ABSTRACT
The most efficient procedure to document the findings of an on-scene body assessment is to use a standard body recovery checklist. This allows the investigator to record the observations made during the assessment and accurately document injuries by using the appropriate supplement form. After the first noting and documenting the position of the body (i.e., supine, prone, fetal, on one side or the other, or even entrapped within a vessel or the vehicle compartment), an on-scene body assessment is done by beginning at the head and checking all around the head, the face, the neck, behind the ears, and back of the head. If the investigator is using a postmortem fingerprinting kit, it will include a fingerprinting spoon. This is simply a curved device that allows the investigator to place a fingerprint card on the inside portion of the spoon.
