Archiv Fur Kriminologie[JOURNAL]
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200 papers
[How relevant is the risk of losing evidence due to delayed blood sampling? Conclusions from the evaluation of blood analysis results].
Toennes SW, Wunder C, Paulke A … +1 more , Verhoff MA
Arch Kriminol · 2015 · PMID 26419082
If the order of a judge to take a blood sample can only be obtained with a marked delay after the incident, evidence proving that a suspect had been driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs of abuse may be lost. T...
If the order of a judge to take a blood sample can only be obtained with a marked delay after the incident, evidence proving that a suspect had been driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs of abuse may be lost. The evaluation of blood analysis results from the Institute of Legal Medicine in Frankfurt/Main from the years 2012-2014 shows that in 1.6 to 11.6% of positive cases, the drug concentrations were near the legal limits (20.2% of alcohol-positive and 7.5% of illicit drugs-positive samples). A loss of evidence can thus be expected in a large number of cases when the time between the police check of a driver and the collection of a blood sample increases. Blood concentrations of alcohol and drugs of abuse, especially tetrahydrocannabinol, cocaine, methamphetamine, and morphine, may already have dropped significantly after a delay of only half an hour. These delays are typically due to the time elapsing until the order to take a blood sample has been obtained from a judge and a medical doctor becomes available and arrives at the police station to draw a blood sample. The recommendation of medicolegal experts is to keep the time between police check of a suspect and blood sampling as short as possible. In routine cases, a realistic maximum of one hour should not be exceeded.
[Pre- and perimortem bone trauma vs. postmortem damages-- Principles of differentiation].
Holz F, Birngruber CG, Verhoff MA
Arch Kriminol · 2015 · PMID 26399122
In medicolegal practice, evidence of trauma or damage on human skeletons or single bones raises the question whether this was inflicted in an antemortem, perimortem, or postmortem time frame. Trauma that occurred around...
In medicolegal practice, evidence of trauma or damage on human skeletons or single bones raises the question whether this was inflicted in an antemortem, perimortem, or postmortem time frame. Trauma that occurred around the time of death, i. e., perimortem trauma, is of special forensic interest, as it can yield clues about the manner and cause of death. Perimortem traumas thus need to be carefully distinguished both from antemortem injuries that were evidently survived (these can still be useful for identification purposes) and from postmortem damage, as may occur during retrieval of remains. This study offers an up-to-date review of the specialist literature, e. g. textbooks and pubmed-listed publications, identifying differentiation criteria for ante- and perimortem traumas and postmortem damage. The results that are useful for practice in actual medicolegal casework are presented, and an overview of all macroscopically visible criteria (including simple magnifications, i. e., magnifying glass) that can be used to distinguish between ante- and perimortem traumas on the one side, and postmortem damage on the other is given. The difficulty of distinguishing antemortem trauma and postmortem damage from perimortem trauma rises sharply the closer in time they were inflicted to the time of the death event. Additional postmortem changes due to exposure of the bones to the surrounding deposition conditions may also occur after the relevant postmortem damage or antemortem trauma was inflicted and further complicate the problem. In this context, the "perimortem interval" and the "Fracture Freshness Index" (FFI) are discussed as means to classify the time frame of traumas.
[Suicide in childhood or accidental hanging? A case report].
Wöllner K, Kernbach-Wighton G, Madea B
Arch Kriminol · 2015 · PMID 26399121
Suicides of children, adolescents and young adults are a rare manner of death. Hanging is the dominant suicide method in all age groups. Risk factors for suicide at a young age are mental diseases, use of illicit drugs,...
Suicides of children, adolescents and young adults are a rare manner of death. Hanging is the dominant suicide method in all age groups. Risk factors for suicide at a young age are mental diseases, use of illicit drugs, antisocial behaviour and problems within the family. A 10-year-old boy was found to have hanged himself with a scarf at the handrail of a staircase. He had had school problems and was often sent home earlier as he tended to disturb classes. In the week prior to his death the headmaster of his school had told him that he should better attend another type of school. The deceased's elder brother had recorded a video with his mobile phone some years before showing his sister in a simulated hanging situation. Apart from the macroscopic and microscopic findings of the reported case, the frequency and special characteristics of suicides in childhood and adolescence are discussed.
[Obesity--comorbidities and causes of death].
Klatte J, Sperhake J, Gehl A … +1 more , Püschel K
Arch Kriminol · 2015 · PMID 26399120
53% of the forensically autopsied decedents in Hamburg were overweight. The cause of death and any comorbidities, especially coronary heart disease, are often associated with the obese condition. This correlation is illu...
