Technical note: Automated data extraction from autopsy reports using a custom Python script

Evidence-based forensic research necessitates the creation of large and valid datasets. However, in our experience many departments face a challenge in how to extract this data from electronically archived records. This technical note describes a custom script created in the Python programming language. The program can extract data on decedent sex, age, body height, body weight, organ weight, organ dimensions, degree of putrefaction, listed cause of death, medical history and scene description from approximately 23,000 records in under two hours. Validity for many of these data are around 97-99 %. The program can be modified to extract any type of information. Data that are structured uniformly in the records result in higher data validity. Compared with manual extraction of data, automated extraction provide several benefits, including speed, accuracy, and flexibility.