NCJ Number
57552
Journal
FORENSIC SCIENCE Volume: 10 Issue: 1 Dated: SPECIAL ISSUE (JULY/AUGUST 1977) Pages: 23-27
Editor(s)
J VOIGT
Date Published
1977
Length
5 pages
Annotation
LEGAL MEDICINE IN FRANCE FOLLOWS THE NAPOLEONIC CODE AND IS PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH DETECTION AND INVESTIGATION OF CRIMINAL DEATHS RATHER THAN THE SPECTRUM OF TRAFFIC AND OTHER DEATHS NOT CERTIFIED BY A PHYSICIAN.
Abstract
MOST FORENSIC SCIENCE AND TOXICOLOGY EXAMINATIONS ARE HANDLED BY LABORATORIES BELONGING TO THE PREFECTURE DE POLICE, WHILE EIGHT MEDICOLEGAL LABORATORIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY HANDLE FORENSIC PATHOLOGY, SEROLOGY, PSYCHIATRY, COMPENSATION FOR INJURY EXAMINATIONS, AND CLINICAL EXAMINATIONS FOR DRUNKENNESS AND SEXUAL OFFENSES. SEVEN UNIVERSITIES TRAIN FORENSIC PATHOLOGISTS AND DO LIMITED CLINICAL AND LABORATORY WORK. (THE FULL ADDRESS AND THE NAME OF THE DEPARTMENT HEAD ARE GIVEN FOR EACH UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF FORENSIC PATHOLOGY AND FOR EACH INDEPENDENT LABOATORY.) MEDIOCOLEGAL TRAINING IS POSTGRADUATE COURSE AND THE STUDENT MUST CARRY OUT PRACTICAL WORK AND EVENTUALLY OBTAIN A CERTIFICATE BEFORE ASSUMING THE STATUS OF A SPECIALIST. WHEN A DEATH OCCURS WHICH CANNOT BE CERTIFIED BY AN ATTENDING PHYSICIAN, THE CASE COMES TO THE ATTENTION OF A MEDICOLEGAL INSTITUTE EITHER THROUGH THE POLICE OR THROUGH CIVIL CHANNELS. THE DECISION TO PERFORM AN AUTOPSY IS MADE BY EITHER THE PROSECUTOR OR THE PRESIDING JUDGE IN A CRIMINAL CASE. PARIS HAS ONLY ABOUT 3,000 FULL AUTOPSIES A YEAR, A LOW RATE WHICH REFLECTS THE FOCUS ON CRIMINAL CASES. THE PROFESSION OF OF FORENSIC MEDICINE HAS DECLINED IN RECENT YEARS, SPARKING COMMISSION INVESTIGATIONS. EXCEPT IN BIG CITIES, LEGAL MEDICINE PROVIDES A POOR LIVING; SOME FORM OF DISTRICTWIDE FORENSIC SERVICE IS BEING RECOMMENDED. (GLR)