Citation

Ruiz L, Posey BM, Neuilly MA, Stohr MK, Hemmens C. J. Forensic Sci. 2018; 63(4): 1138-1145.

Affiliation

Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Washington State University, 701 Johnson Tower, PO Box 644872, Pullman, WA, 99164-4872.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, American Society for Testing and Materials, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/1556-4029.13689

PMID

29143322

Abstract

Accurately identifying death and its causes is integral to the compilation of mortality data and ultimately to the operation of the criminal justice and public health systems. A clear understanding of who is in charge of such processes is paramount to establishing the quality, or lack thereof, of the information provided in death certificates. Our study provides a comprehensive overview of all state statutes identifying death investigators charged with classifying and certifying death in the United States. We found that state statutes designate a broad range of individuals as responsible for the classification and certification of death. Those vary by state and set of circumstances and can include medical examiners, coroners, pathologists, other physicians, registered nurses, and more. Our findings highlight the important need for a unified standard of qualifications in the medico-legal system, as well as, regulatory reform at the state level regarding who can complete and sign death certificates.

© 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Language: en

Keywords

coroner; death certification; forensic science; forensic sciences; medical examiner; medico-legal; pathologist; statutes