntary, seems to be the most common cause of the incidents, for which analyses are requested, but it is also evident that the putative cause is unknown in a large number of cases. Therefore, more stringent legislation and enforcement regarding the sale and distribution of these toxic substances are needed.

Testing inter-observer reliability of the Transition Analysis aging method on the William M. Bass forensic skeletal collection.

PubMed

Fojas, Christina L; Kim, Jieun; Minsky-Rowland, Jocelyn D; Algee-Hewitt, Bridget F B

2018-01-01

Skeletal age estimation is an integral part of the biological profile. Recent work shows how multiple-trait approaches better capture senescence as it occurs at different rates among individuals. Furthermore, a Bayesian statistical framework of analysis provides more useful age estimates. The component-scoring method of Transition Analysis (TA) may resolve many of the functional and statistical limitations of traditional phase-aging methods and is applicable to both paleodemography and forensic casework. The present study contributes to TA-research by validating TA for multiple, differently experienced observers using a collection of modern forensic skeletal cases. Five researchers independently applied TA to a random sample of 58 documented individuals from the William M. Bass Forensic Skeletal Collection, for whom knowledge of chronological age was withheld. Resulting scores were input into the ADBOU software and maximum likelihood estimates (MLEs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were produced using the forensic prior. Krippendorff's alpha was used to evaluate interrater reliability and agreement. Inaccuracy and bias were measured to gauge the magnitude and direction of difference between estimated ages and chronological ages among the five observers. The majority of traits had moderate to excellent agreement among observers (≥0.6). The superior surface morphology had the least congruence (0.4), while the ventral symphyseal margin had the most (0.9) among scores. Inaccuracy was the lowest for individuals younger than 30 and the greatest for individuals over 60. Consistent over-estimation of individuals younger than 30 and under-estimation of individuals over 40 years old occurred. Individuals in their 30s showed a mixed pattern of under- and over-estimation among observers. These results support the use of the TA method by researchers of varying experience levels. Further, they validate its use on forensic cases, given the low error overall. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Human remains found in two wells: a forensic entomology perspective.

PubMed

Magni, Paola A; Borrini, Matteo; Dadour, Ian R

2013-09-01

When estimating the time since death or manner of death, the identification and the pathological evaluations of a body are generally impeded by post mortem changes. Research and case studies help experts to achieve a more accurate diagnosis, but at present there is scant literature covering topics concerning forensic science and decompositional processes in aquatic environments. The two case studies presented each involve a decomposed body found in a unique aquatic environment; namely wells containing ground water. In Case 1 an entomologist attended the scene and in Case 2 an entomologist was only involved after 20 months when it was decided that the insect evidence collected at the second autopsy may be useful in determining a time frame. The first case highlights the problems associated with body retrieval from aquatic environments as the body was removed it dismembered. Fortunately, the well was able to be drained, so much of the insect evidence was retrieved. In the second case the body was found dismembered but the entomological evidence was overlooked and lost. During the second autopsy insects were found, collected, and sent to an entomologist to help clarify the post mortem interval.

The Clinician and Forensic Medicine

PubMed Central

Root, Irving; Scott, Wayne

1973-01-01

Although it is an intrinsic part of all medical practice forensic medicine often is either unrecognized as such or is consciously or subconsciously evaded. The failure to apply some rather basic and simple forensic principles that only the physician is capable of doing may result in problems to the patient ranging from frustration to near catastrophe. For physicians who are reasonably well equipped to understand the legal system, the successful conclusion of a legal case, including, sometimes, an appearance in court, can be stimulating and interesting. PMID:4733272

[Difficulties for the medical and legal forensic evaluation in cases of sexual abuse].

PubMed

Romi, Juan Carlos

2005-01-01

The forensic evaluation of sexual offenders and their victims are a very complex task. This concern becomes even more relevant when children have to be assessed. The evaluation process should consider: children's motivation to deceive during forensic assessment; their perception of the assessment process and its influence on their deceptive tendencies; parental issues related to dissimulation among children and the induction of false memories. The article summarize these problems and gives physicians a practical guide for managing this issue.

Building bridges between clinical and forensic toxicology laboratories.

PubMed

Martin, Bernardino Barcelo; Gomila, Isabel; Noce, Valeria

2018-05-09

Clinical and forensic toxicology can be defined as the two disciplines involved the detection, identification and measurement of xenobiotics in biological and non-biological specimens to help in the diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, prevention of poisonings and to disclose causes and contributory causes of fatal intoxications, respectively. This article explores the close connections between clinical and forensic toxicology in overlapping areas of interest. An update has been carried out of the following seven areas of interest in analytical toxicology: doping control, sudden cardiac death (SCD), brain death, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSBP), prenatal exposure to drugs and fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), drug-facilitated crimes (DFC) and intoxications by new psychoactive substances (NPS). While issues such as SCD, SIDS or doping control are investigated mainly in forensic laboratories, other as prenatal exposure to drugs or FAS are mainly treated in clinical laboratories. On the other hand, areas such MSBP, DFC or the intoxications by NPS are of interest in both laboratories. Some of these topics are initially treated in hospital emergency departments, involving clinical laboratories and sometimes lately derived to forensic laboratories. Conversely, cases with initial medical-legal implications and fatalities are directly handled by forensic toxicology, but may trigger further studies in the clinical setting. Many areas of common interest between clinical and forensic laboratories are building bridges between them. The increasing relationships are improving the growth, the reliability and the robustness of both kind of laboratories. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Specific risk factors of arsonists in a forensic psychiatric hospital.

PubMed

Hagenauw, Loes A; Karsten, Julie; Akkerman-Bouwsema, Gerjonne J; de Jager, Bert E; Lancel, Marike

2015-06-01

Arsonists are often treated in forensic settings. However, high recidivism rates indicate that treatment is not yet optimal for these offenders. The aim of this case series study is to identify arsonist specific dynamic risk factors that can be targeted during treatment. For this study, we used patient files of and interviews with all patients that were currently housed at a forensic psychiatric hospital in the Netherlands (14 arsonists, 59 non-arsonists). To delineate differences in risk factors between arsonists and non-arsonists, scores on the risk assessment instrument the Historical Clinical Future-30 (HKT-30; completed for 11 arsonists and 35 non-arsonists), an instrument similar to the Historical Clinical Risk Management-20 (HCR-20), were compared. The groups did not differ on demographic factors and psychopathology. Concerning dynamic risk factors, arsonists had significantly poorer social and relational skills and were more hostile. Although this study needs replication, these findings suggest that the treatment of people involved in firesetting should particularly target these risk factors. © The Author(s) 2014.

Cloud Based Drive Forensic and DDoS Analysis on Seafile as Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahaweres, R. B.; Santo, N. B.; Ningsih, A. S.

2017-01-01

The rapid development of Internet due to increasing data rates through both broadband cable networks and 4G wireless mobile, make everyone easily connected to the internet. Storages as Services (StaaS) is more popular and many users want to store their data in one place so that whenever they need they can easily access anywhere, any place and anytime in the cloud. The use of the service makes it vulnerable to use by someone to commit a crime or can do Denial of Service (DoS) on cloud storage services. The criminals can use the cloud storage services to store, upload and download illegal file or document to the cloud storage. In this study, we try to implement a private cloud storage using Seafile on Raspberry Pi and perform simulations in Local Area Network and Wi-Fi environment to analyze forensically to discover or open a criminal act can be traced and proved forensically. Also, we can identify, collect and analyze the artifact of server and client, such as a registry of the desktop client, the file system, the log of seafile, the cache of the browser, and database forensic.

Age Estimation Based on Appearance of Gray Hair in Different Body Sites of Sri Lankan Autopsy Cases.

PubMed

Senanayake, Harshana Mahendra Kumara; Wickramasinghe, Nuwan Darshana

2017-07-01

Owing to the scanty evidence on usefulness of information of appearance of gray hair for age estimation, this study was conducted to estimate age based on the appearance of gray hair on different body sites in a sample of autopsy cases in Sri Lanka. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Teaching Hospital-Kurunegala during 2011 to 2013. Based on the pattern of the presence of gray hair in different body sites, six stages of gray hair were computed. The analysis 1155 autopsy cases revealed strong, positive correlations between age and appearance of gray hair in head, mustache, beard, and pubic area among males and strong, positive correlations between age and the appearance of gray hair in head and pubic area among females (p < 0.01). Our findings demonstrate the value of information of appearance of gray hair for age estimation in the field of forensic science. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

[Hangings in the material of Department of Forensic Medicine, Nicolaus Copernicus University Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, in the years 2000-2010].

PubMed

Sumińska-Ziemann, Barbara; Bloch-Bogusławska, Elzbieta

2013-01-01

This study presents an analysis of suicides based on autopsy protocols from the years 2000-2010. Out of all autopsies conducted at Department of Forensic Medicine, Nicolaus Copernicus University Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, 477 cases resulted from hanging. During this period the majority of hangings were recorded in 2010 (61 cases). The parameters assessed in this study included age, sex, post-mortem blood ethanol concentration and place of death of the victims. The age range of the deceased was similar in the group of men and women. Males represented the majority of victims of hanging (89%); only 11% of all the victims were females. The authors observed differences in blood alcohol level of the victims in association with their sex. Not present ethanol was noted in approx. 42% of men and 71% of women. More than 65% cases of suicide hangings were encountered in urban areas, in living quarters and outbuildings.

Application of forensic DNA testing in the legal system.

PubMed

Primorac, D; Schanfield, M S

2000-03-01

DNA technology has taken an irreplaceable position in the field of the forensic sciences. Since 1985, when Peter Gill and Alex Jeffreys first applied DNA technology to forensic problems, to the present, more than 50,000 cases worldwide have been solved through the use of DNA based technology. Although the development of DNA typing in forensic science has been extremely rapid, today we are witnessing a new era of DNA technology including automation and miniaturization. In forensic science, DNA analysis has become "the new form of scientific evidence" and has come under public scrutiny and the demand to show competence. More and more courts admit the DNA based evidence. We believe that in the near future this technology will be generally accepted in the legal system. There are two main applications of DNA analysis in forensic medicine: criminal investigation and paternity testing. In this article we present background information on DNA, human genetics, and the application of DNA analysis to legal problems, as well as the commonly applied respective mathematics.

A concept analysis of forensic risk.

PubMed

Kettles, A M

2004-08-01

Forensic risk is a term used in relation to many forms of clinical practice, such as assessment, intervention and management. Rarely is the term defined in the literature and as a concept it is multifaceted. Concept analysis is a method for exploring and evaluating the meaning of words. It gives precise definitions, both theoretical and operational, for use in theory, clinical practice and research. A concept analysis provides a logical basis for defining terms through providing defining attributes, case examples (model, contrary, borderline, related), antecedents and consequences and the implications for nursing. Concept analysis helps us to refine and define a concept that derives from practice, research or theory. This paper will use the strategy of concept analysis to find a working definition for the concept of forensic risk. In conclusion, the historical background and literature are reviewed using concept analysis to bring the term into focus and to define it more clearly. Forensic risk is found to derive both from forensic practice and from risk theory. A proposed definition of forensic risk is given.

