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pdfAppendix D
2018 Census of Medical Examiner and Coroner Offices
Instrument
1
2018 Census of Medical Examiner and
Coroner Offices
2
SECTION A
ADMINISTRATIVE
A1. What is the title of the chief position in your medical examiner or coroner office (e.g.,
Chief Medical Examiner, Coroner) and who holds that title?
Title:
__________________________________
Name: __________________________________
A2. Which of the following best describes your death investigation office?
O
O
O
O
O
Coroner office
Medical examiner office
Justice of the peace GO TO END OF SURVEY
My office does not investigate deaths GO TO END OF SURVEY
Other medicolegal death investigation office (please specify)
__________________________________
A3. What level of government best describes your office?
O
O
O
O
City office
County office
District/regional office
State office
A4. Which of the following best describes the agency your office reports to?
O
O
O
O
O
O
Public health agency (e.g., department or division of public health)
Law enforcement agency (e.g., department or division of public safety)
Government attorney’s office (e.g., district attorney)
Department or division of forensic science
My office is a stand-alone agency that is not under the umbrella of another agency
Other (please specify) __________________________________
A5. What jurisdictions does your office serve (e.g. Illinois State, Los Angeles County, New
York City, First Judicial District)?
3
A6. Is your office accredited by the International Association of Coroners & Medical
Examiners (IAC&ME)?
O Yes
O No
O I expect that my office will be accredited by IAC&ME by December 31, 2019.
A7. Is your office accredited by the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME)?
O Yes
O No
O I expect that my office will be accredited by NAME by December 31, 2019.
4
A8. On June 30, 2018, how many full-time employees, part-time employees, consultants
or contractors, and unpaid volunteers did your agency have on staff?
Count each employee only once.
Enter zero (0) if you do not have any staff in a category so no entry is left blank.
•
•
Full-time employees are those regularly scheduled for 35 or more hours per week.
Part-time employees are those regularly scheduled for 34 or less hours per week.
Role
Full-Time
Employees
on June 30,
2018
Part-time
Employees
on June 30,
2018
Consultants/
Contractors
on June 30,
2018
Unpaid
Volunteers
on June 30,
2018
a. Autopsy pathologists
b. Coroners/non-physicians
c. Death investigators (or
coroner investigators)
d. Forensic Toxicologists
e. Other scientific investigative
support staff (e.g.,
anthropologists, histologists)
f. Administrative staff (e.g.,
secretary, accountant)
g. Ancillary staff (e.g., drivers,
photographers)
5
If you do not have any coroners or death investigators, SKIP to box above A10.
A9. How many of your coroners or death investigators are certified by the
American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI)?
O All death investigators are ABMDI certified
O Some death investigators are ABMDI certified
O No death investigators are ABMDI certified
If you do not have any autopsy pathologists, SKIP to box above A11.
A10. How many of your autopsy pathologists (i.e., medical examiners) are certified
by the American Medical Association (AMA)?
O All autopsy pathologists are AMA certified
O Some autopsy pathologists are AMA certified
O No autopsy pathologists are AMA certified
If you do not have any forensic toxicologists, SKIP to B1.
A11. How many of your forensic toxicologists are certified by the American Board
of Forensic Toxicology (ABFT)?
O All forensic toxicologists are ABFT certified
O Some forensic toxicologists are ABFT certified
O No forensic toxicologists are ABFT certified
6
SECTION B
BUDGET AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
B1. In the fiscal year that included June 30, 2018, what was your total budget?
$,,,.00
If estimate, check here:
B2. Does your office have a specific personnel budget for items such as wages, salaries
and benefits?
O Yes
O No
If your office does not have a specific personnel budget, SKIP to B4.
B3. How much of the total budget was allocated for personnel costs?
$,,.00 If estimate, check here:
B4. In the fiscal year that included June 30, 2018, did you or staff spend any of their own
money to perform their job, including but not limited to, office supplies, travel
costs, certification, and training?
O Yes
O No
7
B5. Does your office receive money from any of the following?
Revenue Source
Yes
No
Don’t Know
a. Consultant fees
O
O
O
b. Cremation waiver or permit fees
O
O
O
c.
O
O
O
d. Report fees
O
O
O
e. Testimony fees
O
O
O
f.
