Understanding the Impact of a Death Treated as Not Suspicious

Death can be classified in a number of different ways. A coroner or medical examiner and law enforcement tend to utilize two broad categories when they are called to the death scene and undertake some level of investigation. These expansive categories of classification are deaths that are suspicious and deaths that are not suspicious. Although…

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The Pervasive and Persistent Negative Impacts of Housing Instability on Pre-Teen Children

Housing instability is a widespread problem throughout the United States, including in Ft. Collins and in Colorado generally. A common misconception amongst the general public about housing instability is that younger children are resilient and quite capable of “going with the flow” when a family is faced with housing instability. In fact, housing instability has…

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Mysterious Circumstances Surrounding a Death: A Coroner’s Duties When a Cause of Death Is Never Known

Mysterious deaths are not just the stuff of movies and television. Rather, every day in Southern California and elsewhere around the world, deaths occur (or are discovered) in which the cause is not readily available. Like many people, you may wonder what happens if no cause of death is found. Situations in Which a Cause…

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The Hoarder Next Door: How to Deal With a Neighbor or Tenant Who Hoards

Hoarding is defined as a mental health condition in which a person accumulates a growing mass of items, objects which may have absolutely no value. A person with hoarding disorder becomes emotionally overwhelmed at the prospect of having to get rid of excessively accumulated items, even what can fairly be categorized as trash or garbage.…

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How Does a Coroner Determine the Cause of Death?

A coroner has the primary legal responsibility of ascertaining the cause of death in certain circumstances. A coroner or medical examiner has a typically standard course of action this followed to determine the cause of death. Cause of Death Versus Manner of Death Oftentimes, the terms “cause of death” and “manner of death” are used…

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How Long Does a Death Investigation Take?

Like many people, you’ve watched more than a few television programs and films that involve homicide or death investigations. The alarming reality is that a considerable segment of the population will have some sort of direct connection with a death investigation involving the circumstances of a friend or family member’s passing. You may have a…

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Understanding a New Deadly Superbug Infecting Americans: Candida Auris Fungus Can Cause Serious and Even Fatal Illness

Headlines around the world are sounding alarmed: Candida Auris: Deadly Superbug Fungus Posing a Serious Global Health Threat The important thing about these headlines is that they echo what is being announced by the world’s major health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States. Because of the very real…

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Is It Possible to Refuse an Autopsy?

Autopsies are performed in the state of California and across the country as a means of ascertaining the cause of death. There exist fairly strict parameters regarding the circumstances in which autopsies are undertaken. Understanding this reality, you may want to know if it is possible to refuse an autopsy. Two Primary Types of Autopsies…

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The Dangers of a Staph Infection: How to Get and Prevent a Staph Infection

Staph infections are infections that are caused by staphylococcus bacteria, according to the Mayo Clinic. There are different types of Staphylococcus bacteria, including MRSA strains – which are strains of the bacteria that are highly resistant to treatment by antibiotics. All individuals need to have a general understanding of staph infections and potential dangers associated…

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3 Phases to Efficiently and Affordably Prepare a Hoarder’s Home for a Sale

There is nearly always work that must be done to a home to prepare it for sale and the marketplace. Even nothing else, some coordinated staging needs to be undertaken to make the interior appealing to prospective buyers. Some effort may be needed to up the curb appeal of a property to garner a prospective…

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Do Unattended Deaths Require an Autopsy?

California law enumerates specific situations in which a county coroner must undertake a forensic investigation, including an autopsy. The law enumerates more than a couple dozen situations in which an autopsy must be conducted. A good many of these scenarios are potential situations that may have caused the death of a person whose remains are…

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homeless person on park bench

Types of Homelessness

The population of homeless people in the United States is classified in a number of different ways. The primary classification system of the nation’s homeless population is based on the time frame different cohorts lack regular or permanent housing. In addition, the homeless population is broken down based on demographic considerations. These different methodologies of…

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forensics at unattended death scene

What Happens If No Cause of Death Is Found?

Fans of crime shows and medical dramas on television and the big screen oftentimes are presented with forensic investigators and medical examiners successfully striving to identify the cause of death in even the most complicated of situations. In some such television or picture shows, the entire affair may be dedicated to discovering how someone died…

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How Can Quality, Long-Term Supportive Housing Be the Answer to Solving Homelessness?

Over the course of the past decade, an ever-increasing number of homeless advocates and experts on chronic homelessness have reached a consensus on an important issue. Specifically, advocates and experts have come to conclude that quality, long-term supportive housing is a crucial element to solve homelessness. The Housing First Initiative Before diving into why supporting…

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Who Bears Legal Responsibility for Unattended Death Cleanup at a Rented Residence?

A truly traumatic circumstance is the unattended death of a person in his or her home. Not only is the loss itself a keenly emotional experience for a deceased person’s loved one, but the aftermath of this type of death can also be fraught with a multitude of challenges, including legal ones. A key legal…

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Mass Incarceration, Private Prisons, and the Homelessness Crisis in the United States

The United States accounts for 5 percent of the world population. Despite having a nominal portion of the Earth’s population, the U.S. has an astounding 25 percent of the world’s incarcerated individuals. In 2016, there were approximately 2.2 million incarcerated individuals in the United States, according to the Pew Research Center. This includes people incarcerated on…

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Overview of Types of Mold Inspection: Complete Versus Limited Protocols

A person contemplating a mold inspection needs to have a basic understanding of what is involved in the process. Appropriate due diligence before engaging a mold inspector demands a basic process of self-education. This includes understanding the elements of complete versus limited mold inspection. Overview of Complete Mold Inspection Complete mold inspection involves a broad…

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Comprehensive Overview of Mold Collecting and Sampling Procedures for Residential Buildings

Mold in homes can pose a persistent and even dangerous problem. Ultimately, professional testing needs to be undertaken to ascertain the presence of mold that might not be visually noticeable. In addition, professional testing is necessary to definitively identify the type or types of mold that might be present in a residence. This comprehensive overview…

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What Is the Difference Between Cleaning, Disinfecting, and Sanitizing?

Undoubtedly, you are familiar with the terms cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization. However, if you are like most people, you may lack a complete understanding of the differences between cleaning and disinfection. You may not fully understand what is meant by sterilization. Definition of Cleaning Cleaning is a process designed to eliminate debris from a surface…

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homicide crime scene cleanup

The Unique Challenges of Homicide Cleanup

Each day in the state of California, about five people are murdered. 1,829 homicides were reported in California, according to the state’s Attorney General. A considerable percentage of California homicides occur in homes. Because of the circumstances surrounding most crimes of this nature, comprehensive homicide cleanup is necessary. Overview of Homicide Cleanup Homicide cleanup represents…

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prison fence

Inmate Workers and the Legalities of Directing or Assigning an Offender to Cleanup Biohazards

Prisons on federal and state levels, as well as city and county jails, maintain what is typically are called “inmate worker programs.” The Federal Bureau of Prisons, or BOP, describes its inmate worker program in a concise paragraph: Sentenced inmates are required to work if they are medically able. Institution work assignments include employment in…

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California undiscovered death

Undiscovered Death Cleanup

With alarming regularity, the remains are finally found of a person who experienced what had been an undiscovered death in Southern California. There are a number of more common scenarios that lead to an undiscovered death. In addition, the undiscovered death cleanup process can prove to be remarkably challenging, calling for the professional assistance of…

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