Ethical issues across different fields of forensic science.

PubMed

Yadav, Praveen Kumar

2017-01-01

Many commentators have acknowledged the fact that the usual courtroom maxim to "tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth" is not so easy to apply in practicality. In any given situation, what does the whole truth include? In case, the whole truth includes all the possible alternatives for a given situation, what should a forensic expert witness do when an important question is not asked by the prosecutor? Does the obligation to tell the whole truth mean that all possible, all probable, all reasonably probable, all highly probable, or only the most probable alternatives must be given in response to a question? In this paper, an attempt has been made to review the various ethical issues in different fields of forensic science, forensic psychology, and forensic DNA databases. Some of the ethical issues are common to all fields whereas some are field specific. These ethical issues are mandatory for ensuring high levels of reliability and credibility of forensic scientists.

Eight years of psychiatric examination of detainees by forensic physicians in the Netherlands.

PubMed

van den Hondel, Karen E; Saaltink, Anne Linde; Bender, Peter Paul M

2016-11-01

Forensic physicians are responsible for first-line medical care of detainees (individuals held in custody) in the police station. The Dutch police law contains a 'duty of care', which gives the police responsibility for the apparent mentally ill and/or confused people they encounter during their work. The police can ask a forensic physician to do a primary psychiatric assessment of any apparent mentally ill detainee. The forensic physician determines if the apparent mentally ill behavior of the detainee is due to a somatic illness, or has a psychiatric cause for which the detainee needs admission to a psychiatric hospital. The forensic physician consults the second-line Public Mental Health Care (PMHC). This study aims to give an overview of the outcomes of psychiatric assessments of apparent mentally ill detainees in police stations. These assessments were done by forensic physicians over a period of eight years (2005-2013). A distinction is made between mental disorders, social problems, and alcohol/drugs abuse. All psychiatric assessments were registered in a medical database. When a secondary public mental health care assessment was performed, the conclusions and/or written feedback were received and included in the medical database. This information was used for this retrospective observational study. Of all the apparent mentally ill individuals brought by the police into the police station, the forensic physician sent home or referred 51.8% to their own respective caretakers or the individuals were voluntarily admitted to addiction care or other care facilities. When the forensic physician referred a detainee to PMHC, a compulsory admission to a psychiatric hospital was indicated by PMHC in 62.8% of the cases. Ultimately, of the total apparent mentally ill individuals brought in by the police 30.0% was admitted to a psychiatric hospital. Many apparent mentally ill individuals brought to the police station are sent home by the forensic physician. Before the psychiatric assessment, medical causes of psychiatric illnesses, for example excited delirium syndrome and hypoglycemia, drug use (GHB, cocaine, heroin), and cerebral pathology are excluded. The police perform as one of the channels through which the mentally ill get entrance to mental health care. Our data show no changes in the number of psychiatric assessments during 2005-2013. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

[The forensic medical aspects of the inappropriate medical care in the modern-day Ukraine].

PubMed

Franchuk, V V

2018-01-01

Despite the fact that the ever growing relevance of the problem of the inappropriate medical care was long ago brought to the worldwide attention, it has not been practically addressed in the Ukraine since the country gained independence in 1991. The objective of the present study was to consider the specific features of expert examination of the cases of inappropriate medical care as exemplified by the materials of the legal actions and lawsuits instituted against healthcare specialists violating their occupational duties. The results of forensic medical examination by the local Bureaux of forensic medical expertise concerning the 350 so-called malpractice suits instituted in the Ternopol, Zhitomir, and Chernovtsy regions during the period from 207 to 2016 were available for the analysis. The facts of inadequate and inappropriate medical care were documented in 245 (72.0%) cases. The frequency of diagnostic and therapeutic errors amounted to 29.7% and 26.9% respectively while the improper formulation of the medical documentation was recorded in 21.3% of the cases. The cases of poor organization of the diagnostic and treatment process accounted for 14.6% of the total whereas the improper behaviour of the medical personnel was reported in 7.5% of all the known cases of provision of the healthcare services. It is concluded that in the majority of the cases, the citizens of the modern-day Ukraine receive the inappropriate (insufficient and untimely) medical care. Over 80% of the cases of the inappropriate medical care currently provided in the country can be accounted for by the objective reasons, with each fifths case being due to the violation of professional responsibilities by the healthcare providers.

Expansion of Microbial Forensics.

PubMed

Schmedes, Sarah E; Sajantila, Antti; Budowle, Bruce

2016-08-01

Microbial forensics has been defined as the discipline of applying scientific methods to the analysis of evidence related to bioterrorism, biocrimes, hoaxes, or the accidental release of a biological agent or toxin for attribution purposes. Over the past 15 years, technology, particularly massively parallel sequencing, and bioinformatics advances now allow the characterization of microorganisms for a variety of human forensic applications, such as human identification, body fluid characterization, postmortem interval estimation, and biocrimes involving tracking of infectious agents. Thus, microbial forensics should be more broadly described as the discipline of applying scientific methods to the analysis of microbial evidence in criminal and civil cases for investigative purposes. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

[Automobile Traffic Accident Death Case Analysis of Characteristics of Driver Injury].

PubMed

Du, Y L; Zhang, W L

2017-02-01

To distinguish the injury characteristic changes on the drivers between the injuries of drivers and passengers in traffic accidents, and to provide scientific evidence for confirming the identity of driver in traffic accidents. Data of 126 automobile traffic accident death cases in the reclamation areas of Heilongjiang province from 2006-2014 were retrospectively studied. The injury characteristics on the drivers of automobile traffic accident death cases were analyzed and the forensic identification problem in the injuries of drivers and passengers were discussed. Injuries were frequently observed on driver's neck, chest and abdomen. The characteristic injuries caused by auto parts were also found, which appeared at the places of passenger's head, face and limbs contacted with automobile. Such characteristic injuries were not found at other places. The location and type of injury are associated with the identity of the deceased. Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Forensic Medicine

Homicide-suicide in Brescia County (Northern Italy): a retrospective study from 1987 to 2012.

PubMed

Verzeletti, Andrea; Russo, Maria Cristina; De Ferrari, Francesco

2014-07-01

From January 1987 to December 2012, 19 homicide-suicide events were registered at the Brescia Institute of Forensic Medicine (Northern Italy), leading to 39 deaths (20 homicide victims and 19 suicide victims). The homicide victims were females in the total of the cases (100%), while perpetrators were exclusively males (100%). Only one event involved foreigners as both victim and perpetrator, all the other cases regarded Italian people. The average age was 37.3 years for the homicide victims and 41.57 years for the offenders. Perpetrators usually used a firearm both for murder (65%) and suicide (84%). In 66% of the cases the homicide-suicide events occurred at home; homicide victims were strictly bound to their perpetrators (husband, boyfriend or ex boyfriend, father) in all the events. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

[Forensic-medical diagnostics of doping cases in sports].

PubMed

Khodasevich, L S; Kuzin, S G; Khodasevich, A L

2013-01-01

The present review of the literature is focused on the problem of forensic-medical diagnostics of doping cases in sports, with special reference to the main classes of pharmaceutical products forbidden for use by the International Olympic Committee. The main causes of death among the athletes as a result of using doping substances are considered. Much attention is given to adverse reactions induced by long-time intake of anabolic steroids many of which can be identified at autopsy.

1 H-NMR with Multivariate Analysis for Automobile Lubricant Comparison.

PubMed

Kim, Siwon; Yoon, Dahye; Lee, Dong-Kye; Yoon, Changshin; Kim, Suhkmann

2017-07-01

Identification of suspected automobile-related lubricants could provide valuable information in forensic cases. We examined that automobile lubricants might exhibit the chemometric characteristics to their individual usages. To compare the degree of clustering in the plots, we co-plotted general industrial oils that were highly dissimilar with automobile lubricants in additive compositions. 1 H-NMR spectroscopy was used with multivariate statistics as a tool for grouping, clustering, and identification of automobile lubricants in laboratory conditions. We analyzed automobile lubricants including automobile engine oils, automobile transmission oils, automobile gear oils, and motorcycle oils. In contrast to the general industrial oils, automobile lubricants showed relatively high tendencies of clustering to their usages. Our pilot study demonstrated that the comparison of known and questioned samples to their usages might be possible in forensic fields. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Virtual environments for scene of crime reconstruction and analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howard, Toby L. J.; Murta, Alan D.; Gibson, Simon

2000-02-01

This paper describes research conducted in collaboration with Greater Manchester Police (UK), to evalute the utility of Virtual Environments for scene of crime analysis, forensic investigation, and law enforcement briefing and training. We present an illustrated case study of the construction of a high-fidelity virtual environment, intended to match a particular real-life crime scene as closely as possible. We describe and evaluate the combination of several approaches including: the use of the Manchester Scene Description Language for constructing complex geometrical models; the application of a radiosity rendering algorithm with several novel features based on human perceptual consideration; texture extraction from forensic photography; and experiments with interactive walkthroughs and large-screen stereoscopic display of the virtual environment implemented using the MAVERIK system. We also discuss the potential applications of Virtual Environment techniques in the Law Enforcement and Forensic communities.

The presence of enterovirus, adenovirus, and parvovirus B19 in myocardial tissue samples from autopsies: an evaluation of their frequencies in deceased individuals with myocarditis and in non-inflamed control hearts.

PubMed

Nielsen, Trine Skov; Hansen, Jakob; Nielsen, Lars Peter; Baandrup, Ulrik Thorngren; Banner, Jytte

2014-09-01

Multiple viruses have been detected in cardiac tissue, but their role in causing myocarditis remains controversial. Viral diagnostics are increasingly used in forensic medicine, but the interpretation of the results can sometimes be challenging. In this study, we examined the prevalence of adenovirus, enterovirus, and parvovirus B19 (PVB) in myocardial autopsy samples from myocarditis related deaths and in non-inflamed control hearts in an effort to clarify their significance as the causes of myocarditis in a forensic material. We collected all autopsy cases diagnosed with myocarditis from 1992 to 2010. Eighty-four suicidal deaths with morphologically normal hearts served as controls. Polymerase chain reaction was used for the detection of the viral genomes (adenovirus, enterovirus, and PVB) in myocardial tissue specimens. The distinction between acute and persistent PVB infection was made by the serological determination of PVB-specific immunoglobulins M and G. PVB was detected in 33 of 112 (29 %) myocarditis cases and 37 of 84 (44 %) control cases. All of the samples were negative for the presence of adenovirus and enterovirus. Serological evidence of an acute PVB infection, determined by the presence of immunoglobulin M, was only present in one case. In the remaining cases, PVB was considered to be a bystander with no or limited association to myocardial inflammation. In this study, adenovirus, enterovirus, and PVB were found to be rare causes of myocarditis. The detection of PVB in myocardial autopsy samples most likely represents a persistent infection with no or limited association with myocardial inflammation. The forensic investigation of myocardial inflammation demands a thorough examination, including special attention to non-viral causes and requires a multidisciplinary approach.

