Archiwum medycyny sa̧dowej i kryminologii
-
Arch Med Sadowej Kryminol · Oct 2009
Review[Mental state and the criminal responsibility--legal regulations and medical criteria in Poland and other countries].
In contemporary civilized legal systems, sanity is a prerequisite for criminal responsibility of the perpetrator. Thus, insanity resulting from certain psychiatric and psychological disorders is a circumstance excluding the guilt. ⋯ These differences in particular appear among systems of continental European states as opposed to these, in which the judiciary system is derived from the English law. The paper presents and discusses in detail the legal and medical considerations of insanity defense in Poland, as well as outlines the legal foundations of this issue in other countries of Europe, North America and Australia.
-
Arch Med Sadowej Kryminol · Oct 2007
Review[The role of a forensic medicine expert in criminal proceedings].
The author describes actual cases from his practice as a policeman. He also presents the opinions of well-known and highly valued forensic medicine experts and lawyers about the discussed criminal cases. ⋯ He deals mainly with the role played by a forensic medicine expert in formulating possible versions of the event and establishing a direction the investigation should follow. The author's practice shows that it is only a good cooperation with a forensic medicine expert that can ensure a correct, fast and successful investigation.
-
Arch Med Sadowej Kryminol · Jul 2007
Review[Spinal cord injuries -- opinions represented by neurologists].
Neurologists distinguish two mechanisms of spinal cord injury (SCI): a closed injury and a penetrating injury. A mechanical damage to the spinal cord, particularly to its central segment, results in a secondary injury to the nervous tissue (such as ischemia and spinal cord edema). A neurological examination following SCI is primarily aimed at the injury assessment and evaluation on rating scales. ⋯ Sixty one percent of the injured parties are between the ages of 16 and 30 years. Nearly one half of SCI cases results from traffic accidents. The most frequently affected segments include the cervical spinal cord (C1-C8) level and the thoracolumbar (ThL) spinal cord.
-
Arch Med Sadowej Kryminol · Jul 2007
Review[Depression --the most pragmatic diagnosis in medico-legal opinionating].
As it follows from the expertise practice of the authors, broadly understood "depression syndrome" is the most common diagnosis occurring in sick-leave certificates provided for legal procedures to the court. This problem is encountered in penal, civil and insurance cases. ⋯ Hence, several questions emerge: (1) Why does such a particular diagnosis prevail? (2) Is there another disease entity in psychiatry, which has such a broadly reactive background? On the basis of a particular case the authors formulate the problem of the appropriately understood interest of the patient. Does the current protection against broadly understood legal consequences cause the patient to fixate on the defense mechanisms and -- in consequence -- degradation of his functioning?
-
Arch Med Sadowej Kryminol · Jul 2007
Review[Comments on histopathology examinations in forensic medicine -- the importance, indications and basic principles of preserving the tissues].
Histopathology examinations and their usefulness in postmortem diagnosis and medico-legal expertise have always been regarded extremely important by the Faculty of the Chair and Department of Forensic Medicine at the Medical University of Gdansk. The authors postulate acceptance of indication criteria for histopathology examination in forensic autopsies and propose rules for collecting tissue samples from internal organs and the placenta. They also remind the readers of the principles of proceeding with the preserved material. The present paper may be helpful for doctors other than forensic pathologists, who perform autopsies in institutions other than university departments of forensic medicine.