Stephen Morewitz
California State University, USA
Title: Police determination of suspected foul play in death cases involving a body that is found at the death incident site: A case series
Biography
Biography: Stephen Morewitz
Abstract
Researchers are increasingly studying the ways in which the police determine foul play in cases involving death, arson, missing persons, abuse and neglect, and other possible crimes. Using the results of The Police Classification of Foul Play Project, the following study relies on a case series of death incidents in which a body is found at the site of the death incident. The results from the case series reveal that the police are more likely to classify a death incident as involving suspected play rather than due to natural causes when a body is found at the death incident site. This study analyzes other socio-demographic, psychological, and physical factors that may affect the ways in which police suspect foul play in death cases related to bodies that are found at death incident sites.