78 FR 50095 - Notice of Inventory Completion: History Colorado, Formerly Colorado Historical Society, Denver, CO

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-16

... forensic interest in the human remains. Osteological analysis by Dr. Catherine Gaither indicates the..., Durango, Cory, and Whitewater. Subsequently, the Mesa County Coroner ruled out a forensic interest in the... identified as Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (OAHP) Case Number 289. Osteological analysis...

On the use of the likelihood ratio for forensic evaluation: response to Fenton et al.

PubMed

Biedermann, Alex; Hicks, Tacha; Taroni, Franco; Champod, Christophe; Aitken, Colin

2014-07-01

This letter to the Editor comments on the article When 'neutral' evidence still has probative value (with implications from the Barry George Case) by N. Fenton et al. [[1], 2014]. Copyright © 2014 Forensic Science Society. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

NCSTL

Science.gov Websites

It's Evident EDUCATION & TRAINING CALENDAR SEARCH FORENSIC DATABASE Forensic Database The NCSTL.org can be found in the Training and Education section of the NCSTL website. The on-demand webinar is free fresh tips in the 2003 case. The Snapshot analysis service — developed by Virginia-based Parabon Â

Quality assessment of perinatal and infant postmortem examinations in Turkey.

PubMed

Pakis, Isil; Karapirli, Mustafa; Karayel, Ferah; Turan, Arzu; Akyildiz, Elif; Polat, Oguz

2008-09-01

An autopsy examination is important in identifying the cause of death and as a means of auditing clinical and forensic practice; however, especially in perinatal and infantile age groups determining the cause of death leads to some difficulties in autopsy practice. In this study, 15,640 autopsies recorded during the years 2000-2004 in the Mortuary Department of the Council of Forensic Medicine were reviewed. Autopsy findings of 510 cases between 20 completed weeks of gestation and 1 year of age were analyzed retrospectively. The quality of each necropsy report was assessed using a modification of the system gestational age assessment described by Rushton, which objectively scores aspects identified by the Royal College of Pathologists as being part of a necropsy. According to their ages, the cases were subdivided into three groups. Intrauterine deaths were 31% (158 cases), neonatal deaths were 24% (123 cases), and infantile deaths were 45% (229 cases) of all cases. Scores for the quality of the necropsy report were above the minimum acceptable score with 44% in intrauterine, 88% in neonatal and infantile deaths.

Factors influencing the prosecution of child physical abuse cases in a Swedish metropolitan area.

PubMed

Otterman, Gabriel; Lainpelto, Katrin; Lindblad, Frank

2013-12-01

To examine whether case characteristics of alleged child physical abuse, such as severity, influence criminal investigation procedures and judicial outcomes. We identified all police-reported cases of nonfatal child physical abuse during 2006 in a Swedish metropolitan area (n = 158). Case characteristics were abstracted from police records. Over half (56%) of the victims were boys, and the median age group was 9-12 years. The severity of the alleged violence was low in 8% of cases, moderate in 51% and high in 41%. Suspects were interviewed in 53% of cases, with fathers more likely to be interviewed than mothers. Children were forensically interviewed in 52% of cases, with 9% physically examined by a clinician and 2.5% by a forensic specialist. Seven per cent of the cases were prosecuted and 1.3% resulted in summary punishment. We found no association between severity of alleged abuse and whether the suspect was interviewed, the child was forensically interviewed or physically examined or whether the perpetrator was prosecuted. Despite the high severity of alleged violence, physical examination rates were low, suggesting a need for criminal investigative procedures on child physical abuse to be reviewed in Sweden. ©2013 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Near miss incidents in police custody suites in London in 2003: a feasibility study.

PubMed

Best, David; Havis, Siobhan; Payne-James, J J; Stark, Margaret M

2006-02-01

Potentially preventable deaths in police custody include those which involve illicit drugs, alcohol and deliberate self-harm. Near miss incidents (NMI) that did not result in death have a crucial role in understanding risk factors in custody. Such research has not previously been undertaken. A program of research has been developed to study NMI, in order to better identify those at risk in police custody. For the purposes of this research, NMI have been defined as 'an unplanned and unforeseeable or unforeseen event that could have resulted, but did not result, in human death or may have resulted in injury or other adverse outcomes'. It was intended that the definition although broad, would not include simple accidents (e.g. slipping on urine in a cell) or trivial injury. The two aims of the study are (a) to determine whether it is realistic to attempt to assess NMI with the intention of identifying information of use in enhancing detainee care and (b) to assess how frequently NMIs occur and whether there are specific patterns. Pilot interviews were conducted with three forensic physicians practising in London, UK to create a structured questionnaire for all forensic physicians working in London. The questionnaire provided the basis of a retrospective recall survey of all forensic physicians working in London as Forensic Medical Examiners. The questionnaire was designed to assess the numbers of NMI, patterns in occurrence and relevant learning points within the previous 6 months. A covering letter, background questionnaire (exploring the background of the medical practitioner), copies of the survey, and reply paid envelopes were sent to each Forensic Medical Examiner (n=134) in London, contracted to provide forensic medical services for the Metropolitan Police Service. Data about all incidents were anonymized. Ninety six (73%) Forensic Medical Examiners responded. Of these 18% were Principal grade, the remainder were Senior (24%), Standard (35%) and Assistant (23%). Thirty eight NMI were reported by 27 Forensic Medical Examiners (of all levels). The initial reason for police contact was recorded as alcohol (n=8), theft and robbery (n=7), warrants (n=4), violence (n=3), traffic violations (n=2) and single cases of drugs, murder and immigration offences. Of the main perceived cause of each NMI, illicit drugs were involved in 12/38, alcohol in 17/38, deliberate self-harm in 11/38, issues concerning searches, checks or rousing in 8/38, failure of inter-agency communications in 5/38, and possible resource issues in 4/38. In a number of cases more than one factor was involved. The information established about NMI is broadly consistent with documented patterns of deaths in police custody in England and Wales which supports the validity of the data. The next stage of this research will be a prospective six month study in which NMI will be analysed in order to learn lessons which may be utilised to attempt to prevent potentially avoidable deaths in police custody.

Unnatural deaths in Shanghai from 2000 to 2009: a retrospective study of forensic autopsy cases at the Shanghai Public Security Bureau.

PubMed

He, Meng; Fang, You-Xin; Lin, Jun-Yi; Ma, Kai-Jun; Li, Bei-Xu

2015-01-01

Shanghai is the most developed city in China and has a soaring population. This study uses forensic epidemiology to determine the relationship between unnatural deaths and the development in Shanghai, based on recently released forensic autopsy cases from the 2000s at the Shanghai Public Security Bureau (SPSB). There were 5425 accidental deaths, 2696 homicides, 429 suicides, 186 natural deaths, and 1399 deaths of undetermined cause. There was a male-to-female ratio of 2.02:1, and the average age was 40.9±18.7 years. Traffic accidents (84.2%) were the number one cause of accidental deaths, which decreased during the study period. Sharp force injury (50.6%) was the leading cause of homicides, different from Western countries, where firearms are the leading cause. Hanging (24.5%) was the leading cause of suicides, whereas drug and chemical intoxication was the leading cause in the previous decade; pesticide ingestion decreased in the 2000s. In addition to traffic accidents, manual strangulation was the leading cause of death in childhood fatalities. Children under age 2 were vulnerable to homicides. In the 2000s, there were a large number of drug overdoses, and illegal medical practices and subway-related deaths first appeared in Shanghai. A new type of terrorist attack that involved injecting people with syringes in public places was reflected in the SPSB archives. The forensic epidemiology and changes in unnatural deaths in this decade reflected their relationship with the law, policy and changes in Shanghai. Illegal medical practices, subway-related deaths and terrorist attacks were closely related to the development in Shanghai. Identifying the risks of unnatural deaths will improve public health.

Unnatural Deaths in Shanghai from 2000 to 2009: A Retrospective Study of Forensic Autopsy Cases at the Shanghai Public Security Bureau

PubMed Central

Lin, Jun-Yi; Ma, Kai-Jun; Li, Bei-Xu

2015-01-01

Shanghai is the most developed city in China and has a soaring population. This study uses forensic epidemiology to determine the relationship between unnatural deaths and the development in Shanghai, based on recently released forensic autopsy cases from the 2000s at the Shanghai Public Security Bureau (SPSB). There were 5425 accidental deaths, 2696 homicides, 429 suicides, 186 natural deaths, and 1399 deaths of undetermined cause. There was a male-to-female ratio of 2.02:1, and the average age was 40.9±18.7 years. Traffic accidents (84.2%) were the number one cause of accidental deaths, which decreased during the study period. Sharp force injury (50.6%) was the leading cause of homicides, different from Western countries, where firearms are the leading cause. Hanging (24.5%) was the leading cause of suicides, whereas drug and chemical intoxication was the leading cause in the previous decade; pesticide ingestion decreased in the 2000s. In addition to traffic accidents, manual strangulation was the leading cause of death in childhood fatalities. Children under age 2 were vulnerable to homicides. In the 2000s, there were a large number of drug overdoses, and illegal medical practices and subway-related deaths first appeared in Shanghai. A new type of terrorist attack that involved injecting people with syringes in public places was reflected in the SPSB archives. The forensic epidemiology and changes in unnatural deaths in this decade reflected their relationship with the law, policy and changes in Shanghai. Illegal medical practices, subway-related deaths and terrorist attacks were closely related to the development in Shanghai. Identifying the risks of unnatural deaths will improve public health. PMID:26110435

Illustration and analysis of a coordinated approach to an effective forensic trace evidence capability.

PubMed

Stoney, David A; Stoney, Paul L

2015-08-01

An effective trace evidence capability is defined as one that exploits all useful particle types, chooses appropriate technologies to do so, and directly integrates the findings with case-specific problems. Limitations of current approaches inhibit the attainment of an effective capability and it has been strongly argued that a new approach to trace evidence analysis is essential. A hypothetical case example is presented to illustrate and analyze how forensic particle analysis can be used as a powerful practical tool in forensic investigations. The specifics in this example, including the casework investigation, laboratory analyses, and close professional interactions, provide focal points for subsequent analysis of how this outcome can be achieved. This leads to the specification of five key elements that are deemed necessary and sufficient for effective forensic particle analysis: (1) a dynamic forensic analytical approach, (2) concise and efficient protocols addressing particle combinations, (3) multidisciplinary capabilities of analysis and interpretation, (4) readily accessible external specialist resources, and (5) information integration and communication. A coordinating role, absent in current approaches to trace evidence analysis, is essential to achieving these elements. However, the level of expertise required for the coordinating role is readily attainable. Some additional laboratory protocols are also essential. However, none of these has greater staffing requirements than those routinely met by existing forensic trace evidence practitioners. The major challenges that remain are organizational acceptance, planning and implementation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

History of forensic medicine in Turkey.

