LEGAL MEDICINE AND FORENSIC THANATOLOGY IN AMAZONAS

Abstract

This article aimed to analyze the importance of Forensic Medicine at the interface between the health system and the judiciary, focusing on forensic practices and the operational challenges faced in the state of Amazonas. The methodology consisted of applied research with both qualitative and quantitative approaches, using bibliographic and documentary methods, with a rigorous analysis of statistical reports from the Medical Legal Institute (IML) “Dr. Antônio Hosannah da Silva Filho” covering the years 2022 to 2025. The main findings reveal a high forensic demand in the state, with tens of thousands of examinations conducted on living victims, particularly reports of bodily injury and forensic sexology examinations, which are essential for proving the materiality of crimes. In cases involving death, the study demonstrates that the integration between Forensic Thanatology and Forensic Anthropology is crucial for determining the legal cause of death and for identifying bodies in advanced stages of decomposition, as well as those that are burned or segmented, overcoming significant environmental challenges typical of the Amazon region. The study concludes that Forensic Medicine functions as an indispensable pillar of the justice system in Amazonas, and that its investigative effectiveness and the guarantee of legal certainty depend on the rigorous application of technical protocols to overcome the region’s complex conditions.