Culture includes the beliefs, customs, and arts of a particular society, group, or place. How people respond to issues of death or dying is directly related to their cultural backgrounds. Anyone who works with families should be sensitive to their culture, ethnic, religious, and language diversity. 10 Practical Guidelines » Allow families to grieve the…
Read More
If you want to be seen as a professional, you must present a professional image and attitude that will command respect. You WILL NOT get the respect you need simply by your title. Respect is earned not granted. There has been a long history of perceived and actual unprofessionalism in the Coroner industry. This…
Read More
Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS), also known as Compassion Fatigue , is a condition characterized by a gradual lessening of compassion over time. It is common among individuals that work directly with trauma victims such as coroners, police, nurses, psychologists, and first responders. Sufferers can exhibit several symptoms including hopelessness, a decrease in experiences of pleasure, constant stress and anxiety, sleeplessness…
Read More
Medicolegal Death Investigation Overview for First Responders Paul R. Parker III, B.S., D-ABMDI Police officers, sheriff deputies, firefighters, and EMS personnel play a critical role in medicolegal death investigations. As “first responders,” the majority of time they are, in fact, the first officials at the scene in which a death or the incident ultimately resulting…
Read More
We all, at times, need to take a step back and look at our personal lives. We are always in the mix of other people’s mess and we often neglect our own. As public servants none of us are paid what would be considered an amazing wage. However, we can take steps to live better,…
Read More
Autoerotic deaths are accidental deaths that occur during solitary sexual activity in which some type of apparatus that was used to enhance the sexual stimulation of the deceased caused the unintentional death. These deaths are accidental, they are not suicides as some have thought. The practitioner does not intend to die as a result of…
Read More
This first hand true account of one of the most horrific murders in Canadian history gives us an insight rarely gained into the mind of a murderer and the forensics and documentation that goes into the prosecution of a murder of this caliber. Dan Zupanksy was a prime witness in this case because of his…
Read More
Defining Time of Death There are several times of death. Let me repeat that—there are several times of death. Time of death seems to be a simple and straightforward term that obviously means the exact time that the victim drew his last breath. Unfortunately, it’s not quite that simple. There are actually three different times…
Read More
Stephanie Payne, author of The Sandbox Wars, talks about the battles that can occur when end of life planning is not completed. As Coroners, Medical Examiners, and death investigators we can be faced with families unprepared for a death of a loved one. You may also be faced with the “long lost” family member that…
Read More
Forensics is the study of the past as it relates to the present. Criminal forensic is applying science to the law. In short it’s the study of known science and relating it to a crime scene for the determination and prosecution of a crime. Many men and women are specially trained to collect evidence and in…
Read More