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Certifying Death in the United States
Leah Ruiz1, Brianne M Posey1, Melanie-Angela Neuilly1
1Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Washington State University, 701 Johnson Tower, PO Box 644872, Pullman, WA, 99164-4872.
Journal of Forensic Sciences
|November 17, 2017
Summary
State laws vary widely on who can certify death, impacting mortality data quality. This study reveals a need for standardized qualifications for death investigators across the U.S.
Area of Science:
- Medico-legal death investigation
- Public health surveillance
- Forensic science
Background:
- Accurate death identification and cause determination are crucial for mortality data, criminal justice, and public health.
- Understanding the authority responsible for death certification is essential for assessing data quality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive overview of state statutes that identify death investigators responsible for classifying and certifying death in the United States.
- To analyze the variations in designated authorities across different states and circumstances.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of all state statutes pertaining to death investigation and certification.
- Identification and categorization of individuals legally empowered to classify and certify death.
Main Results:
- State statutes designate a diverse range of professionals for death classification and certification, including medical examiners, coroners, pathologists, physicians, and registered nurses.
- The responsible individuals and their authority vary significantly by state and specific circumstances.
- A lack of uniform standards exists regarding who can complete and sign death certificates.
Conclusions:
- The current landscape of death investigation and certification in the U.S. is characterized by significant state-level variation.
- There is a critical need for unified qualification standards within the medico-legal system.
- Regulatory reform is necessary to ensure consistent and qualified completion of death certificates.
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