Report on the Publication: Applying Local Climate Effects to Homicide Investigations

Publication Details

• Title: Applying Local Climate Effects to Homicide Investigations
• Author: Richard Grant
• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication Date: February 13, 2025

Overview of the Book

The book Applying Local Climate Effects to Homicide Investigations introduces innovative concepts on utilizing local climate and weather data to enhance the understanding of criminal cases, specifically homicide investigations. It emphasizes the importance of local climate variations in accurately determining the postmortem interval (PMI), which is the time between death and discovery.

Significance to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This work aligns with multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including:

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being – By improving forensic accuracy, the book supports justice and health systems in addressing crime and its societal impacts.
2. SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions – Enhancing forensic methodologies contributes to stronger legal institutions and the promotion of justice.
3. SDG 13: Climate Action – The book underscores the role of local climate understanding, fostering awareness of microclimate effects and their broader environmental implications.

Key Concepts and Applications

• Local Climate Variability: The book details how local climate conditions such as temperature and humidity differ significantly from standard measurement sites (airports, grassy areas) and how these differences impact forensic analysis.
• Postmortem Interval Determination: It highlights the integration of local climate data with entomological and anthropological evidence to refine PMI estimates.
• Microclimate Environments: Various environments including urban areas, valleys, forests, buildings, streams, and vehicles are analyzed for their unique climatic influences on forensic investigations.
• Guidelines for Practitioners: The book provides practical advice for crime scene investigators, forensic experts, and legal professionals on when expert consultation and on-site climate measurements are necessary.

Case Studies and Practical Insights

Numerous case studies are presented throughout the book to:

• Illustrate approaches to adjusting climate data for local conditions.
• Demonstrate decision-making processes in forensic investigations.
• Showcase the impact of regional and microclimates on decedents and their remains.

About the Author

Richard Grant, professor emeritus of agronomy and agro-micrometeorology, brings over 30 years of experience in forensic climatology. His consulting work spans 10 homicide cases across the United States and Canada, as well as involvement in non-homicide court cases, insurance claims, and environmental compliance. With more than 170 articles and 140 conference presentations on local climates, this publication marks his first book, contributing significant expertise to the intersection of climate science and forensic investigation.

Conclusion

The publication Applying Local Climate Effects to Homicide Investigations represents a critical advancement in forensic science by integrating local climate knowledge into legal investigations. Its alignment with Sustainable Development Goals emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to justice, health, and climate awareness, supporting stronger institutions and promoting societal well-being.

1. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed or Connected to the Issues Highlighted in the Article

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • The article discusses forensic investigations related to homicides, which directly connect to health, safety, and justice aspects of well-being.
2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • The focus on local climate effects in various environments such as cities, forests, valleys, and coastal areas relates to understanding urban and local environmental conditions.
3. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • The article emphasizes understanding local climate and microclimate variations, which is essential for climate science and adaptation strategies.
4. SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
   • Forensic investigations and improving homicide case analysis contribute to justice, law enforcement, and institutional effectiveness.

2. Specific Targets Under Those SDGs Identified Based on the Article’s Content

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality, and affordable essential medicines and vaccines.
   • Target 3.d: Strengthen the capacity of all countries for early warning, risk reduction, and management of national and global health risks (related to forensic investigations and accurate determination of causes of death).
2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • Target 11.6: Reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including air quality and municipal and other waste management (relates to understanding local climate impacts in urban areas).
3. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries (understanding local climate variations supports resilience and adaptation).
4. SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
   • Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all (forensic science supports justice systems).
   • Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels (improving forensic methodologies enhances institutional effectiveness).

3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied in the Article to Measure Progress Towards the Identified Targets

1. Forensic and Investigative Indicators
   • Accuracy and reliability of postmortem interval (PMI) determinations using local climate data.
   • Number of homicide cases where local climate effects are applied to improve investigation outcomes.
   • Use of on-site local climate measurements in forensic investigations.
2. Climate and Environmental Indicators
   • Temperature and humidity variations between measurement sites and actual crime scenes (microclimate data).
   • Availability and quality of local climate and weather data relevant to forensic applications.
3. Justice and Institutional Indicators
   • Number of forensic experts consulted in homicide investigations.
   • Implementation of guidelines for crime scene investigators and lawyers regarding local climate considerations.

4. Table: SDGs, Targets and Indicators

Source: purdue.edu