Safarik and Jarvis developed the Homicide Injury Scale (HIS) to classify the severity of homicidal injuries.
Parameters:
(1) number of causes of death
(2) severity of external injuries
(3) signs of excessive injuries and/or overkill
Number of Causes
External Injuries
Overkill
HIS
1
none or minimal (internal injuries)
none
1
1
minor (mild)
none
2
1
moderate to severe
none
3
>= 2
NA
none
4
1
NA
present
5
>= 2
NA
present
6
where:
• The absence of external injuries in HIS Type 1 indicates the presence of internal injuries. This may include suffocation, internal bleeding, strangulation, etc.
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