Disaster Victim Identification in the 21st Century: A US Perspective

The first book of its kind to directly address the needs of DVI practitioners in the United States, covering the full spectrum of DVI from traditional methods to advanced DNA identification technology. It examines the history and current state of the discipline, the ongoing formation of national standards, the various methods of human identification, and the key challenges and future of DVI.

Format: Hardback
Length: 416 pages
Publication date: 28 April 2022
Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Ltd

The importance of Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) has grown significantly in the face of increasing natural and man-made mass fatality disasters worldwide. While most countries assign jurisdiction to law enforcement agencies following Interpol guidelines, DVI in the United States is the responsibility of the medical examiner and coroner. Disaster Victim Identification in the 21st Century is the first comprehensive book dedicated to meeting the needs of DVI practitioners in the United States. It covers the full spectrum of DVI, including traditional methods such as fingerprints, odontology, and anthropology, as well as advanced DNA identification technology. The book approaches DVI from three perspectives: academic, government, and private industry. It examines the history and current state of the discipline, the ongoing formation of national standards, the various methods of human identification, and the key challenges and future of DVI. In-depth chapters are written by leaders in the field with personal experience in human identification and mass fatality events.

The book provides practitioners with practical guidance on planning and taking part in DVI based on current national standards and best practices. It discusses the continued improvement in both traditional and emerging DVI methods and includes non-region-specific case studies and recommendations that can be easily adapted for international use. Ethical and legal considerations in DVI are also examined, with suggestions for standardizing the victim identification process. The critical role of the Victim Information Center (VIC) in providing comparat.

Weight: 796g
Dimension: 200 x 237 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781119652786