Disaster Victim Identification

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Brianne Ernst Ms. Rachel Demara Forensic Science November 13, 2012 Disaster Victim Identification: Disaster victim identification, also known as DVI, is the procedures used to positively identify victims of a multiple casualty event. During this process, investigators work to provide evidence to the coroner in order to identify those who have lost their lives. DVI is a difficult, demanding, and meticulous exercise which involves the participation of many different people, many different examinations, and a lot of patience. The ultimate aim of disaster victim identification process, first and for most, is to correctly identify the deceased victims of a disaster or incident where there are multiple fatalities where the identity of deceased victims is in argument by comparing and matching accurate data that is collected. In the process of disaster victim identification, there are set guidelines based on INTERPOL Standards and with legal standards that must be adhered to. There are five phases used during this procedure; scene, mortuary, ante-mortem data collection, reconciliation, and debrief. The first stage used in disaster victim identification is the scene phase. This phase, depending on the incident, may take days or even weeks to fully recover the deceased from a mass fatality site. Scenes of disasters can be dangerous, chaotic and many times unsafe for DVI officers to enter for several days after the event occurs. The scenes of mass causality disasters are treated as major crime scenes. This process begins with police officers searching for, retrieving and documenting the remains of victims. They also search for other evidence, such as circumstantial evidence, that may help in the identification process. Officers must confirm that everyone is accounted for and each deceased victim receives the same respect and attention. During this phase, forensic

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