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Investigating and Documenting the Custodial Suicide in Preparation for Litigation

NCJ Number
128406
Journal
Jail Suicide Update Volume: 3 Issue: 2 Dated: (Fall 1990) Pages: 9-11
Author(s)
T E Spencer
Date Published
1990
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Because suicides occur infrequently in most jail facilities, there is often a lack of consistency in the management of events immediately following a suicide incident, and this lack of consistency can become an aggravating factor if litigation follows.
Abstract
Prisoner suicide inherently involves a medical-legal investigation. The initial investigatory focus requires an assessment of homicide versus suicide. Unfortunately however, most medical examiners are poorly prepared to conduct the medical-legal workup necessary at the scene to avoid subsequent controversy. The medical examiner must arrive as soon as possible to confirm the method and probable time of death and must be informed of all known observations made before the discovered suicide. Medical-legal data such as body temperature and ambient room temperature may be very important to an assessment of when the suicide occurred and whether intervention through customary cell checks would have prevented the death. The body must be photographed in color so that important features of the victim's clothing and anatomy can be evaluated. Postmortem lividity data must be collected, and victim wounds must be scrutinized and recorded. Medical examiners must also check for the presence of petechia and must assess the face, eyes, and any blood loss. Data obtained by medical examiners must be supplied to the pathologist who performs the autopsy.

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