Citation

Snider JE, Hane S, Berman AL. Suicide Life Threat. Behav. 2006; 36(5): 511-518.

Affiliation

Marymount University, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, American Association of Suicidology, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1521/suli.2006.36.5.511

PMID

17087630

Abstract

The psychological autopsy, as a research, clinical, and forensic tool, has gained widespread usage in suicidology over the last half century. In forensic settings, the lack of standardization and problems determining the procedure's validity and reliability pose significant issues for the procedure's admissibility under the Daubert standard of evidence. The Daubert standard requires that evidence must be founded on scientific knowledge and established five guidelines for judicial decisions regarding the admissibility of expert testimony. In this paper we examine expert opinion regarding the psychological autopsy and recommend a standardized protocol or template regarding areas and lines of inquiry for a psychological autopsy used in legal cases.

Language: en