Nursing ETDs

Publication Date

Summer 7-14-2018

Abstract

I investigated the use of the medical definition of human death in the criminal justice system and the impact of this definition on the prosecution of criminal homicide. The units of design for this research were two violent crimes cases investigated by the Homicide Unit of the Albuquerque Police Department. Data was collected from officer interviews, case files, Office of the Medical Investigator reports, media and social media.

I identified the themes of pursuit of justice, frustration, and family from the collected data. Key findings include that the medical definition of human death causes confusion and delay in the criminal justice system, the timing of the victim’s medical death impacted the sentencing received by the offender, and that the loss of the victim was felt by law enforcement and family before the victim was declared medically dead.

Degree Name

Nursing

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

College of Nursing

First Committee Member (Chair)

Emily Haozous

Second Committee Member

Jennifer Averill

Third Committee Member

Melinda Tinkle

Fourth Committee Member

Paul Clements

Keywords

homicide, death, personhood, retributive justice theory

Language

English

Document Type

Dissertation

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