PubMed

Oguz, Polat; Cem, Uysal

2009-05-01

Turkey has a short history of forensic medicine compared to the developed countries. Sultan Mahmud II established the first medical school of the Ottoman Empire named as Mekteb-i Tibbiye-i Sahane to provide health services to the army in 1839 [Gok S. Tomorrow, today and yesterday of the forensic medicine. 1st ed. Istanbul: Temel printing office; 1995]. It is also accepted as an important milestone of both medical education and forensic medicine in Turkey [Gok S and Ozen C. History and organization of forensic. 1st ed. Istanbul: Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical School Publications; 1982]. The first lecturer of forensic medicine at Mekteb-i Tibbiye-i Sahane was Dr. Charles Ambroise Bernard (C.A.). and he was also the first to perform autopsy in the history of Ottoman Empire [Gok, 1995]. Approximately 40 years after the first forensic medicine lecture in 1879, the Department of Medical Jurisprudence was established as a division of Zabita Tababet-i Adliye (Law Enforcement Office) in Istanbul [Sehsuvaroğlu and Ozen. History and development of forensic medicine in the world and in our country. Mag Istanbul Univ Med Fac 1974;36(60)]. This paper documents the first two cases of autopsies performed in Turkey with the original papers from the National Library.

Soil DNA metabarcoding and high-throughput sequencing as a forensic tool: considerations, potential limitations and recommendations.

PubMed

Young, J M; Austin, J J; Weyrich, L S

2017-02-01

Analysis of physical evidence is typically a deciding factor in forensic casework by establishing what transpired at a scene or who was involved. Forensic geoscience is an emerging multi-disciplinary science that can offer significant benefits to forensic investigations. Soil is a powerful, nearly 'ideal' contact trace evidence, as it is highly individualistic, easy to characterise, has a high transfer and retention probability, and is often overlooked in attempts to conceal evidence. However, many real-life cases encounter close proximity soil samples or soils with low inorganic content, which cannot be easily discriminated based on current physical and chemical analysis techniques. The capability to improve forensic soil discrimination, and identify key indicator taxa from soil using the organic fraction is currently lacking. The development of new DNA sequencing technologies offers the ability to generate detailed genetic profiles from soils and enhance current forensic soil analyses. Here, we discuss the use of DNA metabarcoding combined with high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technology to distinguish between soils from different locations in a forensic context. Specifically, we provide recommendations for best practice, outline the potential limitations encountered in a forensic context and describe the future directions required to integrate soil DNA analysis into casework. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Contraction Bands Are Induced by Cardiac Massage Itself.

PubMed

Morita, Satomu; Furukawa, Satoshi; Nishi, Katsuji; Hitosugi, Masahito

2016-09-01

Pathological contraction bands (CB) are recognized as a type of necrosis pattern found in the myocardium. It is well known that CB are induced by cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with cardiac massage. However, it is not known whether the reperfusion or massage itself causes the formation of CB. We studied 10 cardiac tissues taken from forensic autopsy cases that had not received CPR. We excluded the cases where the cause of death was a cardiac event. After making sections for forensic research, we massaged the left ventricles for 10 minutes. We found CB in all cases with massage performed within 12 hours after death, which is the time frame for supravital reactions. We did not find CB in any cases where more than 24 hours had elapsed since the time of death. Contraction bands were not observed in any sections that were taken before massage. We suggested here that CB induced by CPR were caused by the cardiac massage itself, and that most CPR-induced CB are not contraction band necrosis but rather artifactual CB.

Determining the optimal forensic DNA analysis procedure following investigation of sample quality.

PubMed

Hedell, Ronny; Hedman, Johannes; Mostad, Petter

2018-07-01

Crime scene traces of various types are routinely sent to forensic laboratories for analysis, generally with the aim of addressing questions about the source of the trace. The laboratory may choose to analyse the samples in different ways depending on the type and quality of the sample, the importance of the case and the cost and performance of the available analysis methods. Theoretically well-founded guidelines for the choice of analysis method are, however, lacking in most situations. In this paper, it is shown how such guidelines can be created using Bayesian decision theory. The theory is applied to forensic DNA analysis, showing how the information from the initial qPCR analysis can be utilized. It is assumed the alternatives for analysis are using a standard short tandem repeat (STR) DNA analysis assay, using the standard assay and a complementary assay, or the analysis may be cancelled following quantification. The decision is based on information about the DNA amount and level of DNA degradation of the forensic sample, as well as case circumstances and the cost for analysis. Semi-continuous electropherogram models are used for simulation of DNA profiles and for computation of likelihood ratios. It is shown how tables and graphs, prepared beforehand, can be used to quickly find the optimal decision in forensic casework.

Biological Sexing of a 4000-Year-Old Egyptian Mummy Head to Assess the Potential of Nuclear DNA Recovery from the Most Damaged and Limited Forensic Specimens

PubMed Central

Loreille, Odile; Ratnayake, Shashikala; Stockwell, Timothy B.; Mallick, Swapan; Skoglund, Pontus; Onorato, Anthony J.; Bergman, Nicholas H.; Reich, David; Irwin, Jodi A.

2018-01-01

High throughput sequencing (HTS) has been used for a number of years in the field of paleogenomics to facilitate the recovery of small DNA fragments from ancient specimens. Recently, these techniques have also been applied in forensics, where they have been used for the recovery of mitochondrial DNA sequences from samples where traditional PCR-based assays fail because of the very short length of endogenous DNA molecules. Here, we describe the biological sexing of a ~4000-year-old Egyptian mummy using shotgun sequencing and two established methods of biological sex determination (RX and RY), by way of mitochondrial genome analysis as a means of sequence data authentication. This particular case of historical interest increases the potential utility of HTS techniques for forensic purposes by demonstrating that data from the more discriminatory nuclear genome can be recovered from the most damaged specimens, even in cases where mitochondrial DNA cannot be recovered with current PCR-based forensic technologies. Although additional work remains to be done before nuclear DNA recovered via these methods can be used routinely in operational casework for individual identification purposes, these results indicate substantial promise for the retrieval of probative individually identifying DNA data from the most limited and degraded forensic specimens. PMID:29494531

Comparison of performance of the test of memory malingering and word memory test in a criminal forensic sample.

PubMed

Fazio, Rachel L; Sanders, James Forrest; Denney, Robert L

2015-06-01

Compared with the amount of neuropsychological literature surrounding response bias in civil litigation, there is little regarding criminal cases. This study adds to the criminal forensic neuropsychological literature by comparing the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM) and the Word Memory Test (WMT) in a criminal forensic setting utilizing a criterion-groups design. Subjects were classified into two groups based on their performance on at least two other freestanding performance validity tests. The WMT demonstrated good sensitivity (95.1%) but poor specificity (68.4%) when Genuine Memory Impaired Profiles (GMIPs) were not considered. Inclusion of GMIPs reduced the sensitivity to 56.1% but increased the specificity to 94.7%. The TOMM evidenced better sensitivity but poorer specificity than the WMT with GMIPs. Conjoint use of the tests was also considered. Receiver operating characteristics and other classification statistics for each measure are presented. Results support the use of these measures in a criminal forensic population. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Rapid quantification and sex determination of forensic evidence materials.

PubMed

Andréasson, Hanna; Allen, Marie

2003-11-01

DNA quantification of forensic evidence is very valuable for an optimal use of the available biological material. Moreover, sex determination is of great importance as additional information in criminal investigations as well as in identification of missing persons, no suspect cases, and ancient DNA studies. While routine forensic DNA analysis based on short tandem repeat markers includes a marker for sex determination, analysis of samples containing scarce amounts of DNA is often based on mitochondrial DNA, and sex determination is not performed. In order to allow quantification and simultaneous sex determination on minute amounts of DNA, an assay based on real-time PCR analysis of a marker within the human amelogenin gene has been developed. The sex determination is based on melting curve analysis, while an externally standardized kinetic analysis allows quantification of the nuclear DNA copy number in the sample. This real-time DNA quantification assay has proven to be highly sensitive, enabling quantification of single DNA copies. Although certain limitations were apparent, the system is a rapid, cost-effective, and flexible assay for analysis of forensic casework samples.

Interpretation of postmortem forensic toxicology results for injury prevention research.

PubMed

Drummer, Olaf H; Kennedy, Briohny; Bugeja, Lyndal; Ibrahim, Joseph Elias; Ozanne-Smith, Joan

2013-08-01

Forensic toxicological data provides valuable insight into the potential contribution of alcohol and drugs to external-cause deaths. There is a paucity of material that guides injury researchers on the principles that need to be considered when examining the presence and contribution of alcohol and drugs to these deaths. This paper aims to describe and discuss strengths and limitations of postmortem forensic toxicology sample selection, variations in analytical capabilities and data interpretation for injury prevention research. Issues to be considered by injury researchers include: the circumstances surrounding death (including the medical and drug use history of the deceased person); time and relevant historical factors; postmortem changes (including redistribution and instability); laboratory practices; specimens used; drug concentration; and attribution of contribution to death. This paper describes the range of considerations for testing and interpreting postmortem forensic toxicology, particularly when determining impairment or toxicity as possible causal factors in injury deaths. By describing these considerations, this paper has application to decisions about study design and case inclusion in injury prevention research, and to the interpretation of research findings.

Evaluation of the medical malpractice cases concluded in the General Assembly of Council of Forensic Medicine.

PubMed

Yazıcı, Yüksel Aydın; Şen, Humman; Aliustaoğlu, Suheyla; Sezer, Yiğit; İnce, Cengiz Haluk

2015-05-01

Malpractice is an occasion that occurs due to defective treatment in the course of providing health services. Neither all of the errors within the medical practices are medical malpractices, nor all of the medical malpractices result in harm and judicial process. Injuries occurring at the time of treatment process may result from a complication or medical malpractice. This study aims to evaluate the reports of the controversial cases brought to trial with the claim of medical malpractice, compiled by The Council of Forensic Medicine. Our study includes all of the cases brought to the Ministry of Justice, Council of Forensic Medicine General Assembly with the claim of medical malpractice within a period of 11 years between 2000 and 2011 (n=330). In our study, we saw that 33.3% of the 330 cases were detected as "medical malpractice" by the General assembly. Within this 33.3% segment cases, 14.2% of them resulted from treatment errors such as wrong or incomplete treatment and surgery, use of wrong medication, running late for a true diagnosis after necessary examination, inappropriate medical processes as well as applied treatment having causality with an emergent injury to the patient. 9.7% of them emerged from diagnosis errors like failure to diagnose, wrong diagnosis, lack of consultation request, lack of transfer to a top centre, lack of intervention resulting from not recognizing the postoperative complication on time. 8.8% of them occurred because of careless intervention such as lack of necessary care and attention, lack of post operation follow-ups, lack of essential informing, absenteeism when called for a patient, intervention under suboptimal conditions. Whereas 0.3% of them developed from errors due to inexperience, 0.3% of them were detected to have occurred because of the administrative mistakes following malfunction of healthcare system. It is very important to analyze the errors properly in order to get the medical malpractice under control. Going through the errors, on which process of health service they occur and their owners; keeping the record of all examinations and treatments in the course of health service regularly and properly will be a cornerstone for both occupational and forensic medicine practices to be standardized.

