Regulation of the funeral services industry

For most of human history, indeed for most of American history, the preparation of the dead for disposition was a responsibility primarily discharged by families, friends, and religious organizations. This largely philanthropic activity turned almost completely commercial in the first decades of the 20th century due in large part to increased urbanization and mobility. In the United States today, the disposition of human remains is primarily delegated to the for-profit deathcare industry. This book focuses on the regulation of providers of services related to the preparation of human remains for final disposition and coordination of memorialization and disposition, which is referred to as the "funeral services industry" to distinguish it from the broader deathcare industry. The participants in the funeral services industry are typically referred to as funeral directors, undertakers, morticians, and embalmers who do business in funeral homes. The funeral services industry is highly regulated. The primary means of regulation are state occupational licensing statutes and the Federal Trade Commission's "Funeral Rule." Statutes related to the licensure of crematories and crematory operators, and statutes regulating the sale of pre-need funeral goods and services are closely related to the occupational licensing regime for the funeral services industry and are therefore included in this book.--Publisher.