Medicolegal Death Investigation Overview, Medicolegal Death Investigation in Forensics, Forensic Analysis of Trace Materials for Midterm Exam, Forensic Analysis of Trace Materials and Evidence, Forensic Toxicology: An Overview of Key Concepts, Forens…

Undetermined Manner of Death

A classification for a death when information pointing towards one manner of death classification is no more compelling than one or more other competing manners of death.

Physical Evidence Collected During an Autopsy

Includes victim's clothing, trace evidence, sexual assault evidence collection kit, and body fluids/tissues for toxicology.

Decomposition

Once decomposition has set in - algor mortis, livor mortis, rigor mortis, potassium eye levels, and stomach contents are no longer of any use.

Hardness of tooth enamel

Hardness of tooth enamel and resistance to temperatures as high as 2000 degrees Fahrenheit make teeth ideal in use for body identification in air crashes and fires.

Trace Materials

Mass-produced or natural substances, often in small amounts.

Analytical Evidence

Physical evidence requiring lab-based analysis.

Trace Analyst

Specialist who analyzes trace materials like pollen.

Geographical origin

Location where spores or pollen may originate.

Manufactured fibers

Fibers made from natural or synthetic polymers.

Questioned Samples

Evidence of unknown origin collected from a scene.

Glass Composition

Made from sand and metal oxides, brittle.

Electrocoat Primer

First layer in automotive paint application.

Metabolism

Transformation of substances for elimination from the body.

Distribution

Alcohol spreading throughout the body after absorption.

Health Facilities

Places monitoring drug intake and toxic substance exposure.

Chromatography

Any of several analytical techniques for separating organic or carbon containing mixtures into their components.

Spectrophotometry

An analytical method for identifying a substance by its selective absorption of different wavelengths of light.

Stimulants

A range of drugs that stimulate, or speed up, the central nervous system; a substance taken to increase alertness or activity.

Anabolic steroids

Steroids that promote muscle growth.

Putrefaction

Decomposition by microorganisms like bacteria.

Forensic Anthropology

Application of anthropology to legal processes.

Sex Determination

Identifying sex through skeletal features.

Age Estimation

Estimating age using teeth and bones.

Forensic Nursing

Nursing specialized in medical forensic care.

Medicolegal

Of or relating to both medicine and law.

Medicolegal death investigator

A professional who investigates any death that falls under the jurisdiction of the medical examiner or coroner, including all suspicious, violent, unexplained, and unexpected deaths.

Medical Examiner

A usually appointed public officer whose duties are similar to those of a coroner but who is typically required to have specific medical training and is qualified to conduct medical examinations and autopsies.

Coroner

A usually elected public officer who is typically not required to have specific medical qualifications and whose principal duty is to inquire by an inquest into the cause of any death which there is reason to suppose is not due to natural causes.

Forensic pathologist

Investigative personnel, typically medical examiners or coroners, who investigate the cause, manner, and time of death of a victim in a crime.

Autopsy

An examination of a body after death to determine the cause of death or the character and extent of changes produced by disease.

Clinical/hospital autopsy

An autopsy performed to confirm clinical diagnoses, the presence and extent of disease, any medical conditions that were overlooked, and the appropriateness and outcome of therapy.

Forensic/medicolegal autopsy

An autopsy performed to determine cause and manner of death, often to be used in criminal proceedings.

Cause of death

The injury or disease that led to the chain of events ending in death.

Manner of death

A determination made by a forensic pathologist of the cause of death; the circumstances under which those injuries were sustained.

Homicide

A non-accidental death resulting from grossly negligent, reckless, or intentional actions of another person.

Suicide

Death as a result of an individual taking his or her own life voluntarily and with lethal intention.

Accidental death

Death where there was no intent to cause harm through gross negligence on the part of the perpetrator or the victim.

Natural death

When the body ceases to function of its own accord.

Algor mortis

A process that occurs after death in which the body temperature continually cools until it reaches the ambient room temperature.

Livor mortis

A medical condition that occurs after death and results in the settling of blood in areas of the body closest to the ground.

Rigor mortis

A medical condition that occurs after death and results in the stiffening of muscle mass.

Potassium eye levels

After death, cells within the inner surface of the eyeball release potassium into the ocular fluid, which can be analyzed to approximate time of death.

Stomach contents

The degree of digestion of food in the stomach and its passage into the small intestine can help estimate time of death.

Common Causes of Death

Includes blunt-force injury, sharp-force injury, asphyxia, gunshot wounds, substance abuse, diseases, infections, and cancers.

