Survey of medico-legal investigation of homicides in the city of Turku, Finland.
Finland has one of the highest homicide rates in western Europe but the clear-up rate is also exceptionally high. To create a detailed analysis of homicides (n=161) in a region of western Finland during the 20-year period from 1983 to 2002 all available information was collected retrospectively from multiple sources including medico-legal reports, reports of police investigations, and court proceedings. Among the data collected and analysed were location, time, circumstances, and motives of homicides, forensic pathologists' role at the scene-of-the-crime and in court, autopsy findings, demographics and substance abuse of both victims and offenders, criminal background, forensic psychiatric examinations, and the verdicts of the offenders. A typical homicide was committed without premeditation during the weekend by a drunken male with a knife at hand and with a history of violent crimes. The perpetrator was later found guilty of manslaughter and received a prison sentence. Some noted shortcomings both in the police and the medico-legal investigation procedures are discussed, as well as the forensic pathologist's role in the judicial process in Finland.
Wahlsten
P
P
Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, FIN-20520 Turku, Finland. piawah@utu.fi
Koiranen
V
V
Saukko
P
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006708:Homicide / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology
D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol