Each state in the US bears an exceptional death examination formula. This is because the criminal justice system has delegated the responsibility of carrying out death inquests to law enforcement agents and medical officers. Travis and Rau (2000) assert that law enforcement agents and medical officers play a critical role in ensuring that crimes scenes, physical evidence, and forensic investigation procedures receive protection from undue external influences (p.13). Given the complexity of death investigation procedures, the criminal justice system must adopt appropriate procedures that suit its jurisdictions depending on the occurrence and nature of crimes. Therefore, since death investigation procedures vary from one state to another due to the difference in statutes and codes, this essay examines the death investigation statutes of Texas.
The statutes of Texas require the criminal justice system to carry out an inquest into the causes of deaths that occur mysteriously to ascertain the cause of death. According to Texas Constitution and Statutes (2011), chapter 49 provides that justice of peace need to investigate the death of a person who dies within the jurisdiction of a county (p.2). Chapter 49 of Texas statutes provides that an investigating officer needs to conduct an inquest into deaths that occur mysteriously. For example, unnatural causes of death such as suicide, medical negligence by medical professionals, and murder require an inquest. Moreover, a death inquest is also necessary under particular circumstances, for example, when a physician is unable to certify the cause of death, when a child below six years of age dies or when a family requests for an inquest. However, a death inquest cannot occur in instances where a person dies due to normal conditions of the jail when a physician has certified the cause of death and is under legal execution.
The death investigation system of Texas entails law enforcement agents, medical officers, and courts. When a death occurs under mysterious circumstances as in cases of crime, law enforcement agents have the responsibility of gathering primary evidence that is going to guide investigations. If there is not enough evidence to ascertain the cause of death, courts issue orders to a medical officer to conduct further inquest through autopsy based on available evidence. According to Texas Constitution and Statutes (2011), if a medical officer establishes the cause of death beyond any reasonable doubt, the medical officer should file a report delineating the cause of death with the criminal district attorney or county where the death occurred (p.22). Thus, law enforcement agents, courts, and medical officers coordinate in conducting a death investigation, and thus they form part of the death investigation system. The death investigation system of Texas is sufficient for the city population because it provides the systemic approach of investigating in a manner that is effective, expedient, and transparent for the people to see and appreciate justice.
Statistics show the law enforcement agency of Texas as one of the leading agencies in the United States, as it has conclusively tackled more than 75% of murder cases. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, diseases cause about 30% of deaths, homicide causes about 17%, suicide cause about 6%, while unknown causes make about 2% (p.17). Under homicide, statistics further indicate that 16% occurs due to felony while 52% occurs due to non-felony circumstances. In criminology, a high percentage of homicide occurs due to frequent incidences of crime with which Texas is grappling. The statistics of death confirm that Texas is averagely experiencing cases of crime as compared to other states in the United States.
References
Texas Constitution and Statutes. (2011). Inquests upon Dead Persons. Code of Criminal Procedure, 1-27.
Texas Department of Public Safety. (2009). Index Crime Analysis. Crime in Texas, 15-31.
Travis, J., & Rau, R. (2000). Crime Scene Investigation: A Guide for Law Enforcement. National Institute of Justice, 1-58.