Following are articles published by the National Institute of Justice
Postmortem CT Scans Supplement and Replace Full Autopsies
As medical examiner and coroner offices nationwide face a severe shortage of forensic pathologists, New Mexico has pioneered the use of CT scans to reduce autopsy numbers and reduce costs.
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.
The Impact of False or Misleading Forensic Evidence on Wrongful Convictions
Research has found key areas within forensic science that are associated with higher rates of wrongful convictions. Addressing them should strengthen trust in our criminal justice system.
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.
Improving Bruise Detection with Alternate Light
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.
The Value of Nonhuman Animal Models in Forensic Decomposition Research
Scientific inquiry into the process of decomposition has studied a wide range of mammals and developed a fundamental understanding of the stages of decomposition, but forensic scientists should use caution in applying nonhuman data to human bodies.
Quantifying Error Rates for the Measurement of Human Skeletal Remains
In response to the National Academy of Sciences’ call for scientific data to support forensic evidence, researchers revised forensic anthropology procedures to include an “error metric” for the measurement of human skeletal remains.
Can CT Scans Enhance or Replace Medicolegal Autopsies?
Researchers look into the utility of postmortem X-ray computed tomography in supplanting or supplementing medicolegal autopsies.
Understanding Blow Fly Genetic Variation May Reduce Error Rates in Time of Death Estimates
Applying Carbon-14 Dating to Recent Human Remains
Measuring carbon-14 levels in human tissue could help forensic scientists determine age and year of death in cases involving unidentified human remains.