Following are articles published by the National Institute of Justice
Child Trauma: Determining Accidental Injury From Intentional Abuse
NIJ has funded academic institutions and medical examiners’ offices to research the determination of intentional versus accidental trauma in infants and children.
Determining the Age-At-Death of Infants, Children, and Teens
Researchers have developed a tool that uses dental remains to accurately determine the age-at-death of the young and very young.
Is It an Accident or Abuse? Researchers Develop Predictive Models for Pediatric Head Injuries
NIJ-supported research has enabled biomechanical experts to improve predictive models of head injuries in children, helping physicians and law enforcement to better distinguish between accidental injury and abuse.
Highlighting Significant NIJ Forensic Science Investments: The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Site Visit
The Impact of Drugs on Human Decomposition: What Insect, Scavenger, and Microbial Evidence Tells Us
OsteoID: A New Forensic Tool to Help Identify the Species of Skeletal Remains
NIJ-supported researchers developed a free web tool to help forensic investigators and others interested in bone identification.
Supporting Law Enforcement and Prosecution of Opioid-Related Overdose Deaths
An Examination of Cuyahoga County’s Heroin Involved Death Investigation (HIDI) Protocol
Postmortem CT Scans: Can They Effectively Replace Full Autopsies?
Study examines the impact of CT scans on workflow and tallies the cost savings of postmortem CT in lieu of full autopsy.
Meeting the Forensic Challenges of Subadult Skeletons
Determining sex, age, and other forensic information from the skeleton of a young person has stymied investigators for decades.
The Effects of Temperature on Blowfly Colonization of Decomposing Human Bodies
Development of blowflies on a body is a standard forensic measure of time since death, but temperature variations can alter that development and mislead investigators.
Scientists Seek Connection Between Toxin-causing Bacterium and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
Researchers believe a bacterium that causes food poisoning and other diseases may underlie some SIDS cases.
Facilitating Forensic Research in Multiple Fields Using a Unique Computed Tomography Dataset
A new postmortem image database will be a resource for research in forensic anthropology, pathology, and radiology.
Genetic Variants Linked to Sudden Unexplained Deaths
Researchers improve molecular autopsy accuracy by identifying more genetic variants that could lead to sudden unexplained deaths. These genetic clues may better inform criminal investigations and help prevent deaths in surviving family members.
Using Advanced Imaging Technologies to Enhance Autopsy Practices
Making imaging technologies available to forensic pathologists as common practice — although not without challenges — will help improve medicolegal death investigations in the United States.