Lecture 2 - Disaster Victim Identification Flashcards

1
Q

What is cause of death?

A

Specific injury or disease that leads to death

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2
Q

What is manner of death?

A

Determination of how the injury or disease caused the death, or explanation of how the cause arose

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3
Q

What are examples of victim identifications vs criminal forensics?

A

Accidental death/suicide vs victim of crime
Coronial court vs criminal court
Circumstance of death vs guilt/innocence

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4
Q

What court is used in victim identifcation?

A

Coronial court

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5
Q

What is a disaster?

A

An unexpected event causing the death or injuring many people

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6
Q

What is an open disaster?

A

Disaster where the number of unknown individuals for whom no prior records or descriptive data are available

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7
Q

What is a closed disaster?

A

A disaster where the number of individuals belonging to a fixed, identifiable group
- comparative AM data can be obtained more quickly

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8
Q

What are the four steps of disaster management?

A

1) Collect and analyse information
2) Identify requirements - equipment and personnel
3) Operational plan for victim management
4) Information management
(a) families, (b) authorities, (c) media

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9
Q

What are the two key reasons for DVI?

A

Need for postive confirmation and correct identification
The importance of identification for making sense of loss and grieving

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10
Q

What is DVI?

A

Disaster Victim Identification

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11
Q

What are the 7 objectives for the initial analysis of disaster?

A

1) Area extent of the scene & numbers of dead
2) State of corpses
3) Evaluation - how long will DVI take?
4) DVI responders - Police/ Coroner/ NZSFO/ Military
5) Body Recovery (composition and number of teams)
6) Transportation of corpse
7) Storage (refrigeration)

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12
Q

What is the role of the victim identification unit?

A

Body recovery and evidence collection

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13
Q

What are the different DVI units? (7)

A

Management and communications
Body recovery and evidence collection
AM team
PM team
Reconciliation team
Care and counselling team
Identification board

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14
Q

What is the role of management and communications in DVI?

A

Organisation, liaison, and communications

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15
Q

What does body recovery and evidence collection include in DVI?

A

Body parts and personal effects from extended area (e.g. hotels)

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16
Q

What is the role of the AM Team in DVI?

A

Collect antemortem data (records, photos, e-media, fingerprints, DNA)

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17
Q

What is the role of the PM team in DVI?

A

Collect postmortem dental, medical and forensic data (fingerprints, DNA)

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18
Q

What is the role of the reconciliation team in DVI?

A

Matching AM and PM data

19
Q

What is the role of the care and counselling team in DVI?

A

Medical and psychological care for DVI personnel

20
Q

What is the role of the identification board in DVI?

A

Make final decisions on victim IDs and certifies these decisions on the DVI form

21
Q

What are the 5 DVI phase?

A

Phase 1: The scene
Phase 2: PM
Phase 3: AM
Phase 4: Reconciliation
Phase 5: Debrief

22
Q

Why must we have victim identification? (4c’s)

A

Certainty
Closure
Criminality
Cash

23
Q

Why is certainty import in VI?

A

Accidental victim substitution
Correct remains returned to relatives

24
Q

Why is closure important in VI?

A

Location and nature of death
Begin grieving process

25
Q

Why is criminality important in VI?

A

Gunshot/explosive residue, location of victim

26
Q

Why is cash important in VI?

A

Medicolegal requirement for wills/ insurance/ business affairs

27
Q

What is the criteria of methods of identification?

A

Scientifically sound
Reliable
Applicable under field conditions
Reasonable period of time

28
Q

Why is visual identification by a witness usually insufficient for positive identification?

A

Body traumatised, visual comparison is impossible
Relatives unable to cope with psychological stress of deceased victims

29
Q

What are the primary methods of identification?

A

Fingerprint analysis
Forensic dental analysis
DNA analysis

30
Q

What are secondary methods of identification?

A

Personal description / medical findings
Evidence / clothing

31
Q

What are examples of PM data?

A

Fingerprints
Odontology
DNA profiling
Physical indications

32
Q

Why are fingerprints used for pm data?

A

As they are highly reliable. However, as most people’s finger prints are not on record they can be of limited value

33
Q

Why is odontology used for pm data?

A

Teeth provide one of the most reliable forms of identification as they are highly durable and most people have dental records

34
Q

Why is DNA profiling used for pm data?

A

Direct comparisons can be made from a victim and a profile taken from their home, for example from a hair brush. Indirect comparisons can also be made using the parents’ DNA

35
Q

Why are physical indications used for pm data?

A

Tattoos, scars or surgical implants may be unique to the victim

36
Q

Why is DNA typing considered the standard in VI?

A

Because of its reliability; the probabilities of a false positive are quantifiable and often miniscule

37
Q

What are the main issues with DNA typing for VI?

A

1) acquiring antemortem data
2) slow, laboratory-based process
3) effect of post-mortem decomposition on DNA quality
4) cost

38
Q

What is finger-printing also known as?

A

Friction ridge identification

39
Q

What does finger-printing require further research into?

A

Sources of error
Quantification of uniqueness vs error rates
Numerical discriminating value of the various ridge formations and clusters of ridge formations

40
Q

What is forensic odontology?

A

Forensic odontology is the application of the science of dentistry to the field of law

41
Q

What does forensic odontology include?

A

– identification of unknown remains,
– bite mark comparison,
– interpretation of oral injury,
– dental malpractice

42
Q

What is the most controversial forensic odontology?

A

Bite mark comparison

43
Q

What happens in Phase 1: The Scene in DVI?

A

Crime scene, recording
Remains labeled, recovered, transported to mortuary
Forensic dentally-qualified and rescue-qualified person needs to be present