O
O
O
g. Grants
O
O
O
h. Other (please specify)
_______________________________
O
O
O
Private autopsy fees
Transportation fees
B6. In the fiscal year that included June 30, 2018, what was your average cost for
conducting a full autopsy?
$,.00 If estimate, check here:
B7. In the fiscal year that included June 30, 2018, what was your average cost for
conducting forensic toxicology testing per case?
$,.00 If estimate, check here:
8
SECTION C
WORKLOAD (DEATH INVESTIGATIONS)
C1. In the fiscal year that included June 30, 2018, did your office receive any referred
cases?
O Yes
O No
If your office did not receive any referred cases, SKIP to C11.
C2. In the fiscal year that included June 30, 2018, what was the total number of
cases referred to your office, including all cases in which your office
conducted an investigation or documented referral of the case to your
office?
We did not track referred cases
, Total cases referred
If estimate, check here:
C3. “Accepted cases” are cases for which the office completes the death certificate or
otherwise determines the cause and manner of death. For the fiscal year including
June 30, 2018, did you have any accepted cases? Do not include cremation approval
cases or cases in which jurisdiction was declined.
O Yes
O No
If your office did not have any accepted cases, SKIP to C5.
9
C4. In the fiscal year that included June 30, 2018, what was the total number of
cases accepted by your office? Do not include cremation approval cases or
cases in which jurisdiction was declined.
We did not track accepted cases
, Total cases accepted
If estimate, check here:
Please Check Your Numbers! The number of your “accepted cases” in C4 should be LESS
THAN or EQUAL TO the number of “referred cases” in C2.
C5. In the fiscal year that included June 30, 2018, did your office receive any referred
cases from tribal lands? The term ‘tribal lands’ includes areas labeled Indian Country,
federal or state recognized reservations, trust lands, Alaska Native villages, and tribal
communities.
O Yes
O No
If your office did not receive referred cases from tribal lands, SKIP to C11.
C6. In the fiscal year that included June 30, 2018, how many of the total cases
referred to your office were from tribal land(s)?
We did not track referred cases from tribal lands
, Referred from tribal lands
If estimate, check here:
C7. Did you include cases referred from tribal lands (C6) in the total number of
referred cases (C2) you reported?
O Yes
O No
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C8. In the fiscal year that included June 30, 2018, did your office accept any cases from
tribal lands?
O Yes
O No
If your office did not accept any cases from tribal lands, SKIP to C11.
C9. In the fiscal year that included June 30, 2018, how many of the total cases
accepted by your office were from tribal land(s)?
We did not track accepted cases from tribal lands separately
, Accepted from tribal lands
If estimate, check here:
Please Check Your Numbers! The number of your “accepted cases” from tribal lands in C9
should be LESS THAN or EQUAL TO the number of “referred cases” from tribal lands in
C6.
C10. Did you include cases accepted from tribal lands (C9) in the total number of
accepted cases (C4) you reported?
O Yes
O No
C11. In the fiscal year that included June 30, 2018, how many full autopsies did your
office conduct?
, Full autopsies
If estimate, check here:
11
C12. Some functions of a medical examiner or coroner’s office are done within one’s
own office (internally). Other functions may be done by using an outside
organization or independent facility, such as a health department or commercial
laboratory (externally).
Below, please indicate if most of the time your office provides these functions
internally, externally, if the function or service is not available to your office, or if
the function or service is not necessary for your office. Please mark one response
for each row.
My Office
Provides
this
Function
Internally
My Office
Provides
this
Function
Externally
Function or
Service Is
Not
Available
Function or
Service is
Not
Necessary
a. Death scene investigation
O
O
O
O
b. Medical record review
O
O
O
O
c. External examinations
O
O
O
O
d. Partial autopsy
(Minimal dissection, less than a
complete autopsy)
O
O
O
O
e. Complete autopsy
(Remove and examine the brain,
thoracic, and abdominal organs)
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
g. Autopsy photography
O
O
O
O
h. Forensic toxicology testing
O
O
O
O
i.
Radiology (X-rays)
O
O
O
O
j.
Metabolic screen
O
O
O
O
k. Ancillary scientific investigative
functions
(e.g., microbiology, anthropology,
histology, neuropathology, cardiac
pathology)
O
O
O
O
l.
