NCJ Number
10759
Journal
Police Research Bulletin Issue: 21 Dated: (SPRING 1973) Pages: 37-47
Date Published
1973
Length
11 pages
Annotation
THE LANCASHIRE CONSTABULARY'S FIELD TRIALS WITH TWO DOGS SPECIALLY TRAINED IN CARRION DETECTION DEMONSTRATE THE POTENTIAL OF USING DOGS FOR CORPSE DETECTION.
Abstract
PIG CORPSES USED IN THE TRIALS WERE BURIED AT DEPTHS GREATER THAN THOSE LIKELY TO BE ENCOUNTERED IN TYPICAL SEARCHES FOR MURDER VICTIMS. THE DOGS DISPLAYED CONSIDERABLE ABILITY IN DETECTING CORPSES BOTH BURIED AND CONCEALED IN VEGETATION. SUCH FACTORS AS PREVAILING WEATHER CONDITIONS, TYPE OF SOIL AND AGE OF BURIAL HAD NO SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON THE DOGS ABILITY, ALTHOUGH LOW HUMIDITY AND WARM AIR TEMPERATURES WERE FOUND TO IMPROVE POSSIBILITIES FOR SUCCESS. THE RATE OF GROUND SEARCH WAS SATISFACTORILY RAPID. THE RESEARCHERS RECOMMEND THAT DOGS BE USED BEFORE MANUAL SEARCHING HAS DISTURBED THE AREA IN QUESTION. THE TRAINING REGIMEN AND STATISTICAL TRIAL RESULTS ARE INCLUDED.