NCJ Number
57547
Journal
FORENSIC SCIENCE Volume: 10 Issue: 1 Dated: SPECIAL ISSUE (JULY/AUGUST 1977) Pages: COMPLETE ISSUE
Editor(s)
J VOIGT,
C H WECHT,
W G ECKERT
Date Published
1977
Length
86 pages
Annotation
A WIDE VARIETY OF MEDICOLEGAL SYSTEMS EXIST IN EUROPE, RANGING FROM THE PROSECUTORIAL INQUIRY SYSTEMS BASED ON ROMAN LAW THROUGH THE CORONER SYSTEMS DATING BACK TO ANGLO-SAXON LAW. THIS COMPARISON COVERS 22 COUNTRIES.
Abstract
EUROPE HAS THE LONGEST TRADITION OF LEGAL MEDICINE IN THE WORLD AND, THOUGH THERE ARE CONSIDERABLE VARIATIONS, MUCH OF THE PRACTICE HAS MARKED SIMILARITIES FROM COUNTRY TO COUNTRY. IN GENERAL, ALL COUNTRIES HAVE SOME PROCEDURE FOR INVESTIGATING DEATHS WHICH CANNOT BE CERTIFIED BY A PHYSICIAN. THE DEPTH OF THIS INVESTIGATION VARIES CONSIDERABLY. SOME COUNTRIES FOCUS ONLY ON THOSE WITH OBVIOUS CRIMINAL OR NEGLIGENCE ASPECTS. OTHERS INVESTIGATE NEARLY EVERY DEATH WHICH OCCURS OUTSIDE A HOSPITAL OR IN WHICH A PHYSICIAN IS NOT IN ATTENDANCE AT TIME OF DEATH. THE DEGREE OF AUTOPSY ALSO VARIES, WITH SOME COUNTRIES PREFERRING EXTERNAL EXAMINATIONS UNLESS CIRCUMSTANCES DICTATE OTHERWISE, WHILE OTHERS PERFORM FULL AUTOPSIES ON NEARLY ALL MEDICOLEGAL CASES. TRAINING ALSO VARIES, WITH SOME COUNTRIES REQUIRING EXTENSIVE COURSES IN FORENSIC MEDICINE FOR ALL UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL STUDENTS WHILE OTHERS MAKE SUCH COURSES OPTIONAL, CONCENTRATING TRAINING AT THE POSTGRADUATE LEVEL. DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE MEDICOLEGAL SYSTEM ARE GIVEN FOR BELGIUM, DENMARK, ENGLAND AND WALES, FINLAND, FRANCE, GERMAN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC, GERMAN FEDERAL REPUBLIC, HUNGARY, ICELAND, REPUBLIC OF IRELAND, ITALY, THE NETHERLANDS, NORTHERN IRELAND, NORWAY, POLAND, PORTUGAL, ROMANIA, SCOTLAND, SPAIN, SWEDEN, SWITZERLAND, AND THE UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS. (GLR)