Which of the following is NOT a major role of investigation?

The determination that conducting criminal background checks is not a major role of investigation is accurate because the primary focus of investigative roles, particularly in the context of medicolegal death investigation, involves tasks that directly relate to understanding the circumstances surrounding a death.

Identifying the deceased is crucial as it establishes who has died, allowing for proper legal and procedural follow-up. Notifying the next of kin is a fundamental responsibility, as it is important to ensure that the family is informed and can begin the grieving process, while also addressing any legal matters that may arise from the death. Gathering information to determine the cause and manner of death directly supports legal and medical inquiries, ensuring that proper findings are made regarding the circumstances.

While conducting criminal background checks can be a useful tool in some investigatory contexts, particularly when determining the context of a death or assessing potential criminality, it is not considered a primary role of death investigation itself. Instead, it is a supplementary action that may occur but does not form the basis of the investigative process focused specifically on the examination of death circumstances. Thus, it sits outside the realm of major investigative responsibilities in most cases within medicolegal contexts.