Death notification is acknowledged to be one of the most difficult tasks faced by law enforcement officers and other professionals, because learning of the death of a loved one often is the most traumatic event in a person’s life. The moment of notification is one that most people remember very vividly for the rest of…
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Karen L. Smith earned her undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice from the University of North Florida (Magna Cum Laude) and her Master’s Degree in Pharmacy with a concentration in Forensic Science from the University of Florida. Karen spent nearly 14 years as a police officer and detective at the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office in Florida. She…
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The moment you step out of your rig – you’re in the crime scene. The most important aspect of evidence collection and preservation is protecting the crime scene. This is to keep the pertinent evidence uncontaminated until it can be recorded and collected. The successful prosecution of a case can hinge on the state of…
Read MoreIt is clear that coroners have crime scene jurisdiction. But what happens when a lay person gets elected to the office of coroner and had no crime scene training. What is local law enforcement supposed to do ?What are Coroners supposed to do when the local law enforcement won’t recognize their authority? The Office of…
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