The National Center for Health Statistics issued
The National Center for Health Statistics issued a report in 2011 (NCHS Data Brief, No. 67, August 2011) based on studies of autopsies conducted from 1972 to 2007. The report concluded that the total number of autopsies declined by about 50 percent during that period, mainly because of limited use of autopsies in deaths caused by disease.In cases of death due to external causes, autopsies were performed in 97.1 percent of cases of assault, 80.8 percent of cases in which the cause of death was undetermined, 79 percent of suspected poisonings, and 59.9 percent of suicides. The report also found that autopsies were ordered in 60 percent of the deaths of persons in the 15-24 age group with the percentage of autopsies declining with age. In the 65-to-74 age group, only 4.2 percent of deaths were followed by an autopsy. Some states have laws that mandate an autopsy in any death which is unattended.In light of the above data, respond to the following questions:Is such a law practicable?Would you recommend that all states have such laws? Why or why not?Is it possible or likely that crimes are going undetected in those states that do not have such a law?