53% of the forensically autopsied decedents in Hamburg were overweight. The cause of death and any comorbidities, especially coronary heart disease, are often associated with the obese condition. This correlation is illustrated by two examples, viz. a 65- and a 56-year-old man with grade III obesity, which do not only show the medical but also the logistical problems that come along with it.
[Fatal child abuse, bodily injury followed by death or accidental fall?].
Madea B, Banaschak S
Arch Kriminol · 2015 · PMID 26399119
Cases in which forensic experts cannot draw their conclusions on the basis of primary findings collected by themselves are not uncommon in medico-legal practice. Often only photographs or statements on the course of even...
Cases in which forensic experts cannot draw their conclusions on the basis of primary findings collected by themselves are not uncommon in medico-legal practice. Often only photographs or statements on the course of events are available to investigate the plausibility of reports on how an accident happened. In cases of child abuse it is often claimed that the injuries occurred due to an accident and explanations are adapted to the diagnostic findings or results of the police investigations. This is demonstrated by the death of a 3-year-and-3-month-old child whose body was never found. According to the father, who had disposed of the body and made false statements as to the whereabouts of the child, the toddler had slipped in the bathtub and hit her head against the fittings and the floor of the tub. Some time later he claimed to have found the child dead in the bedroom. Contrary to his version, the prosecution assumed that the child had been killed intentionally The essential points for checking the plausibility of the father's story are presented. As a result, an accidental fall in the bathtub causing a lethal craniocerebral trauma could be ruled out. Accordingly, the accused was sentenced to 6 years and 6 months' imprisonment for bodily harm followed by death according to Sections 227, 223 StGB (German Criminal Code).
[Sauna deaths in Hesse, Germany, between 1994 and 2014].
Plenzig S, Birngruber CG, Kettner M … +2 more , Held H, Verhoff MA
Arch Kriminol · 2015 · PMID 26399118
Due to the high ambient temperature, sauna deaths show a few confounding particularities, such as an accelerated onset of the postmortem changes, that can make correct assessment of the manner of death difficult and seve...
Due to the high ambient temperature, sauna deaths show a few confounding particularities, such as an accelerated onset of the postmortem changes, that can make correct assessment of the manner of death difficult and severely constrain the accuracy of post- mortem interval estimates. This retrospective study, performed at the medicolegal institutes in Hesse, Germany, reviewed all autopsy reports from the years 1994-2014 for sauna-related deaths. 9 relevant cases were found involving one woman and eight men aged between 52 and 80 years (mean and median value: 67 years). Of the individuals who had died of a natural cause, four were found to have had coronary heart disease, which, in the setting of heart hypertrophy and exposure to high temperatures, ultimately led to cardiac failure. In three other cases, a non-natural cause of death had been diagnosed; however, all were attributable to accidents. In two of these, blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) of over two per mil were found. In our opinion, the manner of death should be classified as undetermined in sauna-related fatalities. Such cases require a court-ordered autopsy to reliably identify the actual cause of death.
[Conventional radiology versus the increasing importance of post-mortem computed tomography].
Heinze S, Uebbing K, Ralf-Jürgen Schroder … +2 more , Urban R, Breitmeier D
Arch Kriminol · 2014 · PMID 26548027
Radiological imaging can provide valuable additional information, facilitate and improve the quality of subsequent autopsy. Although the use of cross-sectional imaging methods is increasing, they are not always available...
Radiological imaging can provide valuable additional information, facilitate and improve the quality of subsequent autopsy. Although the use of cross-sectional imaging methods is increasing, they are not always available in medico-legal practice. In many cases it is advisable to perform conventional X-rays before autopsy, especially in cases of gunshot injuries, as illustrated by a case in which the victim suffered several gunshot wounds with one projectile lodged in a vertebral body. The radiological findings essentially contributed to the rapid location of the projectiles and the reconstruction of the bullet paths.
[Corpse disposal by embedding it in concrete--a rare form of preserving a body over a period of 5 years and 10 months].
Doberentz E, Wöllner K, Madea B
Arch Kriminol · 2014 · PMID 26548026
Final disposal of a homicide victim in concrete is rare. Often missing persons are reported to the police, but the right of adults to determine their whereabouts can make it very difficult to locate them. A 40-year-old w...