Newspaper reports from the Coroners Court in Ireland are used to reveal the potential complexity and need for reform in forensic toxicology and medicine services.

PubMed

Tormey, William P

2015-05-01

Newspapers devote regular space to inquests in the public interest. Accuracy in determining the causes of death is important for public health. Expert opinion features prominently in press reports and is an important channel of public education. How expert are the experts and how complex are apparently simple cases? Toxicology cases involving cannabis and stroke, 'junk food' diet, unexplained sudden death, potential drug interactions, allergy during caesarean section, and ecstacy-type drugs are used to illustrate the complexities. A template for reform is suggested to reform the Coroners Laws in Ireland to recognise the complexity of forensic toxicology and medicine. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Investigating the Epigenetic Discrimination of Identical Twins Using Buccal Swabs, Saliva, and Cigarette Butts in the Forensic Setting.

PubMed

Vidaki, Athina; Kalamara, Vivian; Carnero-Montoro, Elena; Spector, Timothy D; Bell, Jordana T; Kayser, Manfred

2018-05-14

Monozygotic (MZ) twins are typically indistinguishable via forensic DNA profiling. Recently, we demonstrated that epigenetic differentiation of MZ twins is feasible; however, proportions of twin differentially methylated CpG sites (tDMSs) identified in reference-type blood DNA were not replicated in trace-type blood DNA. Here we investigated buccal swabs as typical forensic reference material, and saliva and cigarette butts as commonly encountered forensic trace materials. As an analog to a forensic case, we analyzed one MZ twin pair. Epigenome-wide microarray analysis in reference-type buccal DNA revealed 25 candidate tDMSs with >0.5 twin-to-twin differences. MethyLight quantitative PCR (qPCR) of 22 selected tDMSs in trace-type DNA revealed in saliva DNA that six tDMSs (27.3%) had >0.1 twin-to-twin differences, seven (31.8%) had smaller (<0.1) but robustly detected differences, whereas for nine (40.9%) the differences were in the opposite direction relative to the microarray data; for cigarette butt DNA, results were 50%, 22.7%, and 27.3%, respectively. The discrepancies between reference-type and trace-type DNA outcomes can be explained by cell composition differences, method-to-method variation, and other technical reasons including bisulfite conversion inefficiency. Our study highlights the importance of the DNA source and that careful characterization of biological and technical effects is needed before epigenetic MZ twin differentiation is applicable in forensic casework.

Forensic child sexual abuse evaluations: assessing subjectivity and bias in professional judgements.

PubMed

Everson, Mark D; Sandoval, Jose Miguel

2011-04-01

Evaluators examining the same evidence often arrive at substantially different conclusions in forensic assessments of child sexual abuse (CSA). This study attempts to identify and quantify subjective factors that contribute to such disagreements so that interventions can be devised to improve the reliability of case decisions. Participants included 1106 professionals in the field of child maltreatment representing a range of professional positions or job titles and years of experience. Each completed the Child Forensic Attitude Scale (CFAS), a 28-item survey assessing 3 forensic attitudes believed to influence professional judgments about CSA allegations: emphasis-on-sensitivity (i.e., a focus on minimizing false negatives or errors of undercalling abuse); emphasis-on-specificity (i.e., a focus on minimizing false positives or errors of overcalling abuse); and skepticism toward child and adolescent reports of CSA. A subset of 605 professionals also participated in 1 of 3 diverse decision exercises to assess the influence of the 3 forensic attitudes on ratings of case credibility. Exploratory factor analysis identified 4 factors or attitude subscales that corresponded closely with the original CFAS scales: 2 subscales for emphasis-on-sensitivity and 1 each for emphasis-on-specificity and skepticism. Attitude subscale scores differed significantly by sample source (in-state trainings vs. national conferences), gender, years of experience, and professional position, with Child Protective Service workers unexpectedly more concerned about overcalling abuse and more skeptical of child disclosures than other professionals-a pattern of scores associated with an increased probability of disbelieving CSA allegations. The 3 decision exercises offered validation of the attitude subscales as predictors of professional ratings of case credibility, with adjusted R(2)s for the three exercises ranging from .06 to .24, suggesting highly variable effect sizes. Evaluator disagreements about CSA allegations can be explained, in part, by individual differences in 3 attitudes related to forensic decision-making: emphasis-on-sensitivity, emphasis-on-specificity, and skepticism toward child reports of abuse. These attitudes operate as predispositions or biases toward viewing CSA allegations as likely true or likely false. Several strategies for curbing the influence of subjective factors are highlighted including self-awareness of personal biases and team approaches to assessment. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mitigating Security Issues: The University of Memphis Case.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Robert; Frolick, Mark N.

2003-01-01

Studied a server security breach at the University of Memphis, Tennessee, to highlight personnel roles, detection of the compromised server, policy enforcement, forensics, and the proactive search for other servers threatened in the same way. (SLD)

Human Factors Effecting Forensic Decision Making: Workplace Stress and Well-being.

PubMed

Jeanguenat, Amy M; Dror, Itiel E

2018-01-01

Over the past decade, there has been a growing openness about the importance of human factors in forensic work. However, most of it focused on cognitive bias, and neglected issues of workplace wellness and stress. Forensic scientists work in a dynamic environment that includes common workplace pressures such as workload volume, tight deadlines, lack of advancement, number of working hours, low salary, technology distractions, and fluctuating priorities. However, in addition, forensic scientists also encounter a number of industry-specific pressures, such as technique criticism, repeated exposure to crime scenes or horrific case details, access to funding, working in an adversarial legal system, and zero tolerance for "errors". Thus, stress is an important human factor to mitigate for overall error management, productivity and decision quality (not to mention the well-being of the examiners themselves). Techniques such as mindfulness can become powerful tools to enhance work and decision quality. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

"New turns from old STaRs": enhancing the capabilities of forensic short tandem repeat analysis.

PubMed

Phillips, Christopher; Gelabert-Besada, Miguel; Fernandez-Formoso, Luis; García-Magariños, Manuel; Santos, Carla; Fondevila, Manuel; Ballard, David; Syndercombe Court, Denise; Carracedo, Angel; Lareu, Maria Victoria

2014-11-01

The field of research and development of forensic STR genotyping remains active, innovative, and focused on continuous improvements. A series of recent developments including the introduction of a sixth dye have brought expanded STR multiplex sizes while maintaining sensitivity to typical forensic DNA. New supplementary kits complimenting the core STRs have also helped improve analysis of challenging identification cases such as distant pairwise relationships in deficient pedigrees. This article gives an overview of several recent key developments in forensic STR analysis: availability of expanded core STR kits and supplementary STRs, short-amplicon mini-STRs offering practical options for highly degraded DNA, Y-STR enhancements made from the identification of rapidly mutating loci, and enhanced analysis of genetic ancestry by analyzing 32-STR profiles with a Bayesian forensic classifier originally developed for SNP population data. As well as providing scope for genotyping larger numbers of STRs optimized for forensic applications, the launch of compact next-generation sequencing systems provides considerable potential for genotyping the sizeable proportion of nucleotide variation existing in forensic STRs, which currently escapes detection with CE. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Forensic DNA methylation profiling from minimal traces: How low can we go?

PubMed

Naue, Jana; Hoefsloot, Huub C J; Kloosterman, Ate D; Verschure, Pernette J

2018-03-01

Analysis of human DNA methylation (DNAm) can provide additional investigative leads in crime cases, e.g. the type of tissue or body fluid, the chronological age of an individual, and differentiation between identical twins. In contrast to the genetic profile, the DNAm level is not the same in every cell. At the single cell level, DNAm represents a binary event at a defined CpG site (methylated versus non-methylated). The DNAm level from a DNA extract however represents the average level of methylation of the CpG of interest of all molecules in the forensic sample. The variance of DNAm levels between replicates is often attributed to technological issues, i.e. degradation of DNA due to bisulfite treatment, preferential amplification of DNA, and amplification failure. On the other hand, we show that stochastic variations can lead to gross fluctuation in the analysis of methylation levels in samples with low DNA levels. This stochasticity in DNAm results is relevant since low DNA amounts (1pg - 1ng) is rather the norm than the exception when analyzing forensic DNA samples. This study describes a conceptual analysis of DNAm profiling and its dependence on the amount of input DNA. We took a close look at the variation of DNAm analysis due to DNA input and its consequences for different DNAm-based forensic applications. As can be expected, the 95%-confidence interval of measured DNAm becomes narrower with increasing amounts of DNA. We compared this aspect for two different DNAm-based forensic applications: body fluid identification and chronological age determination. Our study shows that DNA amount should be well considered when using DNAm for forensic applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Causality Nexus Between the Tako-tsubo Syndrome and an Assault: A Forensic Case Report.

PubMed

Zribi, Malek; Manoubi, Syrine Azza; Karray, Narjes; Charfeddine, Salma; Benamar, Wiem; Hammami, Zouhir; Kammoun, Samir; Maatoug, Samir

2018-05-04

"Tako-tsubo" cardiomyopathy, also known as "broken heart syndrome," is one of the rarest types of stress-induced cardiomyopathy. It frequently mimics acute coronary syndrome, characterized by transient left ventricular dysfunction, electrocardiographic changes, and release of myocardial enzymes. After treatment, the patients are cured in most cases without sequelae. Tako-tsubo syndrome is rarely considered as a reason for consultation in the forensic department.Herein, we report a case of a 68-year-old woman who was assaulted by her police officer neighbor. The latter punched her in the arms and kneed her in the gut without causing any intrathoracic or abdominal injury. The victim was urgently hospitalized in the cardiology department for chest pain and dyspnea accompanied by ST-segment elevation and high troponin level.Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy diagnosis was based on clinical findings, echocardiography, coronary angiography, and magnetic resonance imaging findings. A forensic medicine consult was initially solicited for the drafting of an initial medical certificate and for evaluating the total transitory disability rate. A second consultation was then sought to evaluate the permanent partial disability.We report this work to discuss the conduct of the forensic pathologist and to prove the causality relationship between the assault and the physical injuries.

Missing persons-missing data: the need to collect antemortem dental records of missing persons.

