The Psychological Autopsy As A Forensic Tool
By Dr. Michael L Peck, Ph.D., ABPP
The Psychological Autopsy (PA) is used for research; it functions as a medical-legal
tool to aid in the certification of deaths. It is also a forensic procedure for
both criminal and civil cases. The PA has become an invaluable tool in wrongful death cases, as well as in matters of suicide.
The procedures for a PA include interviews with appropriate informants to obtain their life history, recent life events, their psychiatric/psychological data and any suicidal clues that may have presented themselves. The goal is to obtain information in 3 areas: Intent, Motivation, and Lethality of behavior.
Intent includes expressed verbal threats, previous suicide attempts or threats, stress,
losses, clinical depression and alcoholism etc.
Motivation may include anger, revenge, guilt, shame, as well as a wish to escape mental or physical pain.
Lethality is the probability that the suicidal behavior would result in death.
Since 1964 I have conducted hundreds of Psychological Autopsies; initially as a deputy coroner for Los Angeles county, while a psychologist with the Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Center and later as a consultant in civil litigation cases. Over many years, the Psychological Autopsy has been validated as an accurate method of distinguishing suicidal from accidental deaths.