58 Forensic dentistry
NAME. Criteria within the checklist are divided into two categories: Phase
I requirements, which are desirable, but the lack of which will not signifi-
cantly impact on the function of the system, and Phase II requirements,
which are considered essential for the system to function adequately. Upon
successful completion of this inspection, with no Phase II deficiencies and
no more than fifteen Phase I deficiencies, the office is issued a certificate of
accreditation for a period of five years. If the inspection is not successful, the
office management will be counseled regarding deficiencies and methods of
correcting them. Provisional accreditation for a brief period and reinspec-
tion are available to assist offices in meeting this goal.
4.8 Summary
The field of death investigation is highly variable and there is often a lack
of consistency in how it is practiced within the United States. Each state
sets its own legal and governmental framework for the type and extent of
medicolegal investigation, resulting in a patchwork of systems throughout
the country that tends to confound any classification scheme. However,
there are basic consistencies in the goals and practice of good quality death
investigation, and thanks to organizations such as the National Association
of Medical Examiners, uniform medical practice standards and accredita-
tion criteria are now published, serving as a benchmark for the nationwide
evaluation of forensic pathology and death investigation practice. Adherence
to these criteria will help to ensure that medicolegal investigation in this
country meets minimal approved standards and best serves the needs of
the citizens of the various jurisdictions. Beyond this, recruiting and main-
taining practitioners who adhere to the goals of truth, impartiality, high
quality , and integrity in their investigations will provide the best insurance
for escalating quality in the field of forensic death investigation. After all, the
goal of any system of death investigation is ultimately to serve the needs of
the society in which it operates. As a reflection of this goal, many medical
examiners’ offices prominently display a well-known adage regarding their
work: “hic locus est ubi mors gaudet succurrere vitae,” or “this is the place
where death delights to help the living.”
References
- Timmermans, S. 2006. Postmortem. How medical examiners explain suspicious
deaths. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. - Camps, F. E., et al. 1976. Historical and general law. In Gradwohl’s legal medicine,
section I. Chicago: John Wright & Sons, Ltd.