Full Description
When a death is investigated by a coroner, what is the place of the family in that process?
This accessibly written book draws together empirical, theoretical and historical perspectives to develop a rich, nuanced analysis of the contemporary inquest system in England and Wales. It investigates theories of kinship drawn from socio-legal research and analyses law, accountability and the legal process.
Excerpts of conversations with coroners and officers offer real insights into how the role of family can be understood and who family is perceived to be, and how their participation fundamentally shapes the investigation into a death.
Contents
1. Death, Family and the Law
2. Accountability and Authority in the Historical Jurisdiction
3. Accountability Reconceived
4. First Contact and the Next of Kin
5. Dignity, the Family and the Body
6. Family in the Driving Seat
7. The Public (?) Hearing
8. Reimagining the Inquest
