"Death Scene Investigation: Procedural Guide is the answer to a long recognized dilemma: how to have every death investigated by an experienced death investigator." — Tom Bevel, author of Practical Crime Scene Analysis and Reconstruction and Bloodstain Pattern Analysis with an Introduction to Crime Scene Reconstruction, Third Edition Those tasked with investigating death scenes come from a variety of backgrounds and varying levels of experience. Death Scene Investigation: Procedural Guide gives the less experienced investigator the procedures for almost any death scene imaginable while providing the seasoned investigator a ready reference for deaths occurring even under the most unusual of circumstances. It details the precise steps that need to be taken when processing and analyzing a death scene to ensure vital evidence is not lost and "red flags" are not missed. Using a bulleted format for quick and easy access, the book provides hands-on, concise instruction in a style friendly to a range of professionals. Topics discussed in this practical manual include: Initial response and scene evaluation. This section includes a death investigation decision tree to lead investigators to a preliminary cause of death. The section is broken down into natural, accidental, suicidal, and homicidal deaths. It also explores the role of the medical examiner and autopsy protocol. Recovery of human remains from open field, aquatic, and buried sites. This section also discusses estimating the time of death. Wound dynamics and mechanisms of injury. Manners of death include asphyxiation; sharp force, blunt force, and chopping injuries; handgun, rifle, and shotgun wounds; and explosive, thermal, and electrical injuries. Special death scene investigations. Discussions include child and infant death, sex-related death, and death scenes with multiple victims. Death scene management. This section covers documentation, sketching, photography and videography, special observations, and search procedures. Death scene evidence processing. Topics include bloodstain patterns, shooting scenes, and entomological, biological, trace, friction ridge, and impression evidence. An appendix contains precautions for handling bloodborne pathogens and 15 innovative worksheets for field use are available for download. Death scene responders who master the techniques in this volume will expedite solving the circumstances of the death and the closing of the case. Michael S. Maloney was interviewed in Volume 13 of Anil Aggrawal's Internet Journal of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology.

Those tasked with investigating crime scenes come from a variety of backgrounds and varying levels of experience. Crime Scene Investigation Procedural Guide gives the novice investigator the procedures for almost any crime scene imaginable while providing the seasoned pro a ready reference for crimes occurring even under the most unusual of circums

Those tasked with investigating death scenes come from a variety of backgrounds and varying levels of experience. Whether a homicide detective, crime scene investigator, medico-legal death investigator, coroner or medical examiner, Death Scene Investigation: Procedural Guide, Second Edition provides the investigator best-practice techniques and procedures for almost any death scene imaginable, including for deaths occurring even under the most unusual of circumstances. This Second Edition is fully updated to include new coverage on shallow graves, human remains at crime scenes, poisonings, expanded coverage of projectile weapons, videography, touch DNA, death notifications, and a newly added chapter dedicated to sexual deaths. In addition, the book serves as an on-scene ready reference which includes instructions on procedure including the initial notification of a death, processing the scene and body, the investigator's role at autopsy, and analyzing the scene indicators to place evidence into context. Topics discussed include: Initial response and scene evaluation Death scene management including documentation, sketching, photography, videography, observations, and search procedures A special death investigation matrix that walks the investigator though a decision tree to help in ambiguous deaths Contains discussion of all manners of death, including accident, suicide, natural and homicide Coverage of recovery of human remains from open field, aquatic, and buried sites including estimating the time of death. Wound dynamics and mechanisms of injury that covers asphyxiation, sharp and blunt force trauma, chopping injuries; handgun, rifle, and shotgun wounds, electrical injuries, and more The bulleted format and spiral binding allows for easy use and reference in the field with sections that are self-contained and cross-referenced for quick searches. With its thorough and detailed approach, Death Scene Investigation, Second Edition will be a must-have addition to any crime scene and death investigator’s tool kit.

This practical field guide contains many of the checklists necessary to guide the first responder step-by-step through procedures, tactics, and forensic techniques used in sudden death and violent death investigations. Using these protocols, techniques and checklists will ensure that a proper and complete investigation is undertaken at the death scene. - Covers basic investigation protocols as well as protocols for sexual assault - Contains diagrams on how to search the scene, how to sketch the scene, and physical evidence guidelines as well as a forensic photography primer - Includes a detailed checklist of who, what, where, when, why and how

This is a guide to recommended practices for crime scene investigation. The guide is presented in five major sections, with sub-sections as noted: (1) Arriving at the Scene: Initial Response/Prioritization of Efforts (receipt of information, safety procedures, emergency care, secure and control persons at the scene, boundaries, turn over control of the scene and brief investigator/s in charge, document actions and observations); (2) Preliminary Documentation and Evaluation of the Scene (scene assessment, "walk-through" and initial documentation); (3) Processing the Scene (team composition, contamination control, documentation and prioritize, collect, preserve, inventory, package, transport, and submit evidence); (4) Completing and Recording the Crime Scene Investigation (establish debriefing team, perform final survey, document the scene); and (5) Crime Scene Equipment (initial responding officers, investigator/evidence technician, evidence collection kits).

Part of the Howdunit Series, Scene of the Crime is written by a professional in the field. It provides the inside details that writers need to weave a credible - and salable - story. essential buys for any serious author...Will cut research time in half! - Mystery Scene Magazine

Essentials of Medicolegal Death Investigation uses a unique approach by combining medical issues, injury patterns, and investigative procedures to provide the reader with the basic fundamentals for a death investigation. The text introduces the reader to death investigation, common causes of death, and very specific types of death, including blunt-force injuries, gunshot wounds, and toxicology deaths. Each section includes case studies with written and visual descriptions. Written by a well-known and experienced medicolegal death investigator, the book fills a void in medicolegal literature for both students and professionals alike. - Provides a valuable guide to the interpretation of medical death investigation for practitioners and students - Covers the following circumstances in death investigations: asphyxiation, blunt-force injuries, sharp-force injuries, gunshot wounds, toxicology deaths, and natural causes - Includes case studies with written and visual descriptions and discussion, as well as up-to-date literature review