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The Timing of Death

  • Chapter
Essentials of Autopsy Practice

Summary

Although numerous studies encompassing both the early and late forensic interval have been published throughout the international forensic community, little useable information can be applied to casework. Temperature-based analyses remain the most commonly used because they are less reliant upon subjective assessments of change, so use of such techniques continues to be recommended.

Numerous opportunities remain for continued work within the field of PMI estimations, either revisiting published work for evidence-based validation of findings or application of novel technology to the seemingly eternal problem of fulfilling the question frequently posed, not only by police officers but also by the Coroner during his/her investigation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Leicester, Robert Kilpatrick Building, Leicester, UK

    Benjamin Swift MD, MB ChB (Specialist Registrar in Forensic Pathology)

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  1. Benjamin Swift MD, MB ChB
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Leicester, Leicester, UK

    Guy N. Rutty MD, MBBS, FRCPath, DipRCPath(Forensic) (Consultant Home Office Pathologist) (Consultant Home Office Pathologist)

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Swift, B. (2006). The Timing of Death. In: Rutty, G.N. (eds) Essentials of Autopsy Practice. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-84628-026-5_8

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