Towards a standard of scientific evidence in on-site inspection: compilation of the ECLM on-site inspection form in a broad case history

Camatti, J.; Santunione, A. L.; Bolognini, M.; Cusack, D.; Zerbo, S.; Argo, A.; Puntarello, M.; Scalzo, G.; Paolo, F.; Bruscagin, T.; Desinan, L.; Battistig, L.; Tosku, F.; Viel, G.; Franchetti, G.; Solarino, B.; Ambrosi, L.; Cecchetto, G.; Visona, S. D.; Sala, E.; Oliva, A.; Mercuri, G.; Oliveri, E. S.; Fais, P.; Lippi, S.; Bianchini, S.; Genovese, U.; Franceschetti, L.; Asmundo, A.; Ventura Spagnolo, E.; Burrascano, G.; Verzeletti, A.; Attico, F.; Sarallo, V.; Aquila, I.; Sacco, M. A.; Gualtieri, S.; Mammola, G.; Attanasi, A.; Pingaro, D. M.; Pinchi, V.; Focardi, M.; Ventura, F.; Caristo, I.; Vernazza, N.; Casella, C.; Di Donna, G.; Marisei, M.; Campobasso, C. P.; Feola, A.; Palermo, P.; Bugelli, V.; Doci, K.; Picozzi, M.; Burlando, M.; Vecchio, F.; Gabbrielli, M.; Baldari, F.; Cecchi, R.

doi:10.1016/j.legalmed.2025.102717

The European Council of Legal Medicine (ECLM) on-site inspection form allows the collection of data relevant to the identification, collection, sampling and preservation of all elements that, during the on-site inspection, may be useful as forensic evidence. The aim of this study is to assess the completeness of the information collected in a large number of on-site inspections, the records of which were drawn up without the use of the ECLM on-site inspection form, in order to verify the usefulness and the application of this form. The authors present a multicentre study involving 20 Italian forensic medicine institutes. For each institute, the reports of on-site inspections carried out without the use of the ECLM on-site inspection form were collected and a forensic pathologist was asked to analyse the individual cases and to identify, for each case, the presence or absence of information regarding all the points examined by the ECLM on-site inspection form. A practical database was prepared and sent to each institute for this analysis. Data were collected and analysed from a total of 1721 on-site inspection reports. Our results document that certain items on the ECLM on-site inspection form are not always investigated in reports written without the use of this tool. The use of the ECLM on-site inspection form proves to be a valid tool to assist the forensic pathologist during the on-site inspection. We therefore hope that the forms developed by the ECLM will be systematically adopted in the forensic practice of the forensic pathologist.

Towards a standard of scientific evidence in on-site inspection: compilation of the ECLM on-site inspection form in a broad case history / Camatti J.; Santunione A.L.; Bolognini M.; Cusack D.; Zerbo S.; Argo A.; Puntarello M.; Scalzo G.; Paolo F.; Bruscagin T.; Desinan L.; Battistig L.; Tosku F.; Viel G.; Franchetti G.; Solarino B.; Ambrosi L.; Cecchetto G.; Visona S.D.; Sala E.; Oliva A.; Mercuri G.; Oliveri E.S.; Fais P.; Lippi S.; Bianchini S.; Genovese U.; Franceschetti L.; Asmundo A.; Ventura Spagnolo E.; Burrascano G.; Verzeletti A.; Attico F.; Sarallo V.; Aquila I.; Sacco M.A.; Gualtieri S.; Mammola G.; Attanasi A.; Pingaro D.M.; Pinchi V.; Focardi M.; Ventura F.; Caristo I.; Vernazza N.; Casella C.; Di Donna G.; Marisei M.; Campobasso C.P.; Feola A.; Palermo P.; Bugelli V.; Doci K.; Picozzi M.; Burlando M.; Vecchio F.; Gabbrielli M.; Baldari F.; Cecchi R.. - In: LEGAL MEDICINE. - ISSN 1344-6223. - STAMPA. - 78:(2025), pp. 102717.1-102717.5. [10.1016/j.legalmed.2025.102717]