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
Function
f.
Characterization of skeletal
remains
Cremation waivers
m. Certified death certificates
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C13. For those functions that are conducted internally at your office, who are the people
that perform those duties? Please mark all that apply.
Not
Performed
by My
Office
Autopsy
Pathologists
Coroner/NonPhysician
Death
Investigators
Other
Internal
Staff
a. Death scene
investigations
b. Determination of
which cases are
accepted/ declined
c.
External
examinations
d. Determination of
which cases are
autopsied
e. Determination of
which cases
receive forensic
toxicology testing
Duty
C14. In your office, who is responsible for notifying the next of kin? Check all that apply.
Medical examiner/coroner personnel
Family services personnel (either internal or external)
Law enforcement personnel
Someone else (please specify) __________________________________
C15. In your office, who is responsible for follow-up communication with the next of kin,
such as cultural preferences, returning belongings, and other policies and
procedures? Check all that apply.
Medical examiner/coroner personnel
Family services personnel (either internal or external)
Law enforcement personnel
Someone else (please specify) __________________________________
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SECTION D
SPECIALIZED DEATH INVESTIGATIONS
D1. Does your office have a written policy for final disposition (e.g., burial, cremation,
long-term storage) of unidentified remains after a specified period?
O Yes
O No
O Don’t know
D2. In the fiscal year that included June 30, 2018, did your office have any unidentified
remains on record?
O Yes
O No
If your office did not have any unidentified remains on record, SKIP to D6.
D3. In your office, how many total cases of unidentified remains …
a. Were on record as of June 30, 2018?
, Unidentified remains on record
If estimate, check here:
Don’
t know
b. Were on record as of June 30, 2018 and have had DNA evidence collected from
them?
, Have had DNA evidence collected
If estimate, check here:
Don’
t know
Please Check Your Numbers! Make sure the number of unidentified remains that have had
DNA evidence collected in D3b is LESS THAN or EQUAL TO those presently on record in
D3a.
14
D4. What is the year of your oldest case of unidentified remains currently on
record?
If estimate, check here:
Don’
t know
D5. In the fiscal year that included June 30, 2018, how many unidentified remains
were classified as unidentified in their final disposition?
, Unidentified in final disposition
If estimate, check here:
Don’
t know
D6. Does your office use the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, diagnosis?
O Yes
O No
D7. Does your office use the Sudden Unexplained Infant Death, or SUID, diagnosis?
O Yes
O No
D8. Are the following procedures standard parts of your office’s death investigations for
sudden, unexpected infant deaths?
Procedure
Yes
No
Don’t Know
a.
Scene investigation
O
O
O
b.
Scene re-enactment
O
O
O
c.
Comprehensive forensic toxicology
(e.g., multiple toxin screens)
O
O
O
d.
Complete autopsy
O
O
O
e.
Child or infant death review
O
O
O
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D9. Has the increase in novel psychoactive substances and the opioid epidemic changed
your strategy for forensic toxicology testing?
O Yes
O No
D10. Does your office perform presumptive toxicology testing, either on scene or at
autopsy, before sending specimens to a toxicology laboratory?
O Yes
O No
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SECTION E
RECORDS AND EVIDENCE RETENTION
E1. Does your office have a computerized system used to manage, compile, or track
cases or evidence? Such a system is also known as a computerized information
management system or CMS. This does not include the use of Excel or other
spreadsheet software to manage case information.
O Yes
O No
If you do not have a computerized system, or CMS, SKIP to E3.
E2. Is your computerized information management system or CMS networked so
that information on all cases is available to all authorized users?
O Yes
O No
E3. Does your office have a written retention schedule for the following sources?
Source
Yes
No
Don’t Know
a. Case records
O
O
O
b. Forensic toxicology specimens
O
O
O
c.
O
O
O
O
O
O
Physical evidence
d. Unidentified remains (including x-rays,
fingerprints, DNA)
E4. Are case records maintained for storage as hard copies, electronically, or both?
O Hard copies
O Electronically
O Both
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E5. Does your office archive hard copies of your official investigative records and
reports?
O Yes
O No
If your office does not archive hard copies, SKIP to F1.