PubMed

Blau, Soren; Hill, Anthony; Briggs, Christopher A; Cordner, Stephen M

2006-03-01

The subject of missing persons is of great concern to the community with numerous associated emotional, financial, and health costs. This paper examines the forensic medical issues raised by the delayed identification of individuals classified as "missing" and highlights the importance of including dental data in the investigation of missing persons. Focusing on Australia, the current approaches employed in missing persons investigations are outlined. Of particular significance is the fact that each of the eight Australian states and territories has its own Missing Persons Unit that operates within distinct state and territory legislation. Consequently, there is a lack of uniformity within Australia about the legal and procedural framework within which investigations of missing persons are conducted, and the interaction of that framework with coronial law procedures. One of the main investigative problems in missing persons investigations is the lack of forensic medical, particularly, odontological input. Forensic odontology has been employed in numerous cases in Australia where identity is unknown or uncertain because of remains being skeletonized, incinerated, or partly burnt. The routine employment of the forensic odontologist to assist in missing person inquiries, has however, been ignored. The failure to routinely employ forensic odontology in missing persons inquiries has resulted in numerous delays in identification. Three Australian cases are presented where the investigation of individuals whose identity was uncertain or unknown was prolonged due to the failure to utilize the appropriate (and available) dental resources. In light of the outcomes of these cases, we suggest that a national missing persons dental records database be established for future missing persons investigations. Such a database could be easily managed between a coronial system and a forensic medical institute. In Australia, a national missing persons dental records database could be incorporated into the National Coroners Information System (NCIS) managed, on behalf of Australia's Coroners, by the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine. The existence of the NCIS would ensure operational collaboration in the implementation of the system and cost savings to Australian policing agencies involved in missing person inquiries. The implementation of such a database would facilitate timely and efficient reconciliation of clinical and postmortem dental records and have subsequent social and financial benefits.

[The pedophilic criminal].

PubMed

Heim, M; Morgner, J

1985-02-01

After a review of the literature dealing with pedophilia, the results of an analysis of 100 forensic psychiatric reports dealing with pedophile criminals are described. They show that, except for a few homosexual pedophiles, pedophilia is a pseudoperversion originating from different developmental conditions and, in individual cases, verifiable personality traits. The authors discuss problems involved in the forensic-psychiatric assessment of these delinquents. Attention is drawn to the necessity of purposeful, coordinated further education in this respect to enable the existing considerable discrepancies between forensic-psychiatric evaluation of these and other sexual deviants to be overcome.

Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy: A Retrospective Autopsy Study of 112 Epileptic Patients.

PubMed

Esen Melez, İpek; Arslan, Murat Nihat; Melez, Deniz Oğuzhan; Şanli, Ahmet Necati; Koç, Sermet

2017-09-01

Sudden unexpected deaths comprise the most important and worthy investigation case profiles in both neurology and forensic medicine. Epilepsy, which is one of the neuropathological causes of sudden unexpected deaths, is an important disorder having mysterious aspects. The aim of this study is to make common the points of view between neurology and forensic medicine experts and to discuss the features of the findings together with the related clinical hypotheses, leading to the differential diagnosis of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) by presenting autopsy findings and available medical data of patients who had a prior diagnosis of epilepsy. In Istanbul, the cases of 20334 autopsied patients who were referred to The Ministry of Justice Council of Forensic Medicine between 2007 and 2011 were identified from the complete forensic autopsy data of the city and were retrospectively reviewed. Patients who had a prior diagnosis of epilepsy were included. Both descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed through the parameters of demographical data, physical properties, incident features, macroscopic-microscopic autopsy findings, and cause of death initially for all cases and then separately for SUDEP cases. Among the 20334 patients, 112 were determined to have a prior diagnosis of epilepsy. A possible macroscopic and/or microscopic epileptic focus was present in 23 (20.5%) of these 112 cases. The cause of death was determined to be SUDEP in 40 (35.7%) cases, while it could not be determined in 28 (25%) cases. Among patients whose death cause was considered as SUDEP, the male-to-female ratio was 1.1:1, while the mean age was 31.5±13.9 years in males and 29.6±12.9 years in females. The presence of hypertrophy and myocardial scar tissue findings in the microscopic examination were significantly more frequent among patients determined to have died from cardiovascular diseases compared to patients in the SUDEP group (p=0.001 for each finding). Besides, in 40 SUDEP cases, 38 (95%) patients underwent toxicological analysis and no antiepileptic agent was detected in 21 (55.3%) of these. It can be concluded that there is equality in gender distribution among SUDEP patients, that the young adult population has a slightly increased risk for SUDEP, and that the inconsistent use of antiepileptic medicines is a greater risk factor for SUDEP than polytherapy. Besides, it is important to emphasize that all clinical and postmortem parameters together should be considered for the differential diagnosis of SUDEP, particularly with cardiovascular diseases.

The end of the (forensic science) world as we know it? The example of trace evidence

PubMed Central

Roux, Claude; Talbot-Wright, Benjamin; Robertson, James; Crispino, Frank; Ribaux, Olivier

2015-01-01

The dominant conception of forensic science as a patchwork of disciplines primarily assisting the criminal justice system (i.e. forensics) is in crisis or at least shows a series of anomalies and serious limitations. In recent years, symptoms of the crisis have been discussed in a number of reports by various commentators, without a doubt epitomized by the 2009 report by the US National Academies of Sciences (NAS 2009 Strengthening forensic science in the United States: a path forward). Although needed, but viewed as the solution to these drawbacks, the almost generalized adoption of stricter business models in forensic science casework compounded with ever-increasing normative and compliance processes not only place additional pressures on a discipline that already appears in difficulty, but also induce more fragmentation of the different forensic science tasks, a tenet many times denounced by the same NAS report and other similar reviews. One may ask whether these issues are not simply the result of an unfit paradigm. If this is the case, the current problems faced by forensic science may indicate future significant changes for the discipline. To facilitate broader discussion this presentation focuses on trace evidence, an area that is seminal to forensic science both for epistemological and historical reasons. There is, however, little doubt that this area is currently under siege worldwide. Current and future challenges faced by trace evidence are discussed along with some possible answers. The current situation ultimately presents some significant opportunities to re-invent not only trace evidence but also forensic science. Ultimately, a distinctive, more robust and more reliable science may emerge through rethinking the forensics paradigm built on specialisms, revisiting fundamental forensic science principles and adapting them to the twenty-first century. PMID:26101285

Identification and persistence of Pinus pollen DNA on cotton fabrics: A forensic application.

PubMed

Schield, Cassandra; Campelli, Cassandra; Sycalik, Jennifer; Randle, Christopher; Hughes-Stamm, Sheree; Gangitano, David

2016-01-01

Advances in plant genomics have had an impact on the field of forensic botany. However, the use of pollen DNA profiling in forensic investigations has yet to be applied. Five volunteers wore a jacket with Pinus echinata pollen-containing cotton swatches for a 14-day period. Pollen decay was evaluated at days 0, 3, 6, 9 and 14 by microscopy. Pollen grains were then transferred to slides using a portable forensic vacuum handle. Ten single grains per swatch were isolated for DNA analysis. DNA was extracted using a high throughput extraction method. A nine-locus short tandem repeat (STR) multiplex system, including previously published primers from Pinus taeda, was developed. DNA was amplified by PCR using fluorescent dyes and analyzed by capillary electrophoresis. Pollen counts from cotton swatches in a 14-day period exhibited an exponential decay from 100% to 17%. The success rate of PCR amplification was 81.2%. Complete and partial STR profiles were generated from 250 pollen grains analyzed (44% and 37%, respectively). Due to the limited amount of DNA, drop-in events were observed (1.87%). However, the rate of contamination with pollen from other pine individuals originating from environmental sources was 4.4%. In conclusion, this study has shown that pollen can be a stable source of forensic DNA evidence, as a proof-of-principle, and that may persist on cotton clothing for at least 14 days of wear. This method can be applied in forensic cases where pollen grains larger than 10 μm (e.g., from herbs or trees) may be transferred to clothing (worn by suspect or victim) by primary contact. Copyright © 2015 The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Probabilistic expert systems for forensic inference from DNA markers in horses: applications to confirm genealogies with lack of genetic data.

PubMed

Dobosz, Marina; Bocci, Chiara; Bonuglia, Margherita; Grasso, Cinzia; Merigioli, Sara; Russo, Alessandra; De Iuliis, Paolo

2010-01-01

Microsatellites have been used for parentage testing and individual identification in forensic science because they are highly polymorphic and show abundant sequences dispersed throughout most eukaryotic nuclear genomes. At present, genetic testing based on DNA technology is used for most domesticated animals, including horses, to confirm identity, to determine parentage, and to validate registration certificates. But if genetic data of one of the putative parents are missing, verifying a genealogy could be questionable. The aim of this paper is to illustrate a new approach to analyze complex cases of disputed relationship with microsatellites markers. These cases were solved by analyzing the genotypes of the offspring and other horses' genotypes in the pedigrees of the putative dam/sire with probabilistic expert systems (PESs). PES was especially efficient in supplying reliable, error-free Bayesian probabilities in complex cases with missing pedigree data. One of these systems was developed for forensic purposes (FINEX program) and is particularly valuable in human analyses. We applied this program to parentage analysis in horses, and we will illustrate how different cases have been successfully worked out.

Death by starvation. Seeking a forensic psychiatric understanding of a case of fatal child maltreatment by the parent.

PubMed

Catanesi, Roberto; Rocca, Gabriele; Candelli, Chiara; Solarino, Biagio; Carabellese, Felice

2012-11-30

In the Western world, cases of fatal child neglect due to starvation are extremely rare. When they do occur, particularly at the hands of a parent, such crimes are considered to be caused by mental disorders or personality disorders with severe affective impairment. The present report describes the peculiar case of a couple with a total of four children to care for, who starved a 16-month-old female to death, while all the other children were found to be healthy. After a forensic psychiatric assessment of their criminal responsibility, the couples were both judged guilty and sentenced to 30 years in prison. After a brief overview of the scientific knowledge about filicide, the authors propose a framework that may help to understand and explain the motivations underlying this dreadful crime that shocked the nation, and emphasize the role of the forensic psychiatric investigation into cases of filicide, which may contribute to gain a greater insight into the different motivational factors underlying this phenomenon. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Role of Interface Shape on the Impact Characteristics and Cranial Fracture Patterns Using the Immature Porcine Head Model,.

PubMed

Vaughan, Patrick E; Vogelsberg, Caitlin C M; Vollner, Jennifer M; Fenton, Todd W; Haut, Roger C

2016-09-01

The forensic literature suggests that when adolescents fall onto edged and pointed surfaces, depressed fractures can occur at low energy levels. This study documents impact biomechanics and fracture characteristics of infant porcine skulls dropped onto flat, curved, edged, and focal surfaces. Results showed that the energy needed for fracture initiation was nearly four times higher against a flat surface than against the other surfaces. While characteristic measures of fracture such as number and length of fractures did not vary with impact surface shape, the fracture patterns did depend on impact surface shape. While experimental impacts against the flat surface produced linear fractures initiating at sutural boundaries peripheral to the point of impact (POI), more focal impacts produced depressed fractures initiating at the POI. The study supported case-based forensic literature suggesting cranial fracture patterns depend on impact surface shape and that fracture initiation energy is lower for more focal impacts. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Exploring State-of-the-Art Software for Forensic Authorship Identification

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guillén-Nieto, Victoria; Vargas-Sierra, Chelo; Pardiño-Juan, Maria; Martinez-Barco, Patricio; Suárez-Cueto, Armando

2008-01-01

Back in the 1990s Malcolm Coulthard announced the beginnings of an emerging discipline, "forensic linguistics", resulting from the interface of language, crime and the law. Today the courts are more than ever calling on language experts to help in certain types of cases, such as authorship identification, plagiarism, legal interpreting…

Sex and race determination of crania by calipers and computer : a test of the Giles and Elliot discriminant functions in 52 forensic cases.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1979-01-01

The Giles and Elliot discriminant functions diagnosing sex and race from cranial measurements were tested on a series of forensically examined crania of known sex and race. Of 52 crania of known sex, 46 (88%) were correctly diagnosed. Racial diagnose...

