The Role of Forensic Science in Mass Disasters
Mass disasters are an all too familiar reality. The cause of such occurrences can be natural or human influence. Natural disaster include hurricanes, tornados, and volcanos amongst other occurrence (Sudoyo, Widodo, Suryadi, Lie, Safari, Widjajanto, Kadarmo, 2008).
Un-natural, or those occurring due to human involvement, are bombings, plane crashes, or mass shootings. Mass disasters usually require extensive logistical support (Prinz, Carracedo, Mayr, Morling, Parsons, Sajantila, Scheithauer, Schmitter, Schnieder, 2008). One such support system will include a team of multidisciplinary forensic specialists. The direction of focus during the investigation will ultimately depend on the type of disaster …show more content…
Evidence must be preserved in order to properly document and reconstruct the scene as to determine what happened (Prinz, 2008). Medicolegal investigators usually depend heavily on the help of law enforcement personnel to help regulate the traffic on scene as a means of protecting the integrity of the scene and the investigation. This is a very different compared to smaller scale investigations that occur at private residences or small community areas (Sledzik, Dirkmaat, Mann, Holland, Zelson, Adams, Crowder,& DePaelo, 2012).
Mass disasters can encompass miles and sometimes acres of real estate. Mass shootings and bombings are generally carried out in high population areas. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), assumes jurisdiction over any disaster involving terrorism or gross criminal acts (Sledzik et.al, 2012). The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), takes charge if the disaster involves any mode of transportation, however there are dozens of other local, state and federal agencies that can be involved in disaster situations. These organizations will work collectively if the circumstances are not immediately known, until primary jurisdiction is established (Sledzik et.al, …show more content…
The plane crashed at an estimated speed of five hundred knots and created a debris field that spread across seventy-nine acres of land (Sledzik et.al, 2012). Forty-four people perished in the crash to include the four terrorists that tried to hijack it. A Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team (DMORT) was formed in response to the event and were activated on September 13th, 2001 (Sledzik et.al, 2012). Leading this fifty member team were eight anthropologist. Their mission was to help differentiate between human and non-human remains and collect all possible fragments of tissue and bones for analysis. This enabled them to determine the number of individuals that were on the plane and make a biological profile (Sledzik et.al, 2012). The anthropologists were instrumental in documenting and removing the physical remains of all the victims over several months, enabling the body fragments of every person on the plane to be returned to the respective families (Sledzik et.al,
Mass disasters are an all too familiar reality. The cause of such occurrences can be natural or human influence. Natural disaster include hurricanes, tornados, and volcanos amongst other occurrence (Sudoyo, Widodo, Suryadi, Lie, Safari, Widjajanto, Kadarmo, 2008).
Un-natural, or those occurring due to human involvement, are bombings, plane crashes, or mass shootings. Mass disasters usually require extensive logistical support (Prinz, Carracedo, Mayr, Morling, Parsons, Sajantila, Scheithauer, Schmitter, Schnieder, 2008). One such support system will include a team of multidisciplinary forensic specialists. The direction of focus during the investigation will ultimately depend on the type of disaster …show more content…
Evidence must be preserved in order to properly document and reconstruct the scene as to determine what happened (Prinz, 2008). Medicolegal investigators usually depend heavily on the help of law enforcement personnel to help regulate the traffic on scene as a means of protecting the integrity of the scene and the investigation. This is a very different compared to smaller scale investigations that occur at private residences or small community areas (Sledzik, Dirkmaat, Mann, Holland, Zelson, Adams, Crowder,& DePaelo, 2012).
Mass disasters can encompass miles and sometimes acres of real estate. Mass shootings and bombings are generally carried out in high population areas. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), assumes jurisdiction over any disaster involving terrorism or gross criminal acts (Sledzik et.al, 2012). The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), takes charge if the disaster involves any mode of transportation, however there are dozens of other local, state and federal agencies that can be involved in disaster situations. These organizations will work collectively if the circumstances are not immediately known, until primary jurisdiction is established (Sledzik et.al, …show more content…
The plane crashed at an estimated speed of five hundred knots and created a debris field that spread across seventy-nine acres of land (Sledzik et.al, 2012). Forty-four people perished in the crash to include the four terrorists that tried to hijack it. A Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team (DMORT) was formed in response to the event and were activated on September 13th, 2001 (Sledzik et.al, 2012). Leading this fifty member team were eight anthropologist. Their mission was to help differentiate between human and non-human remains and collect all possible fragments of tissue and bones for analysis. This enabled them to determine the number of individuals that were on the plane and make a biological profile (Sledzik et.al, 2012). The anthropologists were instrumental in documenting and removing the physical remains of all the victims over several months, enabling the body fragments of every person on the plane to be returned to the respective families (Sledzik et.al,