Final disposal of a homicide victim in concrete is rare. Often missing persons are reported to the police, but the right of adults to determine their whereabouts can make it very difficult to locate them. A 40-year-old woman had been missing for 5 years and 10 months. She was found by the police in the cellar of the family's house, packed in airtight plastic film and embedded in concrete. The husband admitted to have killed her by manual strangulation after an argument during which she fell on the head. His statements were confirmed by the findings obtained from the very well preserved body. The autopsy results were generally consistent with manual strangulation. The literature does not contain many case reports on this rare method of disposing of a body. In the reported case, the postmortem period was remarkably long and the corpse was in a good state of preservation.
[Use of sonography in splinter injuries: a model simulation].
Dizdari X, Keister G, Zimmer J … +1 more , Otte A
Arch Kriminol · 2014 · PMID 26548025
In many clinical disciplines and in forensics, non-visible splinter injuries are still a diagnostic challenge. In clinical routine, this kind of injury is diagnosed by radiography whereas ultrasound has not yet been appl...
In many clinical disciplines and in forensics, non-visible splinter injuries are still a diagnostic challenge. In clinical routine, this kind of injury is diagnosed by radiography whereas ultrasound has not yet been applied for this indication. We, therefore, investigated the role of ultrasound in the detection of splinters by using gelatine and meat models. Splinters were from wood, roses, plastics, metal, and glass. All splinters were easily detectable by ultrasound. The ultrasound models were compared with X-ray images and, in the case of a rose thorn scarcely visible in the conventional X-ray image, with a CT scan. As demonstrated by the promising results of this simulation, ultrasound may be a significant improvement for in vivo and post mortem diagnostics of splinter injuries as compared to conventional X-ray imaging.
[Semi-structured interviews on suicidality in the Hamburg pre-trial detention center].
Djerkovic D, Jasker J, Kunze-Klempert S … +4 more , Morick Y, Thiel A, Briken P, Klaus Püschell
Arch Kriminol · 2014 · PMID 26548024
A detailed study regarding inmates' suicides was conducted in the detention center of Holstenglacis Hamburg (UHA). This study was triggered by an above-average number of attempted and committed suicides in detention cent...
A detailed study regarding inmates' suicides was conducted in the detention center of Holstenglacis Hamburg (UHA). This study was triggered by an above-average number of attempted and committed suicides in detention centers in Germany and in particular, two committed suicides in the above-mentioned prison in early 2012. In this qualitative empirical study, 20 semi-structured interviews were conducted with inmates and staff of the UHA Hamburg. The focus was placed on aspects encountered in the daily life within the detention center and stressful situations that could encourage suicides. This article presents the most striking results of the study which are used as a basis for proposing several preventative measures. The aim of this article is to present new ideas and methods conducive to a decrease in the number of suicides in detention centers at minimal costs and personnel expenses.
[Walcher's hat brim line rule--a literature review].
Geserick G, Krocker K, Wirth I
Arch Kriminol · 2014 · PMID 26548023
The first description in the forensic medical literature of a demarcation line for the localization of head injuries resulting from falling to the ground appears in Kratter (1919). Regarding a similar line, Walcher (1931...
The first description in the forensic medical literature of a demarcation line for the localization of head injuries resulting from falling to the ground appears in Kratter (1919). Regarding a similar line, Walcher (1931) later introduced the relation to the hat brim (Hutkrempe), which gave the rule its name: the hat brim line rule (Hutkrempenregel). Thenceforth it was supposed to be called Kratter's and Walcher's hat brim line rule (Kratter-Walcher'sche Hutkrempenregel). Over the following decades, not only its content but also the area of application and the definition of the hat brim line rule were repeatedly, and in part significantly, altered. This could be one of the reasons for the confusing diversity of academic opinions about the rule's applicability. Generally, the hat brim line rule should be retained in its original sense: Fall-related injuries do not lie above the hat brim line if the fall occurred from a standing position to the ground, without intermediary blows to the head. If applied in this way, the rule can be a helpful point of orientation for experts. The demarcation line in the original anatomical definition according to Kratter (1919) should also be used henceforth: the line which connects "the frontal eminence, the parietal eminence and the tip of the occipital plate" and lies "somewhat.above the usual saw-line of the calvarium". This line corresponds roughly to the hat brim line as it is understood by hat makers. The hat brim line rule should not be applied with regard to small children, as they show a different falling behaviour due to their disproportionately large and heavy heads. The rule is also in no way applicable to the assessment of injuries from blows, falls from a height (including from stairs) or traffic accidents. There is an urgent need for research as to the applicability of the hat brim line rule in relation to falling backwards, particularly in cases of high alcohol consumption.
[Cranial CT as basis for reconstruction of events and identification of a weapon].
