STANDARDIZATION MODEL FOR DESCRIBING THE EXTENT OF BURN INJURY TO HUMAN REMAINS

This paper provides a model for standardizing descriptions of the exte nt of burn injury to human bodies consumed in fire. Its intent is to s implify and make comparable case reports and legal descriptions by med ical examiners, pathologists, crime scene investigators, forensic odon tologists, forensic anthropologists, fire fighters, paramedics, and ot hers responsible for recovery, analysis, or identification or burn vic tims. The Crow-Glassman scale (CGS) is divided into five levels depict ing increasing destruction to the body relative to burn injury. Each l evel relates to a unique set of circumstances that may affect on the r ecovery procedure, analysis strategy for identification, and choice of personnel most suited for making identifications.