{"title":"Cable ties in forensic practice.","authors":"Roger W Byard","doi":"10.1177/00258024241233464","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cable or zip ties are mass produced inexpensive nylon fasteners, which have a locking mechanism to prevent them from being loosened. Their use in medicolegal cases is infrequent, being involved in situations of neck compression or restraint. The Forensic Science SA Pathology Database (in Adelaide, Australia) and search engines PubMed, Google Scholar and Google were examined for cases where cable ties were documented as either causing death or being potentially lethal, being a contributor to death, or having been used for restraint purposes. Neck compression resulting in ligature strangulation was found in cases of homicide and suicide in adults. Accidental neck compression was rarely reported in children. Cases of restraint again occurred in both homicides and suicides, with nonlethal wrist restraint being used by law enforcement officers in lieu of traditional handcuffs. Cable ties may also be used to fasten ligatures to suspension points in case of hanging. Despite their ready availability, cable ties are only relatively rarely involved in medicolegal cases. More traditional forms of manual or ligature neck compression are still favoured possibly because they require less dexterity.</p>","PeriodicalId":18484,"journal":{"name":"Medicine, Science and the Law","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5000,"publicationDate":"2024-02-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Medicine, Science and the Law","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1177/00258024241233464","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"LAW","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Cable or zip ties are mass produced inexpensive nylon fasteners, which have a locking mechanism to prevent them from being loosened. Their use in medicolegal cases is infrequent, being involved in situations of neck compression or restraint. The Forensic Science SA Pathology Database (in Adelaide, Australia) and search engines PubMed, Google Scholar and Google were examined for cases where cable ties were documented as either causing death or being potentially lethal, being a contributor to death, or having been used for restraint purposes. Neck compression resulting in ligature strangulation was found in cases of homicide and suicide in adults. Accidental neck compression was rarely reported in children. Cases of restraint again occurred in both homicides and suicides, with nonlethal wrist restraint being used by law enforcement officers in lieu of traditional handcuffs. Cable ties may also be used to fasten ligatures to suspension points in case of hanging. Despite their ready availability, cable ties are only relatively rarely involved in medicolegal cases. More traditional forms of manual or ligature neck compression are still favoured possibly because they require less dexterity.
期刊介绍:
Medicine, Science and the Law is the official journal of the British Academy for Forensic Sciences (BAFS). It is a peer reviewed journal dedicated to advancing the knowledge of forensic science and medicine. The journal aims to inform its readers from a broad perspective and demonstrate the interrelated nature and scope of the forensic disciplines. Through a variety of authoritative research articles submitted from across the globe, it covers a range of topical medico-legal issues. The journal keeps its readers informed of developments and trends through reporting, discussing and debating current issues of importance in forensic practice.