Death Investigation: A Field Guide, Second Edition

Death Investigation: A Field Guide, Second Edition is an updated and expanded version of the original guide. It provides a chronological analysis of the death scene investigative process, from the first notification to the autopsy and final report. This book is written from the standpoints of a forensic pathologist and a forensic toxicologist, emphasizing essential elements of the death investigation and how the results impact the final cause and manner of death.

Key Topics Covered

The book discusses various means and causes of deaths, demonstrating how death manifests in various parts of the body. A section on traumatic injuries examines and illustrates with color photographs blunt force, sharp force, gunshot wounds, and a host of other injuries that the investigator is likely to confront. Natural death conditions and disease are discussed in a separate chapter devoted to the most common manner of death.

New Additions in the Second Edition

The Second Edition is fully updated with new added sections which cover forensic toxicology, statutory responsibilities, documentation and photography of the scene, DNA identification and possible contamination issues, decomposition, managing and utilizing electronic medical records, anaphylaxis and allergic reactions, infectious diseases such as Covid-19, acute peritonitis, and more. Despite including over 200 full-color photos, the book retains a succinct, handy format that is invaluable to those facing, and tasked with investigating, the reality of death on a day-to-day basis.

Target Audience

Death Investigation: A Field Guide, Second Edition continues to serve as an invaluable resource for crime scene investigators (CSIs), coroners, medical death investigators (MDIs), and medical examiner professionals.

Publication Details

Published by Taylor and Francis on March 7, 2023, the book is available in English. The ISBNs for the book are 9780367217563 and 9781000841176.