The purpose of this study was to determine expectations of public prosecutors towards forensic professionals participating in external examinations of dead bodies performed at the site of finding the corpses. The presence of forensic physicians on the crime scene was recognized as advantageous by all prosecutors; however, expectations associated with corpse inspection did not correspond to capabilities of modern medicine or necessitated repeating activities performed during autopsies. Homicides (99%), deaths of children (86%) and "media" deaths (73%) were indicated as cases when the presence of forensic professional was especially important. Definition of injuries with indication of the causative object made by forensic physicians on the crime scene was the advantage most often chosen by respondents (82%). Almost one third of respondents expected forensic physicians to evaluate the length and direction of wound tracts, more than half of them--to provide a detailed description of injuries, one fifth wanted physicians to determine the exact time of death. Description of post mortem changes was not indicated as the most important benefit by any prosecutor.
Conclusions: Public prosecutors recognized the presence of forensic professionals on the crime scene as advantageous, but their expectations associated with dead body examinations did not correspond to capabilities of forensic medicine or forced physicians to perform activities normally made during autopsy. An algorithm of dead body examination on the crime scene including aims and advantages of such a examination should be developed jointly by prosecutors and forensic medicine specialists.