News Information in Forensics: A Case for a More Intelligent Use of Sources.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Theobald, John M.

In many college and high school forensics tournaments, the topic agenda is derived from "Newsweek,""Time," and "U.S. News and World Report." This use of three profit-oriented, widely circulated magazines as the agenda setting basis of extemporaneous speaking competition is philosophically and substantively damaging.…

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Techniques for Person Characterization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herrero, Salvador; Ivorra, Jose Luis; Garcia-Sogo, Magdalena; Martinez-Cortina, Carmen

2008-01-01

Using the traditional serological tests and the most novel techniques for DNA fingerprinting, forensic scientists scan different traits that vary from person to person and use the data to include or exclude suspects based on matching with the evidence obtained in a criminal case. Although the forensic application of these methods is well known,…

Photographic documentation, a practical guide for non professional forensic photography.

PubMed

Ozkalipci, Onder; Volpellier, Muriel

2010-01-01

Forensic photography is essential for documentation of evidence of torture. Consent of the alleged victim should be sought in all cases. The article gives information about when and how to take pictures of what as well as image authentication, audit trail, storage, faulty pictures and the kind of camera to use.

Cost-effective forensic image enhancement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dalrymple, Brian E.

1998-12-01

In 1977, a paper was presented at the SPIE conference in Reston, Virginia, detailing the computer enhancement of the Zapruder film. The forensic value of this examination in a major homicide investigation was apparent to the viewer. Equally clear was the potential for extracting evidence which is beyond the reach of conventional detection techniques. The cost of this technology in 1976, however, was prohibitive, and well beyond the means of most police agencies. Twenty-two years later, a highly efficient means of image enhancement is easily within the grasp of most police agencies, not only for homicides but for any case application. A PC workstation combined with an enhancement software package allows a forensic investigator to fully exploit digital technology. The goal of this approach is the optimization of the signal to noise ratio in images. Obstructive backgrounds may be diminished or eliminated while weak signals are optimized by the use of algorithms including Fast Fourier Transform, Histogram Equalization and Image Subtraction. An added benefit is the speed with which these processes are completed and the results known. The efficacy of forensic image enhancement is illustrated through case applications.

Genetic structure and forensic parameters of 38 Indels for human identification purposes in eight Mexican populations.

PubMed

Martínez-Cortés, G; Gusmão, L; Pereira, R; Salcido, V H; Favela-Mendoza, A F; Muñoz-Valle, J F; Inclán-Sánchez, A; López-Hernández, L B; Rangel-Villalobos, H

2015-07-01

Insertion-deletions for human identification purposes (HID-Indels) offer advantages to solve particular forensic situations and complex paternity cases. In Mexico, admixed population known as Mestizos is the largest (∼90%), plus a number of Amerindian groups (∼10%), which have not been studied with HID-Indels. For this reason, allele frequencies and forensic parameters for 38 HID-Indels were estimated in 531 unrelated individuals from one Amerindian (Purépecha) and seven Mestizo populations from different regions of the country. Genotype distribution was in agreement with Hardy-Weinberg expectations in almost all loci/populations. The linkage disequilibrium (LD) test did not reveal possible associations between loci pairs in all eight Mexican populations. The combined power of discrimination was high in all populations (PD >99.99999999998%). However, the power of exclusion of the 38 HID-Indel system (PE >99.6863%) was reduced regarding most of autosomal STR kits. The assessment of genetic structure (AMOVA) and relationships between populations (FST) demonstrated significant differences among Mexican populations, mainly of the Purépecha Amerindian group. Among Mexican-Mestizos, three population clusters consistent with geography were defined: (i) North-West region: Chihuahua, Sinaloa, and Jalisco; (ii) Central-Southern region: Mexico City, Veracruz and Yucatan; (iii) South region: Chiapas. In brief, this report validates the inclusion of the 38 HID-Indel system in forensic casework and paternity cases in seven Mexican-Mestizo populations from different regions, and in one Mexican Amerindian group. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Forensic use of the Greulich and Pyle atlas: prediction intervals and relevance.

PubMed

Chaumoitre, K; Saliba-Serre, B; Adalian, P; Signoli, M; Leonetti, G; Panuel, M

2017-03-01

The Greulich and Pyle (GP) atlas is one of the most frequently used methods of bone age (BA) estimation. Our aim is to assess its accuracy and to calculate the prediction intervals at 95% for forensic use. The study was conducted on a multi-ethnic sample of 2614 individuals (1423 boys and 1191 girls) referred to the university hospital of Marseille (France) for simple injuries. Hand radiographs were analysed using the GP atlas. Reliability of GP atlas and agreement between BA and chronological age (CA) were assessed and prediction intervals at 95% were calculated. The repeatability was excellent and the reproducibility was good. Pearson's linear correlation coefficient between CA and BA was 0.983. The mean difference between BA and CA was -0.18 years (boys) and 0.06 years (girls). The prediction interval at 95% for CA was given for each GP category and ranged between 1.2 and more than 4.5 years. The GP atlas is a reproducible and repeatable method that is still accurate for the present population, with a high correlation between BA and CA. The prediction intervals at 95% are wide, reflecting individual variability, and should be known when the method is used in forensic cases. • The GP atlas is still accurate at the present time. • There is a high correlation between bone age and chronological age. • Individual variability must be known when GP is used in forensic cases. • Prediction intervals (95%) are large; around 4 years after 10 year olds.

Features of the traffic accidents happened in the province of Aydın between 2005 and 2011.

PubMed

Dirlik, Musa; Bostancıoğlu, Başak Çakır; Elbek, Tülay; Korkmaz, Bedir; Çallak Kallem, Füsun; Gün, Berk

2014-09-01

In this study, it was aimed to analyze the traffic accidents with postmortem examinations and autopsies. From the one thousand eight hundred and fifteen forensic autopsies, reports of 334 traffic accidents were searched. Features such as the scene of the accident, type of the accident, type of the vehicles involved in the accident, the year, season, day and hour of the accident, the positions of the victims in the traffic, concomitant orthopedic injuries, whether autopsy was performed, and cause of death were investigated. Among the one thousand eight hundred and fifteen forensic death cases, observed cause of death was determined to be traffic accidents in 334 (18.4%) cases. Male cases accounted 84.1%, and male to female ratio was 5.3 to 1. From the reports, 32.6% of the accidents happened in summer and most commonly during holidays (33%). The rate of the accidents happened in the city center was 35.3% and 32.9% of these cases died due to pedestrian collision. Moreover, it was determined that the most injured person was the driver. Automobiles took the lead in the causes of the traffic accidents. It is realized that traffic accident-related deaths have a substantial place among forensic deaths and continue to be an important public health problem. It is conspicuous that improving public education on traffic safety, increasing traffic management and control measures are of great significance.

A series of civilian fatalities during the war in Syria.

PubMed

Çelikel, Adnan; Karaarslan, Bekir; Demirkıran, Dua Sümeyra; Zeren, Cem; Arslan, Muhammet Mustafa

2014-09-01

A considerable number of deaths due to firearm injuries have occurred during wars all over the world. In this study, it is aimed to evaluate demographic characteristics and injury properties of cases died during civil war in Syria. The postmortem examination and autopsy reports of 321 forensic deaths occurred between January and December 2012 were analyzed, retrospectively. Of the 321 forensic deaths,186 cases were injured and died in the civil war in Syria and, therefore, included in the scope of the study. Four cases died by natural causes or traffic accidents were excluded. Cases were most commonly (n=73, 39.2%) aged between 21 and 30 years, and 21.5% (n=40) of cases aged under 20 years. Of females, 68.8% (n=11) were children and young adults under 20 years of age. An overwhelming majority of deaths (n=125, 67.2%) were caused by explosive and shrapnel injuries, followed by (n=49, 26.3%) gunshot injuries related deaths. This study indicated that a significant proportion of those who died after being injured in the Syrian war were children, women and elderly people. The nature and localization of the observed injuries indicated open attacks by military forces regardless of targets being civilians and human rights violations.

Re-establishment of rigor mortis: evidence for a considerably longer post-mortem time span.

PubMed

Crostack, Chiara; Sehner, Susanne; Raupach, Tobias; Anders, Sven

2017-07-01

Re-establishment of rigor mortis following mechanical loosening is used as part of the complex method for the forensic estimation of the time since death in human bodies and has formerly been reported to occur up to 8-12 h post-mortem (hpm). We recently described our observation of the phenomenon in up to 19 hpm in cases with in-hospital death. Due to the case selection (preceding illness, immobilisation), transfer of these results to forensic cases might be limited. We therefore examined 67 out-of-hospital cases of sudden death with known time points of death. Re-establishment of rigor mortis was positive in 52.2% of cases and was observed up to 20 hpm. In contrast to the current doctrine that a recurrence of rigor mortis is always of a lesser degree than its first manifestation in a given patient, muscular rigidity at re-establishment equalled or even exceeded the degree observed before dissolving in 21 joints. Furthermore, this is the first study to describe that the phenomenon appears to be independent of body or ambient temperature.

Molecular pathology of cerebral TNF-α, IL-1β, iNOS and Nrf2 in forensic autopsy cases with special regard to deaths due to environmental hazards and intoxication.

PubMed

Du, Si-Hao; Tan, Xiao-Hui; Zhao, Rui; Zhao, Dong; Xue, Ye; Wang, Hui-Jun; Xie, Xiao-Li; Wang, Qi

2017-12-01

Deaths involved with environmental hazards and intoxication might present with minimal or nonspecific morphological features, which are insufficient to establish a diagnosis. The present study investigated the postmortem brain mRNA and immunohistochemical expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) in forensic cases. Relative mRNA quantification using Taqman real-time PCR assay demonstrated higher expression of IL-1β, TNF-α and iNOS, and lower expression of Nrf2 in methamphetamine intoxication and hyperthermia cases, higher expression of iNOS in phenobarbital intoxication cases, and higher expression of Nrf2 in phenobarbital intoxication and hypothermia cases. Immunostaining results showed substantial inter-individual variations in each group, showing no evident differences in distribution or intensity. These findings suggest that different inflammatory and antioxidant responses were involved in deaths from different etiologies, and these markers may be useful for evaluating brain damage and responses.