Madea B
Arch Kriminol · 2014 · PMID 25122994
Radiological findings, especially CT scans, are of great importance in the reconstruction of events and may also be helpful to identify the weapon used. This is illustrated by a briefly survived craniocerebral trauma who...
Radiological findings, especially CT scans, are of great importance in the reconstruction of events and may also be helpful to identify the weapon used. This is illustrated by a briefly survived craniocerebral trauma whose origin was controversially discussed. A 51-year-old man had suffered a severe craniocerebral trauma in a robbery. The CT scans revealed fractures of the left parietal region, among them a spider's web fracture, on the cause of which opinions differed (fall or blow). It was also unclear which of the three confiscated objects (empty wine bottle, bending iron, wooden hammer) was used for the assault. Evaluation of the CT findings showed that at least two blows had obviously been inflicted to the cranial skull. Apart from several injuries of the scalp due to blows, the typical combination of findings in the occipital region and contre-coup lesions suggested that the head had also hit the ground due to a fall. The soft tissue injuries may have been caused by all the three confiscated objects. The bony injuries were most probably caused by the bending iron, whereas the wooden hammer and the wine bottle could be ruled out as the causative weapon or were at least highly improbable.
[Hand injuries by pyrotechnic articles--case report and reconstructive experimental investigations].
Schröder AS, Jahnke P, Hessler C … +1 more , Lockemann U
Arch Kriminol · 2014 · PMID 25122993
Injuries caused by explosions of fireworks often involve people's hands. The case of a young man who suffered severe hand injuries as well as damage to both eardrums and one eye is described. Reconstructive experimental...
Injuries caused by explosions of fireworks often involve people's hands. The case of a young man who suffered severe hand injuries as well as damage to both eardrums and one eye is described. Reconstructive experimental investigations of the explosive effect of six different pyrotechnic articles were carried out using human hands from body donors. With the most powerful firecrackers that used to be legally available in Germany ("Super-Böller A", "Kanonenschlag") and a self-made one with 36 g gunpowder only blackening of the skin occurred. Three pyrotechnic articles not allowed in Germany ("La Bomba", "Color salute" and "Vogelschreck") caused serious injury to the hand's soft tissue and bones.
[Intentional poisoning of two wives by their husband?].
Wollersen H, Erdmann F, Dettmeyer RB
Arch Kriminol · 2014 · PMID 25122992
The authors report on the death of two women who were married to the same man one after the other. Exhumation and toxicological investigation of the first wife, who had died 7 years before, did not produce any conclusive...
The authors report on the death of two women who were married to the same man one after the other. Exhumation and toxicological investigation of the first wife, who had died 7 years before, did not produce any conclusive evidence of homicide. With regard to the circumstances of death of the second wife the husband made different statements. According to the result of the chemical and toxicological investigations death was caused by acute intoxication with the beta-blocker metoprolol. The man was found guilty of killing on request (which is a criminal offence in Germany) by administering the beta-blocker metoprolol through a transnasal gastric tube.
[Hans Gross as an archaeologist--the significance of archaeology for 'encyclopedic' criminology].
Karl S, Bachhiesl C
Arch Kriminol · 2014 · PMID 25122991
In some cases, forensics and criminology have to cooperate with disciplines that usually are counted among the humanities, e.g. with archaeology. This article examines the significance of this cooperation for the crimino...
In some cases, forensics and criminology have to cooperate with disciplines that usually are counted among the humanities, e.g. with archaeology. This article examines the significance of this cooperation for the criminological epistemology at the turn of the 19th century. These methodological considerations are illustrated by an example: When Hans Gross, who became the founder of the Austrian School of Criminology later, saw an unusually shaped hill near Feldbach, a town in southern Styria, he assumed this hill to be a burial mound and informed the responsible archaeological authorities immediately. Further investigations showed, however, that this hill was a natural formation. This is an early example for interdisciplinary cooperation, which proves that both in archaeology and in criminology a thorough inspection of the site is decisive for further scientific analysis of the topic of research.
[Cause and manner of death in the autopsy material of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, from 2002-2006].
Schindler T, Dettmeyer RB, Wollersen H
Arch Kriminol · 2014 · PMID 25122990
A retrospective analysis of the autopsy material of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, in the years 2002 to 2006 showed that the Giessen material is similar to that of comparable studie...
A retrospective analysis of the autopsy material of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, in the years 2002 to 2006 showed that the Giessen material is similar to that of comparable studies but contains a relatively large share of lethal intoxications and cases with a concrete suspicion of poisoning in which the cause of death was not definitely clarified by further investigations. On the basis of our own results it is demonstrated that additional chemical, toxicological and histological examinations are helpful to determine initially unclear causes of death. In view of the already very low autopsy rates in Germany it is strange that more detailed diagnostic measures are often omitted.
