Optimising crime scene temperature collection for forensic entomology casework

The study of insects and other arthropods in a medico-legal context, also known as forensic entomology, is an essential tool in legal cases, especially in death enquiries [1]. Traditional forensic pathology methods for time of death estimation, using post-mortem changes such as rigor mortis, reach their limits within 48 –72hours after death [2]. At that point forensic entomology becomes particularly important as knowledge of insect biology, ecology and identification can provide information such as post-mortem body relocations, environmental conditions at death occurrence and, most importantly, estimation of a mi nimum post-mortem interval (minPMI), i.e.

Source: Forensic Science International - November 16, 2016 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Ines M.J. Hofer, Andrew J. Hart, Daniel Mart ín-Vega, Martin J.R. Hall Source Type: research