Advanced Questioned Death Investigation is a great class. It consists of lectures combined with slideshows of pictures from actual cases. Most of the pictures are very graphic, so this class is not for the squeamish. Some of the topics include:
- Medical Examiner’s Office vs. the Coroner
- Jefferson County’s M.E./Coroner system and history
- Manner/Cause/Mechanism of death and other key terms
- Blunt force trauma/sharp force trauma
- Gun shot wounds (fire arms and products of combustion)
- Asphyxia (chemical/physical)
- Sexual assault
- Infant fatalities/child neglect
- Toxicology
- Odontology/anthropology
- Thermal/electrical/explosive injuries
There is a midterm exam and a final exam. The final is cumulative, but mostly covers the second half of the semester along with the most important (and most obvious) material from the first half. A paper is also required. Two real death cases are presented and students write a paper explaining their choice for manner of death (homicide, suicide, accidental, natural or undetermined) in each situation. It is not a difficult paper to write, though there is a minimum length requirement of 1500 words and some research is necessary. This class is not an ‘easy A,’ but it is possible to do well. Mr. Glass is a nice guy and is there to help if necessary.
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