E6. Are hard copies of your official investigative records and reports archived at
any of the following places? Please mark one response for each row.
Location
Yes
No
a. On site
O
O
b. A government-owned or government-paid storage
facility
O
O
c.
O
O
Some other location
If your office does not archive hard copies at some other location (you answered ‘No’ to
E6C), SKIP to F1.
E7. At what other location do you archive hard copies of your official investigative
records and reports?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
18
SECTION F
RESOURCES AND OPERATIONS
F1. Does your office have access to the Internet separate from a personal device?
O Yes
O No
F2. Does your office have access to the following resources?
Resource
Yes
No
a. Criminal history databases
O
O
b.
Fingerprint databases
O
O
c.
Prescription drug monitoring programs
O
O
F3. Does your office currently have access to the following trainings or resources, either
externally or internally?
Training or Resource
a. Mass Fatality Investigation
Yes
No
O
O
b.
Disaster planning (e.g., National Incident
Management System [NIMS])
O
O
c.
Bloodborne pathogens
O
O
d.
Proper lifting procedures
O
O
e.
Stress management
O
O
F4. Does your office participate in county/statewide emergency response drills?
O Yes
O No
19
F5. Does your office have access to the following investigative technologies, either
internally or externally?
Technology
Yes
No
a. Computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan
O
O
b. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
O
O
c.
O
O
Non-targeted forensic toxicology analysis
F6. What other investigative technologies not listed here does your office have access
to?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
F7. Does your office have access to the following specialized investigative teams, either
externally or internally?
Specialty Area
Yes
No
a. Child fatality
O
O
b. Drug case review/surveillance
O
O
c.
O
O
Vulnerable adult fatality review
20
F8. To what extent are the following resources needed to improve your ability to
complete cases?
Not at all
To some
extent
To a
moderate
extent
To a great
extent
a. Death investigation staff (e.g., medical
examiners, coroners, death
investigators, anthropologists,
histologists, forensic toxicologists)
O
O
O
O
b. Administrative and ancillary staff (e.g.,
technicians, autopsy technicians,
photographers, administrative
assistants, accountants, drivers)
O
O
O
O
c.
O
O
O
O
d. Laboratory/facility space
O
O
O
O
e. Administrative and evidence storage
facilities
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
g. Analytical instrumentation and
laboratory supplies
O
O
O
O
h. Access to literature resources (e.g.,
books, journals, electronic mailing lists,
databases)
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
Resources
f.
i.
Training
Office equipment (e.g., computers,
software)
Other (please specify)
_______________________________
21
F9. Does your office currently participate in any of these data collection efforts?
Data Collection
Yes
No
Don’t
know
a.
Combined DNA Index System (CODIS)
Sponsor: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
O
O
O
b.
Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS)
Sponsor: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA)
O
O
O
c.
National Crime Information Center (NCIC)
Sponsor: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
O
O
O
d.
National Forensic Laboratory Information System (NFLIS)
Sponsor: Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)
O
O
O
e.
National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
Sponsor: Department of Justice (DOJ)
O
O
O
f.
National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS)
Sponsor: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
O
O
O
g.
State or local data collections
O
O
O
h.
Other data collection
O
O
O
F10. Does your office have access to the following support services, either externally or
internally?
Support Service
Yes
No
a. Advocates for families of victims
O
O
b. Grief and bereavement services for survivors
(e.g. counseling or therapy, homicide survivor
groups)
O
O
O
O
O
O
c.
On-scene support or advocacy for bystanders or
other family and friends of the deceased
d. Other (please specify)
_______________________________
22
F11. Is your office located within another business, such as a funeral home?
O Yes
O No
F12. Does your office have a Department Originating Agency Identifier Number or, ORI
number?
O Yes
O No
O Don’t know
If you do not have a Department Originating Agency Identifier Number (ORI), SKIP to END.
F13. What is your Department Originating Agency Identifier Number or ORI
number?
END. Thank you for your participation in the 2018 Census of Medical Examiner and
Coroner Offices (CMEC). Your feedback is very important to us!
23
| File Type | application/pdf |
| Author | Smiley-McDonald, Hope |
| File Modified | 2018-09-07 |
| File Created | 2018-09-07 |