Medicolegal death investigations

Between 2016 and 2017, overdose deaths increased from 63,632 to 70,237. Of these, 47,600 overdose deaths involved opioids. In 2017, West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and the District of Columbia were the top five states with the highest rate of drug overdose deaths. 

Between 2016 and 2017, overdose deaths increased from 63,632 to 70,237. Of these, 47,600 overdose deaths involved opioids. In 2017, West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and the District of Columbia were the top five states with the highest rate of drug overdose deaths. 

Locating and notifying the next of kin is an important part of medicolegal death investigation. This presentation provided examples of resources at the scene and online to assist medicolegal death investigators (MDIs) with identifying the decedent’s next of kin. Some of these resources include talking to witnesses, searching cell phone information, social media accounts, public records, and criminal databases. Additionally, Namus was discussed as a resource if a next of kin cannot be identified. 

Locating and notifying the next of kin is an important part of medicolegal death investigation. This presentation provided examples of resources at the scene and online to assist medicolegal death investigators (MDIs) with identifying the decedent’s next of kin. Some of these resources include talking to witnesses, searching cell phone information, social media accounts, public records, and criminal databases. Additionally, Namus was discussed as a resource if a next of kin cannot be identified. 

Locating and notifying the next of kin is an important part of medicolegal death investigation. This presentation provided examples of resources at the scene and online to assist medicolegal death investigators (MDIs) with identifying the decedent’s next of kin. Some of these resources include talking to witnesses, searching cell phone information, social media accounts, public records, and criminal databases. Additionally, Namus was discussed as a resource if a next of kin cannot be identified.

Locating and notifying the next of kin is an important part of medicolegal death investigation. This presentation provided examples of resources at the scene and online to assist medicolegal death investigators (MDIs) with identifying the decedent’s next of kin. Some of these resources include talking to witnesses, searching cell phone information, social media accounts, public records, and criminal databases. Additionally, Namus was discussed as a resource if a next of kin cannot be identified. 

Medical examiner offices handle cases that present both technical and psychosocial challenges. Psychosocial challenges include communicating with highly distressed families of decedents and addressing complex moral and emotional concerns raised by disturbing cases and mass fatality events. This webinar provides information and skills to enhance the capacity to address the psychosocial demands of medical examiner and coroner work.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on October 17, 2019.

Forensic science research and development plays a key role in the advancement of the practice of forensic science, as noted by the 2009 National Academies of Science report “Strengthening Forensic Sciences in the United States: A Path Forward.”

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on March 14, 2019.

Entomology has a multitude of uses when it comes to forensic investigation. Whether investigators are estimating post-mortem interval or trying to understand damage dealt to a corpse after death, insects and their behaviors may provide clues or missing information. In this presentation, Neal Haskell, Ph.D., discussed specific case studies and how forensic entomology aided these investigations.

Entomology has a multitude of uses when it comes to forensic investigation. Whether investigators are estimating post-mortem interval or trying to understand damage dealt to a corpse after death, insects and their behaviors may provide clues or missing information. In this presentation, Neal Haskell, Ph.D., discussed specific case studies and how forensic entomology aided these investigations.

This webinar will demonstrate the use of the open source 3D Slicer software platform (https://www.slicer.org/) for visualizing 3D medical imaging datasets and collecting quantitative data from those images, including linear/angular, landmark-based, and volumetric data.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on October 28, 2020.

In the third webinar, participants will learn about the image data included in the New Mexico Decedent Image Database, including how to open and view an image series, the different viewing functions, and how to access detailed information about the images.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on October 21, 2020. 
 

Based on the review of various forms of STR typing results and factors that impact the presence or condition of DNA on evidence, instructors in this installment of Probabilistic Genotyping of Evidentiary DNA Typing Results lay a foundation for the interpretation of forensic DNA typing results. The session will begin with background information on forensic DNA analysis, including terminology and mechanisms, to help all participants comprehend the material covered in this series.

This first webinar is an introduction to NMDID. Attendees will learn about the history of the database and the team that developed it. There will be a tour of the website, including data use agreement, “how to use” videos, descriptions of basic data types, and an introduction to the data dictionary.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on October 7, 2020. 

Given the vital role of medical examiners and coroners (ME/C) in recognizing emerging trends in drug overdose deaths, partnering epidemiologists with ME/C offices can greatly enhance the utility of the significant volume of data generated by medicolegal death investigation. Epidemiologists from three unique ME jurisdictions—North Carolina, New Mexico and Virginia—share their experiences with monitoring drug overdose deaths, trends observed, and how best to utilize ME/C data to inform public health policy.

This webinar, presented in four parts, provides a definition for the phrase “death in custody” and will describe all phases of custody. Additionally, the presenter will highlight case studies of deaths, including the five manners of deaths and a special focus on drug-related deaths. Lastly, he will provide a brief overview of the position paper issued in 2017 by the National Association of Medical Examiners (Academic Forensic Pathology, 2017). This paper outlined the best practices for examination, death determination, and manner of death classification.

This webinar, presented in four parts, provides a definition for the phrase “death in custody” and will describe all phases of custody. Additionally, the presenter will highlight case studies of deaths, including the five manners of deaths and a special focus on drug-related deaths. Lastly, he will provide a brief overview of the position paper issued in 2017 by the National Association of Medical Examiners (Academic Forensic Pathology, 2017). This paper outlined the best practices for examination, death determination, and manner of death classification.

This webinar, presented in four parts, provides a definition for the phrase “death in custody” and will describe all phases of custody. Additionally, the presenter will highlight case studies of deaths, including the five manners of deaths and a special focus on drug-related deaths. Lastly, he will provide a brief overview of the position paper issued in 2017 by the National Association of Medical Examiners (Academic Forensic Pathology, 2017). This paper outlined the best practices for examination, death determination, and manner of death classification.

This webinar, presented in four parts, provides a definition for the phrase “death in custody” and will describe all phases of custody. Additionally, the presenter will highlight case studies of deaths, including the five manners of deaths and a special focus on drug-related deaths. Lastly, he will provide a brief overview of the position paper issued in 2017 by the National Association of Medical Examiners (Academic Forensic Pathology, 2017). This paper outlined the best practices for examination, death determination, and manner of death classification.

Attendees will hear from experts in agricultural policy, hemp industry analytical testing, and the DEA Special Testing and Research laboratory to obtain a better understanding of the issues that have developed for forensic drug testing since the signing of the 2018 Farm Bill.  This webinar will provide a history of the Farm Bill as it relates to the legalities of hemp and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).  Information on farming and quality testing used by the hemp industry will be presented.

Molecular identification is advantageous for medicolegal death investigations involving entomological activity. This enables species-level identification of immature specimens necessary for estimating post-mortem interval and may be performed without specialized training or resources. The presenter describes a strategy effective for relevant species and demonstrates analysis of casework-type samples.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on December 2, 2021.

The Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP) is a near real-time suspected overdose event surveillance platform developed by the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (W/B HIDTA). The platform allows participating agencies to develop and implement response strategies that are tailored to their communities to help save lives.

This webinar was presented by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on December 7, 2021.