Increasing the information available to coroners: the effect on autopsy decision-making

Abstract

This paper details research completed in 2007 which investigated autopsy decision-making in a death investigation. The data was gathered during the first year of operation in Queensland, Australia, of a new Coroners Act which changed the process of death investigation in three ways which are important to this paper. First, it required a greater amount of information to be gathered at the scene by police: this included a thorough investigation of the circumstances of the death, including statements from witnesses, friends and family, as well as evidence gathering at the scene. Second, it required coroners, for the first time, to determine the level of invasiveness required in the autopsy to complete the death investigation. Third, it enabled any genuine family concerns to be communicated to the coroner. The outcome of such information was threefold: (i) a greater amount of information offered to the coroner led to a decrease in the number of full internal autopsies ordered, but an increase in the number of partial internal autopsies ordered; (ii) this shift in autopsy decision-making by coroners saw certain factors given greater importance than others in decisions to order full internal, or external only, autopsies; (iii) a raised family concern had a significant impact on autopsy decision-making and tended to decrease the invasiveness of the autopsy ordered by the coroner.

Method overtness, forensic autopsy, and the evidentiary suicide note: A multilevel National Violent Death Reporting System analysis

“…Indeed, performance of an autopsy diminished but did eliminate the note-effect we found when comparing mechanisms of deaths in the manner of death determination. Presence of a suicide note, similar to the effect of an overt suicide method, may even reduce autopsy occurrence [ 56 ]. During 2007, 97% of US homicides were autopsied compared with 60% of suicides, 81% of undetermined intent deaths, and 79% of unintentional (accidental) poisoning deaths, pointing to a less rigorous approach to suicide versus homicide determination and accounting [ 57 ].…”

The Coronial System and Determining Manner of Death in Australia -An Overview

“…The initial police responders are often nonspecialist officers who collect specific information about the decedent, the circumstances of the death and the scene. This early collection of information is used to guide the coroner's investigation and determine if there are any suspicious circumstances surrounding a death (1, 18, 20). In cases that are deemed to be suspicious, specialized officers from specific forensic police branches will become involved.…”

“…Taking into consideration the circumstances of the death and family views regarding autopsy, the coroner will determine the type of postmortem examination required. In many jurisdictions of Australia there is a move away from ordering a full internal postmortem examination in every case (18, 20–22). The coroner has the right to issue a death certificate based on the information supplied; for example in the case of a medical deposition, without any further investigation.…”

Medicolegal Death Investigation: Coroner and Forensic Pathology Functions and Processes in Victoria, Australia

“…In a responsive and community-relevant death investigation system, social, legal, religious, and cultural impacts may be as important as scientific or medical factors. The debate regarding the use of radiological imaging in death investigation is often fueled by these considerations including those that see the dissection of a body as a desecration (12)(13)(14), and therefore something which is to be avoided whenever possible. Indeed, there may be considerable differences in community views regarding what a coroner's investigation should attempt to achieve and the financial and physical resources and approach that should be utilized.…”