FACT FILE 4- pathologists
Description of role: pathologists are medical doctors who specialise in studying the causes of disease
and death, including the examination of dead bodies and body tissue in post mortem (autopsy)
examinations. When homicide is suspected, home-office registered forensic pathologists provide a
24/7 service to assist the police and coroner in stabling the probable cause of death. At the post-
mortem the pathologist does a detailed external examination of the body for any signs of foul play.
depending on the case they may also examine internal organs and take tissue samples for lab
analysis. They can also advise the police on how to recover the body from the crime scene to avoid
vital trace evidence being lost. Before the body is released burial or cremation a ‘defence’ post
mortem may be carried out on behalf of the defendant of the case, conducted by a different
pathologist. Once all the test results are collected the
pathologist produces a report for the coroner and a
witness statement for the police. He or she may be
asked to advise police and prosecutors through the
investigation and to give evidence in court.
Strengths of role:
● they can often provide conclusive scientific evidence as to the cause and time of death. they
may prove decisive in establishing guilt or innocence in the suspect.
Weakness of role:
● There are only about 35 home office registered forensic pathologists in england and wales.
This is partly because it is a highly specialised role involving up to 7 years of further training
after first qualifying as a doctor.
● As a highly trained specialist, pathologists are paid very well and can be a very expensive
part in a criminal investigation.
● The job can be emotionally demanding, given the nature of the cases and the condition of
the deceased. After 27 years as a forensic pathologist , richard shepard was diagnosed with
ptsd from having to suppress emotions involved in work.
Description of role: pathologists are medical doctors who specialise in studying the causes of disease
and death, including the examination of dead bodies and body tissue in post mortem (autopsy)
examinations. When homicide is suspected, home-office registered forensic pathologists provide a
24/7 service to assist the police and coroner in stabling the probable cause of death. At the post-
mortem the pathologist does a detailed external examination of the body for any signs of foul play.
depending on the case they may also examine internal organs and take tissue samples for lab
analysis. They can also advise the police on how to recover the body from the crime scene to avoid
vital trace evidence being lost. Before the body is released burial or cremation a ‘defence’ post
mortem may be carried out on behalf of the defendant of the case, conducted by a different
pathologist. Once all the test results are collected the
pathologist produces a report for the coroner and a
witness statement for the police. He or she may be
asked to advise police and prosecutors through the
investigation and to give evidence in court.
Strengths of role:
● they can often provide conclusive scientific evidence as to the cause and time of death. they
may prove decisive in establishing guilt or innocence in the suspect.
Weakness of role:
● There are only about 35 home office registered forensic pathologists in england and wales.
This is partly because it is a highly specialised role involving up to 7 years of further training
after first qualifying as a doctor.
● As a highly trained specialist, pathologists are paid very well and can be a very expensive
part in a criminal investigation.
● The job can be emotionally demanding, given the nature of the cases and the condition of
the deceased. After 27 years as a forensic pathologist , richard shepard was diagnosed with
ptsd from having to suppress emotions involved in work.
