Forensic Pathology Duties and Responsibilities

Forensic pathologists play a very important part in the law and justice system. They have many duties and responsibilities that we shall look at in today’s articles.

What is a Forensic Pathologist?

Forensic pathologists are highly trained professionals. The role of a forensic pathologist is to establish the cause of death in the deceased. They perform autopsies when requested by a coroner or medical examiner. They study and analyze physical evidence that is used in criminal court cases.

Forensic pathologists are most commonly used when the cause of death is considered to be suspicious and the results are used within investigations of criminal law and civil law cases.

What are the Duties of a Forensic Pathologist?

Forensic pathologists have many important duties within their jobs. Their most important duty is to use all the available information they have to help determine the cause and manner of death in the body they are performing the autopsy on.

Some of the types of investigations that a forensic pathologist will take out on a body include toxicologic, microscopic, photographic, radiologic, serologic and microbiologic studies.

Forensic pathologists are trained to perform autopsies which help determine the presence or absence of disease and/or injury or poisoning. Another part of their duty is to evaluate historical and law-enforcement information relating to the manner of death which are important in coming to a conclusion as to the cause and manner of death.

They often have to travel to the scene of the crime to collect evidence including secretions and trace evidence. This is particularly the case in sexual assaults.

Forensic pathologists often have to reconstruct the scene when the crime occurred to try and work out how the person received their injuries.

First and foremost, forensic pathologists are trained as physicians, however they must also have working knowledge of several other non-medical sciences to help them be successful in their jobs. This includes being able to apply areas of toxicology, firearms examination, trace evidence, forensic serology and DNA technology to their investigation into the death of the person involved.

Forensic pathologists may also be required to appear in court as expert witnesses. Forensic pathologists with good communication skills and who are good in the court room will often be flown around the country to appear as a witness in court. They testify in a variety of criminal and civil court cases that involve death or injury.

What is the Process of Performing an Autopsy?

It may sound simple to just say that forensic pathologists have to find the cause and manner of death in a deceased person – but what does this process actually involve?

An autopsy is the examination of a body after its death. The forensic pathologist will usually examine the body both internally and externally.

There are six main stages that a forensic pathology will go through during an autopsy – the Y-incision, removal of organs, stomach contents, sample collection, head and brain examination, and a conclusion.

The Y-incision is used to open up the breastplate of the body so that the forensic pathologist has access to the most vital organs – the heart, lungs, liver, stomach and spleen. The incision is in a Y- shape and cut from either shoulder to the lower end of the sternum and down in a straight line to the pubis.

Once the Y-incision has been done, the organs are removed and weighed. The purpose of this is because some diseases can cause an increase or reduction in the weight of certain organs.

Blood and DNA samples are taken next as well as toxicological tests to test whether any poison was the cause of death. Following this the abdomen is examined and tissue samples are taken to test the contents of the stomach. This can indicate many things – including helping to determine the time of death.

The forensic pathologist will then look at the head and brain to inspect for any head injuries that may have been sustained. The brain will be removed for inspection and tissue samples will also be taken.

The organs are then put back into the body and it is sewn up. The forensic pathologist then has the responsibility of writing up a report on their findings.

As you can see, the duties and responsibilities of forensic pathologists are very detailed and important and it is certainly not a job for the faint-hearted!