title: RELIGION AND DISASTER VICTIM IDENTIFICATION.
abstract: Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) is a triangle, the components of which are secular law, religious law and custom and professional methods. In cases of single non-criminal deaths, identification often rests with a hospital or a medical authority. When dealing with criminal or mass death incidents, the law, in many jurisdictions, assigns identification to the coroner/medical examiner, who typically uses professional methods and only answers the religious requirements of the deceased's next-of-kin according to his personal judgment. This article discusses religious considerations regarding scientific methods and their limitations, as well as the ethical issues involved in the government coroner/medical examiner's becoming involved in clarifying and answering the next-of-kin's religious requirements.
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Levinson
authors.forename: Abraham J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Domb
mesh_terms: D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003334:Coroners and Medical Examiners / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D054521:Cultural Competency / Q000941:ethics; D064891:Disaster Victims / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D018732:Forensic Anthropology / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005655:Funeral Rites; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D007514:Islam; D007557:Israel; D007599:Judaism; D054527:Mass Casualty Incidents / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012068:Religion and Medicine