A Comparative Taphonomic Analysis of 24 Trophy Skulls from Modern Forensic Cases.

PubMed

Yucha, Josephine M; Pokines, James T; Bartelink, Eric J

2017-09-01

Cranial remains retained from fallen enemies are commonly referred to as "trophy skulls," and many such crania were acquired as souvenirs by U.S. servicemembers during WWII and the Vietnam conflict. These remains increasingly have become the subject of forensic anthropological analysis as their possessors, typically veterans or their relatives, try to discard or repatriate them. The present research uses a qualitative analytical approach to review 24 cases of reported trophy skulls (14 previously unpublished cases and 10 from the literature) to determine which perimortem and postmortem characteristics are most useful for generating a taphonomic profile. Overall, the taphonomic signature of trophy remains includes traits relating to acquisition and preparation, ornamental display, and subsequent curation. Contextual evidence and the biological profile also are considered when determining the possible origin of human cranial remains as a trophy skull. Thorough taphonomic analysis will aid in identifying these types of remains as trophy skulls. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Cyber Forensics Ontology for Cyber Criminal Investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Heum; Cho, Sunho; Kwon, Hyuk-Chul

We developed Cyber Forensics Ontology for the criminal investigation in cyber space. Cyber crime is classified into cyber terror and general cyber crime, and those two classes are connected with each other. The investigation of cyber terror requires high technology, system environment and experts, and general cyber crime is connected with general crime by evidence from digital data and cyber space. Accordingly, it is difficult to determine relational crime types and collect evidence. Therefore, we considered the classifications of cyber crime, the collection of evidence in cyber space and the application of laws to cyber crime. In order to efficiently investigate cyber crime, it is necessary to integrate those concepts for each cyber crime-case. Thus, we constructed a cyber forensics domain ontology for criminal investigation in cyber space, according to the categories of cyber crime, laws, evidence and information of criminals. This ontology can be used in the process of investigating of cyber crime-cases, and for data mining of cyber crime; classification, clustering, association and detection of crime types, crime cases, evidences and criminals.

A case of accidental fatal aluminum phosphide poisoning involving humans and dogs.

PubMed

Behera, Chittaranjan; Krishna, Karthik; Bhardwaj, Daya Nand; Rautji, Ravi; Kumar, Arvind

2015-05-01

Aluminum phosphide is one of the commonest poisons encountered in agricultural areas, and manner of death in the victims is often suicidal and rarely homicidal or accidental. This paper presents an unusual case, where two humans (owner and housemaid) and eight dogs were found dead in the morning hours inside a room of a house, used as shelter for stray dogs. There was allegation by the son of the owner that his father had been killed. Crime scene visit by forensic pathologists helped to collect vital evidence. Autopsies of both the human victims and the dogs were conducted. Toxicological analysis of viscera, vomitus, leftover food, and chemical container at the crime scene tested positive for aluminum phosphide. The cause of death in both humans and dogs was aluminum phosphide poisoning. Investigation by police and the forensic approach to the case helped in ascertaining the manner of death, which was accidental. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

An Exceptional Case of Acute Respiratory Failure Caused by Intra-Thoracic Gastric Perforation Secondary to Overeating.

PubMed

di Luca, Alessandro; Ricci, Eleonora; Grassi, Vincenzo M; Arena, Vincenzo; Oliva, Antonio

2018-05-24

An 18-year-old female patient arrived at the emergency department complaining of abdominal pain and fullness after a heavy meal. Physical examination revealed she was filthy and cover in feces, and she experienced severe abdominal distension. She died in ED and a diagnostic autopsy examination was requested. At external examination, the pathologist observed a significant dilation of the anal sphincter and suspected sexual assault, thus alerting the Judicial Authority who assigned the case to our department for a forensic autopsy. During the autopsy, we observed anal orifice expansion without signs of violence; food was found in the pleural cavity. The stomach was hyper-distended and perforated at three different points as well as the diaphragm. The patient was suffering from anorexia nervosa with episodes of overeating followed by manual voiding of her feces from the anal cavity (thus explaining the anal dilatation). The forensic pathologists closed the case as an accidental death. © 2018 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Non-fatal strangulation in sexual assault: A study of clinical and assault characteristics highlighting the role of intimate partner violence.

PubMed

Zilkens, Renate R; Phillips, Maureen A; Kelly, Maire C; Mukhtar, S Aqif; Semmens, James B; Smith, Debbie A

2016-10-01

To describe the prevalence, risk factors, signs and symptoms of non-fatal strangulation (NFS) in women referred to a Sexual Assault Resource Centre (SARC) following recent sexual assault. A cross-sectional study using data routinely collected at time of forensic examination of women (age ≥ 13 years) referred to the Western Australian SARC between Jan-2009 and Mar-2015 alleging a recent sexual assault. Data on demographics, assault characteristics and forensic findings were available. A total of 1064 women were included in the study; 79 (7.4%) alleged NFS during the sexual assault. The prevalence of NFS varied significantly by age-group and assailant type. Of women aged 30-39 years 15.1% gave a history of NFS compared to less than 8.2% in all other age groups. Of women assaulted by an intimate partner, 22.5% gave a history of NFS compared to less than 6% of women assaulted by other assailant types. Of all sexual assaults with NFS, intimate partners were the assailant in 58.2% of cases, whereas in sexual assault cases without NFS, intimate partners were the assailant in 15.9% of cases. Odds of NFS were 8.4 times higher in women sexually assaulted by an intimate partner compared to women assaulted by an acquaintance/friend and 4.9 times higher compared to women assaulted by a stranger. When considering both age and assailant type the highest proportion of NFS (33.9%) was in women aged 30-39 years sexually assaulted by an intimate partner. Other factors associated with NFS during sexual assault included deprivation of liberty, verbal threats, being assaulted in the woman's home and use of additional blunt force. External physical signs of NFS were absent in 49.4% of all NFS sexual assault cases. This study identifies and quantifies NFS risk factors in female sexual assault and highlights the strong association with intimate partner sexual assault. Greater awareness of NFS in sexual assault should lead to improvement in medical screening, forensic management and safety risk assessment by sexual assault and domestic violence services, emergency departments and police. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

[Cooperation between emergency and forensic medicine - retrospective evaluation of pre-hospital emergency measures].

PubMed

Buschmann, Claas T; Kleber, Christian; Tsokos, Michael; Püschel, Klaus; Hess, Thorsten; Kerner, Thoralf; Stuhr, Markus

2015-06-01

Emergency medical research is subject to special conditions. Emergency patients e.g. are generally considered to be non-capable of giving consent. This results in sparse emergency medical data when compared to clinical observation studies under controlled conditions. After emergency medical treatment, deceased patients are not rarely subject to forensic investigation. The cooperation between emergency and forensic medicine has not only emergency medical training potential in individual cases, but also scientific innovation potential especially with respect to the retrospective evaluation of pre-hospital emergency measures. Such partnerships (like in Berlin at the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin between the Institute of Legal Medicine and the Center for Musculoskeletal Surgery or in Hamburg between the Institute for Legal Medicine at the University Hospital and the Municipal Fire Brigade with the Emergency Medical Service) are yet exceptional in Germany. © Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York.

DEFINING PATTERNS OF GENITAL INJURY FROM SEXUAL ASSAULT

PubMed Central

SOMMERS, MARILYN SAWYER

2011-01-01

The forensic examination following rape has two primary purposes: to provide health care and to collect evidence. Physical injuries need treatment so that they heal without adverse consequences. The pattern of injuries also has a forensic significance in that injuries are linked to the outcome of legal proceedings. This literature review investigates the variables related to genital injury prevalence and location that are reported in a series of retrospective reviews of medical records. The author builds the case that the prevalence and location of genital injury provide only a partial description of the nature of genital trauma associated with sexual assault and suggests a multidimensional definition of genital injury pattern. Several of the cited studies indicate that new avenues of investigation, such as refined measurement strategies for injury severity and skin color, may lead to advancements in health care, forensic, and criminal justice science. PMID:17596344

Indoors forensic entomology: colonization of human remains in closed environments by specific species of sarcosaprophagous flies.

PubMed

Pohjoismäki, Jaakko L O; Karhunen, Pekka J; Goebeler, Sirkka; Saukko, Pekka; Sääksjärvi, Ilari E

2010-06-15

Fly species that are commonly recovered on human corpses concealed in houses or other dwellings are often dependent on human created environments and might have special features in their biology that allow them to colonize indoor cadavers. In this study we describe nine typical cases involving forensically relevant flies on human remains found indoors in southern Finland. Eggs, larvae and puparia were reared to adult stage and determined to species. Of the five species found the most common were Lucilia sericata Meigen, Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy and Protophormia terraenovae Robineau-Desvoidy. The flesh fly Sarcophaga caerulescens Zetterstedt is reported for the first time to colonize human cadavers inside houses and a COI gene sequence based DNA barcode is provided for it to help facilitate identification in the future. Fly biology, colonization speed and the significance of indoors forensic entomological evidence are discussed. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Shells and Bones: A Forensic Medicine Study of the Association of Terrestrial Snail Allopeas micra with Buried Human Remains in Brazil.

PubMed

Galvão, Malthus Fonseca; Pujol-Luz, José Roberto; de Assis Pujol-Luz, Cristiane Vieira; de Rosa, Cássio Thyone Almeida; Simone, Luiz Ricardo L; Báo, Sônia Nair; Barros-Cordeiro, Karine Brenda; Pessoa, Larissa; Bissacot, Giovanna

2015-09-01

Little is known regarding the scavenger fauna associated with buried human corpses, particularly in clandestine burials. We report the presence of 20 shells of the terrestrial snail Allopeas micra, within hollow bones of human remains buried for 5 years, during the process of collecting DNA material. The fact that a large number of shells of A. micra had been found in the corpse and in the crime scene supports the assumption that there was no attempt to remove the corpse from the area where the crime occurred. Despite this, our observations cannot be used to estimate the postmortem interval because there is no precise knowledge about the development of this species. This is the first record of a terrestrial snail associated with a human corpse and its role in this forensic medicine case. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

The CHESS method of forensic opinion formulation: striving to checkmate bias.

PubMed

Wills, Cheryl D

2008-01-01

Expert witnesses use various methods to render dispassionate opinions. Some forensic psychiatrists acknowledge bias up front; other experts use principles endorsed by the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law or other professional organizations. This article introduces CHESS, a systematic method for reducing bias in expert opinions. The CHESS method involves identifying a Claim or preliminary opinion; developing a Hierarchy of supporting evidence; examining the evidence for weaknesses or areas of Exposure; Studying and revising the claim and supporting evidence; and Synthesizing a revised opinion. Case examples illustrate how the CHESS method may help experts reduce bias while strengthening opinions. The method also helps experts prepare for court by reminding them to anticipate questions that may be asked during cross-examination. The CHESS method provides a framework for formulating, revising, and identifying limitations of opinions, which allows experts to incorporate neutrality into forensic opinions.