Week 7 Equivocal Deaths, Victimology, Suicides, Homicides, & Accident

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Read these instructions and select one (1) A question and one (1) B question to answer in the discussion thread in a single main post.

You are to write a minimum of 300-400 words for your main post and a minimum of 100-150 words for each response to a classmate. Always support your ideas, arguments, and comments with appropriately referenced (APA) literature, theory, and research. Respond with sufficient detail to support your position while citing specific examples and applying concepts from the course materials. Please ensure that you include in-text citations and a proper bibliographic reference for all of your sources, to include the course materials. Writing mechanics count in every post you make.

Turnitin (Optional for Extra Credit):

Please DO NOT put any identifying information (e.g., name, address, SSAN) in your Turnitin submissions. Pursuant to the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), students are requested to maintain confidentiality as a way to keep their personal contact information (i.e. address, telephone, etc.) from being disclosed to vendors or other outside agencies.

Post	ONE main post with BOTH ‘A’ & ‘B’ questions	Due no later than Thursday 2359 ET
Post	Exact COPY of your main post to Turnitin	Due no later than Thursday 2359 ET
Post	Response to two (2) of your classmates AND upload the Turnitin Receipt OR Similarity Report	Due no later than Sunday 2359 ET

A QUESTIONS (select one for discussion):

1. When you are investigating a suicide, the family oftentimes does not want to believe that their loved one committed suicide. Discuss how you would handle the investigation of a suicide. What is required to rule a death as a suicide? How can the requirements be met? Support your rationale.

2. What makes a death, an “equivocal death?” Please provide an example to illustrate an equivocal death. What can help determine the manner of death in equivocal death scenes? Please justify your answers.

3. In our readings, we have learned that suicide cases require more work on the part of the death investigator. Identify and discuss the reasons for this.

B QUESTIONS (select one for discussion):

1. Describe and discuss assisted suicide. There are arguments for and against this practice. Compare and contrast them. Where is assisted suicide allowed?

2. We know that homicides may be staged to look like accidents or suicides in an effort to cover up the crime. But, what are some reasons the following death scenes might be staged? What are some clues the scene might be staged?

Suicide staged to look like a homicide.

Suicide staged to look like an accident.

Accident staged to look like a suicide.

Accident staged to look like a homicide. Explain your rationale.