Autolysis

Breakdown of all or part of a cell or tissue by self-produced enzymes; also called self-digestion.

Putrefaction

Decomposition carried out by microorganisms such as bacteria.

Forensic Entomology

The study of insects and their relation to a criminal investigation, commonly used to estimate the time of death.

Postmortem interval (PMI)

The length of time since a person has died.

Forensic Anthropology

The application of the science of physical or biological anthropology to the legal process.

Sex determination in Forensic Anthropology

The sex of the decedent can be determined by the size and shape of various skeletal features, especially those of the pelvis and skull.

Age estimation in Forensic Anthropology

Age can be estimated but varies depending on victim's growth stage using teeth and skeletal structures.

Ancestry assessment in Forensic Anthropology

The possible ancestry of the decedent can be assessed by the appearance of various cranial features on the skeletal remains.

Height estimation in Forensic Anthropology

Can estimate height of victim based on equations used to calculate height using measurements of the long bones.

Nature of physical injury in Forensic Anthropology

Do the bones have damage that could be used to determine the cause of death?

Forensic Odontology

The study and practice of aspects of dentistry that are relevant to legal problems.

Forensic Odontologists areas of expertise

Body identification, human abuse and neglect, disaster dental identification, bite marks.

Forensic Psychiatry

A medical subspecialty that includes research and clinical practice in the many areas in which psychiatry is applied to legal issues.

Eyewitness memory and testimony

Examines aspects of human behavior directly related to the legal system.

Jury decision making

Examines aspects of human behavior directly related to the legal system.

Competency to stand trial

Determine whether or not a person is competent to stand trial.

Criminal behavior

Examines aspects of human behavior directly related to the legal system.

Forensic Nursing

Registered nurses who have completed specialized education and clinical preparation in the medical forensic care of the patient who has experienced sexual assault or abuse.

Sexual Assault Kit

A package of materials used to collect samples from the victim's or suspect's body by a medical professional.

Contents of a Sexual Assault Kit

Generally include swabs and collection envelopes for biological materials, debris, and underwear.

SANE exam

A comprehensive medical forensic examination composed of medical forensic history, detailed physical and emotional assessment, written/electronic and photographic documentation, collection and management of forensic samples, and providing emotional and social support.

Trace Material Evidence

Examination of small, transferred substances in forensics.

Soil

Disintegrated material on or near the earth's surface.

Natural Soil Components

Includes rocks, minerals, vegetation, and animal matter.

Artificial Soil Components

Includes glass, paint chips, asphalt, and brick fragments.

Comparison in Soil Analysis

Comparing questioned soil to known soil standard.

Identification in Soil Analysis

Instrumental analysis identifies minerals in soil samples.

Minerals

Crystals with unique physical properties for identification.

Class Characteristics

General properties like color and texture in soil.

Individual Characteristics

Unique traits that may indicate a specific location.

Forensic Geologist

Examines soil for unique characteristics and origins.

Forensic Palynology

Study of pollen and spores related to crime scenes.

Pollen Grains

Single-celled male gametophytes of seed-bearing plants.

Spores

Male and female gametophytes of various plant species.

Morphological Characteristics

Unique features of pollen and spores observed microscopically.

Identification in Pollen Analysis

Determining pollen type from residues at crime scenes.

Comparison in Pollen Analysis

Matching questioned pollen to known pollen standards.

Instrumental Analysis of Pollen

Lab tests to analyze unique pollen characteristics.

Pollen Standard

Known pollen sample used for comparison in analysis.

Unique Ornamentation

Distinctive features of pollen and spores for identification.

Geographical Origin

Location where soil or pollen may have originated.

Morphological characteristics

Features observed under Scanning Electron Microscope.

Indistinguishable samples

Samples that cannot be differentiated from each other.

Natural fibers

Fibers derived from animal or plant sources.

Animal fibers

Fibers from animals like sheep and goats.

Plant fibers

Fibers sourced from plants like cotton and hemp.

Analytical evidence

Evidence obtained through lab-based analysis.

Comparison of fibers

Side-by-side analysis of questioned and reference fibers.

Identification of fibers

Instrumental analysis to determine fiber composition.

Class characteristics of fibers

General features like color and morphology.

Individual characteristics of fibers

Unique features allowing for specific source association.

Morphology of hair

Study of hair structure and characteristics.

Hair follicle

Skin cavity from which hair grows.

Keratin

Protein forming the structure of hair.

Melanin

Pigment determining hair color.

Follicular tag

Tissue surrounding hair root, rich in DNA.