Recovery of Human Remains Course
by M/Sgt Hayden B. Baldwin,
Retired
Illinois State Police
The success of an investigation that involves the recovery of human
remains depends on the investigators knowledge of proper recovery techniques.
More often then not the skeleton remains are removed from the scene without
proper documentation and with little or no regard to the amount of physical
and testimonial evidence that is present.
This couse was designed to enhance the investigators knowledge. They
will be able to recognize and collect crucial evidence from recovery sites
and understand the techniques used to gain maximum information from these
recovery sites.
This course is for all investigators who are involved in death investigations.
Discussed and demonstrated in this class are the following topics: proper
search techniques and identifiers, techniques of surface recoveries, excavation
techniques, and exhumation techniques. Physical and testimonial evidence
will be discussed in the relationship to recovery techniques.
This is a "hands on" class on recovery techniques. The student will
be required to participate in the actual recovery process. Under the direct
supervision of the instructor, the student will learn the proper techniques
of surface and burial recoveries by performing these tasks themselves.
At the end of this course the student will be able to identify the proper
procedure and techniques used in the recovery of human remains from surface
recoveries, clandestine burial sites, and exhumations from cemeteries.
The student will also be able to process the "crime scene" for the maximum
amount of information relative to the crime. The student will be able to
correlate the information obtained from the recovery sites, and combine
with the physical evidence recovered, have the necessary information to
reconstruct the events at the recovery site crime scene.
RECOVERY OF HUMAN REMAINS CLASS COURSE SCHEDULE
Monday
Introduction
Lecture
Field Examination
Tuesday
Surface Recovery practical
Set up Teams
Process scene
Wednesday
Burial Recovery Practical
Set up Teams
Process Scene
Thursday
Lecture
Pathology
Odontology
Entomology
Facial Reconstruction
Exhumations
Friday
Synopsis of Week
Critique of Practicals
Written Test
This course can be designed for a three
or four day course if preferred.
RECOVERY OF HUMAN REMAINS COURSE OUTLINE
by Hayden B. Baldwin
I. Death Investigations
II. Indoor Crime Scenes
A. Dimensions
B. Secondary Area
C. Physical Evidence
D. Testimonial Evidence
III. Outdoor Crime Scenes
A. Dimensions
B. Secondary Area
C. Evidence
D. Detrimental Factors
IV. Processing Death Scenes
A. Protocol
B. Evidence
C. What Is Evidence?
D. Identification of Deceased
V. Search Techniques
A. Define Area
B. Search Types
C. Manpower Needs
D. Identify Object of Search
VI. Surface or Buried?
A. Surface
1. Scattering of Bones
2. Canine
B. Buried
1. Indicators are different
2. Time element, hours or years?
VII. Buried Indicators
A. Disturbed Vegetation
B. Disturbed Soil
C. Compaction
D. Special Problems
1. Infrared Photography
2. Methane Detectors
3. Aerial Photos
4. Probes
5. Soil Samples
6. Bulldozer
7. Psychic
8. Current Methods
VIII. Surface Recovery
A. Dimension
B. Command Post
C. Primary Area
D. Secondary Area
E. Crime Scene Processing Protocol
F. Time and Weather Factors
IX. Processing Surface Recovery Sites
A. Grid
B. Cleaning the Surface
C. Documentation
D. Removing the remains
E. Sifting procedures.
F. Identification of Potential Evidence
X. Processing Burial Sites
A. Grid
B. Cleaning the Surface
C. Layers
D. Documentation
E. Removing the remains
F. Sifting procedures.
G. Identification of Potential Evidence
H. After removing the remains.
XI. Excavation Techniques
A. Hole
B. Trench
C. Table
D. Steps to the removal of soil
XII. Recovery of Evidence
A. In situ
B. Sifting Procedures
XIII. Exhumations
A. Same Crime Scene Protocol
B. Positive Identification
C. Soil Samples
D. Documentation
XIV. Miscellaneous Information
A. Utilities
B. Workers Comfort
C. Sifters
D. News Media
E. Site Security
F. Adaptability
XV. Specialists
A. Anthropologists
B. Entomologists
C. Odontologist
D. Facial Reconstructionist
XVI. Equipment
A. Basic
B. Variables
C. Workers Comfort
D. Availability
E. Resources
F. Specialty Items
XVII. Recovery of Remains Interpretation
A. Physical Evidence
B. Testimonial Evidence
XVIII. Correlation of Site Vs. Crime
A. Consistency of information obtained.
B. Factual Evidence
Paper on Recovery of Human
Remains
DISCOVERY CHANNEL: SCIENCE
DETECTIVES
If you have comments or suggestions, email me at hbb@feinc.net
HOMEPAGE