Final Exam for Medicolegal Investigation
The primary responsibility of the UW medicolegal death investigation system is to
____________. - correct answer-- Certify the cause and manner of unnatural and
unexplained deaths.
______________ is/are responsible for legal statutes defining what deaths must be
investigated and who must be responsible for that investigation. - correct answer-- Each
state
ABMDI - correct answer-American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators
A forensic ______________ is the specialist responsible for conducting forensic autopsies. -
correct answer-- Pathologist
In 1918, the first modern ME system in the US was established in _____________. - correct
answer-- New York City
A mixed medicolegal system can best described as one where _______________. - correct
answer-- The state has both medical examiners and coroners in different areas
Although what deaths must be investigated varies, certain types of deaths almost always
require a medicolegal investigation. Read the following list of deaths and select ALL that are
likely to require a medicolegal investigation. - correct answer-- A high-school student dies
after being admitted to the hospital with pox-like lesions
- A young adult male with no known health problems dies in a state penitentiary
- A 2 month old infant is found cold and unresponsive in their crib.
- A woman is found dead in her bathtub with slits on both wrists
- A middle age woman is found dead on a park bench
Forensic specialty boards were created to establish training standards for each specialty and
__________. - correct answer-- Offer examinations to demonstrate that practitioners have
attained some level competency in the field
Forensic Toxicologist - correct answer-- Analysis of blood to estimate blood alcohol levels at
the time of death.
Forensic chemist/drug analyst - correct answer-- Identification of a white powder from a bag
found on a decedent
Questioned Document Examiner - correct answer-- Analysis of handwriting on a suicide note
Firearm and Toolmark Examiner - correct answer-- Analysis of bullet found inside a
decedent's body
, Forensic Anthropologist - correct answer-- Analysis of trauma on skeletonized human
remains
Forensic Botanist - correct answer-- Identification of sees and pollen recovered from a
suspect's clothing
DNA analyst - correct answer-- Skin cells found under the victim's fingernails
Forensic Odontologist - correct answer-- Comparison of the teeth from an unidentified skull
with antemortem (living) records of a missing person
According to Ruiz et al. which of the following are the most common minimum qualifications
to be a coroner? - correct answer-- Be a US citizen
- Meet a minimum age requirement
- Be elected
If a person dies of natural cases under the care of a physician or registered nurse and no
suspicious circumstances are present who is typically responsible for signing off on the
manner of death on the death certificate? - correct answer-- The medical professional in
charge of the deceased care at the time of death.
According to the article, US state statutes related to medicolegal investigation contain
information regarding job requirements, training, qualifications ______________, and
grounds for dismissal for medicolegal personnel and other government officials. - correct
answer-- Procedures
Some states allow judicial personnel, such as judges or attorneys, to sign death certificates
when ___________ or under special circumstances such as when an inquest is held, or no
death investigators are available and a physician was not present upon death - correct
answer-- No body has been found, but death is presumed
True or False: The State of Iowa does not have coroners as part of its medicolegal system -
correct answer-- True
Which of the following states requires coroners to be licensed physicians? - correct answer--
Minnesota
True or False: You may become a coroner in the state of Illinois with a prior felony
conviction. - correct answer-- False
True or False: Individuals authorized to certify cause and manner of death are always also
authorized to officially sign the death certificate. - correct answer-- False
To run for coroner in the state of Wisconsin you must be at least ____ years of age. - correct
answer-- 18
At a death scene who is responsible for the decedent's body? - correct answer-- The
coroner, medical examiner, or authorized designee
The primary responsibility of the UW medicolegal death investigation system is to
____________. - correct answer-- Certify the cause and manner of unnatural and
unexplained deaths.
______________ is/are responsible for legal statutes defining what deaths must be
investigated and who must be responsible for that investigation. - correct answer-- Each
state
ABMDI - correct answer-American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators
A forensic ______________ is the specialist responsible for conducting forensic autopsies. -
correct answer-- Pathologist
In 1918, the first modern ME system in the US was established in _____________. - correct
answer-- New York City
A mixed medicolegal system can best described as one where _______________. - correct
answer-- The state has both medical examiners and coroners in different areas
Although what deaths must be investigated varies, certain types of deaths almost always
require a medicolegal investigation. Read the following list of deaths and select ALL that are
likely to require a medicolegal investigation. - correct answer-- A high-school student dies
after being admitted to the hospital with pox-like lesions
- A young adult male with no known health problems dies in a state penitentiary
- A 2 month old infant is found cold and unresponsive in their crib.
- A woman is found dead in her bathtub with slits on both wrists
- A middle age woman is found dead on a park bench
Forensic specialty boards were created to establish training standards for each specialty and
__________. - correct answer-- Offer examinations to demonstrate that practitioners have
attained some level competency in the field
Forensic Toxicologist - correct answer-- Analysis of blood to estimate blood alcohol levels at
the time of death.
Forensic chemist/drug analyst - correct answer-- Identification of a white powder from a bag
found on a decedent
Questioned Document Examiner - correct answer-- Analysis of handwriting on a suicide note
Firearm and Toolmark Examiner - correct answer-- Analysis of bullet found inside a
decedent's body
, Forensic Anthropologist - correct answer-- Analysis of trauma on skeletonized human
remains
Forensic Botanist - correct answer-- Identification of sees and pollen recovered from a
suspect's clothing
DNA analyst - correct answer-- Skin cells found under the victim's fingernails
Forensic Odontologist - correct answer-- Comparison of the teeth from an unidentified skull
with antemortem (living) records of a missing person
According to Ruiz et al. which of the following are the most common minimum qualifications
to be a coroner? - correct answer-- Be a US citizen
- Meet a minimum age requirement
- Be elected
If a person dies of natural cases under the care of a physician or registered nurse and no
suspicious circumstances are present who is typically responsible for signing off on the
manner of death on the death certificate? - correct answer-- The medical professional in
charge of the deceased care at the time of death.
According to the article, US state statutes related to medicolegal investigation contain
information regarding job requirements, training, qualifications ______________, and
grounds for dismissal for medicolegal personnel and other government officials. - correct
answer-- Procedures
Some states allow judicial personnel, such as judges or attorneys, to sign death certificates
when ___________ or under special circumstances such as when an inquest is held, or no
death investigators are available and a physician was not present upon death - correct
answer-- No body has been found, but death is presumed
True or False: The State of Iowa does not have coroners as part of its medicolegal system -
correct answer-- True
Which of the following states requires coroners to be licensed physicians? - correct answer--
Minnesota
True or False: You may become a coroner in the state of Illinois with a prior felony
conviction. - correct answer-- False
True or False: Individuals authorized to certify cause and manner of death are always also
authorized to officially sign the death certificate. - correct answer-- False
To run for coroner in the state of Wisconsin you must be at least ____ years of age. - correct
answer-- 18
At a death scene who is responsible for the decedent's body? - correct answer-- The
coroner, medical examiner, or authorized designee
