The accurate estimation of the postmortem interval based on decomposition is of great importance both legally and socially. This dissertation is a contribution to the scientific understanding of decomposition both nationally and internationally.

In Dutch criminal courts, the postmortem interval is often estimated based on the extent of a body’s decomposition without the application of a scientifically validated method. In this dissertation, a user-friendly and practical method, the Total Decomposition Score, was developed and presented. This method was compared to the internationally most-researched decompositional method, the Total Body Score, and no differences were found in relation to either the postmortem interval or accumulated degree days, which means the Total Decomposition Score can be used in practice. To further develop this method and to investigate the decomposition process of human remains on land in general, a Dutch Forensic Taphonomy center should be developed.