[The medicolegal relevance of benign and malignant coronary artery anomalies].
Plenzig S, Verhoff MA, Zedler B … +1 more , Held H
Arch Kriminol · 2014 · PMID 25122989
Isolated coronary anomalies are rare abnormalities that can be divided into benign and malignant forms. Malignant coronary artery abnormalities generally present already during infancy or early childhood by causing sympt...
Isolated coronary anomalies are rare abnormalities that can be divided into benign and malignant forms. Malignant coronary artery abnormalities generally present already during infancy or early childhood by causing symptoms or sudden death. Benign abnormalities often remain asymptomatic because they are hemodynamically irrelevant. Among the 12,985 autopsies performed at the Institute of Legal Medicine at the University of Frankfurt (Germany) between 1995 and 2013, there were eight cases (0.062%) with isolated coronary artery abnormalities. Five of these cases (0.039%) could be included in our retrospective study. These involved one deceased female and four deceased male subjects, aged between 2 and 57 years. In three of these cases (aged 6, 9, and 11 years old), the coronary anomaly was classified as malignant and was recorded as the cause of death. Benign isolated coronary anomalies are often incidental findings during autopsies. However, in one of the cases in our study, coronary sclerosis in precisely the anomalous vessel was found to be the origin of a fatal myocardial infarction. Malignant isolated coronary artery anomalies attain medicolegal significance when they remain undetected despite advanced early detection protocols and cause sudden death in childhood.
[Identification of an exhumed unknown infant through DNA analysis].
Jopp E, Püschel K, Warschke C … +2 more , Kaufmann R, Krebs O
Arch Kriminol · 2014 · PMID 25004622
The article reports on the exhumation and subsequent DNA analysis of the skeletal remains of an unknown male newborn from 1988. Molecular biological methods confirmed the maternity of a woman who was already convicted of...
The article reports on the exhumation and subsequent DNA analysis of the skeletal remains of an unknown male newborn from 1988. Molecular biological methods confirmed the maternity of a woman who was already convicted of infanticide. Since homicide could not be clearly proven and manslaughter becomes barred by the statute of limitation after 20 years, the woman cannot be held accountable for the alleged killing of her first child.
[Unusual findings in carbon monoxide-related deaths].
Hecht L, Dittmann V, Dussy F … +1 more , Gerlach K
Arch Kriminol · 2014 · PMID 25004621
The authors present three cases of carbon monoxide poisoning (two suicides and one accident) from the autopsy material of the Institute of Legal Medicine at Basel, which are unusual with regard to the circumstances at th...
The authors present three cases of carbon monoxide poisoning (two suicides and one accident) from the autopsy material of the Institute of Legal Medicine at Basel, which are unusual with regard to the circumstances at the scene of death, the method of suicide and the post-mortem findings: Suicide of a 27-year-old male by burning charcoal in the bathroom, documentation of the suicide and previous attempted suicides on a tablet PC. Suicide of a 27-year-old male by carbon monoxide chemically, produced by dehydration of formic acid with sulphuric acid and inhalation of the gas through a breathing mask. Accidental carbon monoxide poisoning of a 34-year-old male by car exhaust fumes in an open garage. Difficult establishment of the diagnosis in the post-mortem examination due to unspecific colour of livores and varnished fingernails.
[Nicolò Paganini: Devil's violinist because of abnormal hands?--New investigations using a bronze cast from the right hand].
Otte A
Arch Kriminol · 2014 · PMID 25004620
This paper presents new measurements of a bronze cast from the right hand of the famous Italian violin virtuoso Nicolò Paganini (1782-1840). These are compared to anthropometric standard values. In addition, detailed dor...
This paper presents new measurements of a bronze cast from the right hand of the famous Italian violin virtuoso Nicolò Paganini (1782-1840). These are compared to anthropometric standard values. In addition, detailed dorsal and palmar views of the cast are shown. With a middle finger length of 75 mm, the palm width is 60 mm and the hand length 152 mm, which is significantly below the 5% percentile of today's standard values. Also the finger length index (0.55), the ratio of finger length to palm length (0.98) and the ratio of finger length to palm width (1.25) are significantly above normal limits. Hence, Paganini had abnormal hand measurements with a very small palm and relatively "long" fingers. This remarkable constellation, among others, could have been advantageous for his amazing skills as a violinist.
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