Body identification
If a body is not badly decomposed or damaged, one or more persons who knew the deceased well can visually confirm their identity.
[2] Authorities will also compare supportive documents such as a driver's license, passport, or other authoritative photo ID before accepting a personal identification.
[3] Any formal investigation should be used to support additional scientific evidence, allowing forensic scientists to either reinforce or question the supposed identity of the victim.
These scientific identification techniques, including anthropometry, skin analysis, dental records and genetics, rely on the individuality of each body.
[4] Factors such as body size, weight, skin prints, and blood type all act as indicators of identity.
Forensic dentistry was first used in 1776 by Paul Revere, who identified the fallen soldier Joseph Warren by his false teeth.
[9] Modern scientific identification techniques developed in the late twentieth century in response to the advancement of technology and research.
Forensic scientists realised that there was more to the skin than just fingerprints, and that the use of palm and ear prints could also assist in the identification process.
[12] If unidentified bodies of service people are returned to their country, formal treatment is required in respect for the decedent.
If the results from anthropometric testing are not sufficient, these scientific methods will be employed to increase the accuracy of their identification process.
[7] Anthropometric information incorporates the measurement of different body parts, including the head, fingers, feet and arms.
[7] These characteristics can provide forensic scientists with indicators of identity, however, it is possible to find two individuals who have the same or similar anthropometric and descriptive information.
[8] Finding peculiarities in the human body, such as particular marks, allows forensic scientists to narrow down their identification process.
[13] The physical differences between the standard male and female bodies act as an indicator of identity in the forensic field.
[14] Other more socially constructed ideas of gender, such as the length of one’s hair and the height of an individual, also influence the process of body identification.
[16] The skin can have defects that help identify a body, including scars, birthmarks, tattoos, moles and blemishes.
[10] Sun exposure and lifestyle choices are additional factors that forensic scientists consider alongside age when analysing the appearance of an individual's skin.
The success of dental identification can be tainted if the individual has endured a physically traumatic experience that has caused damage to their teeth and jaw.
[11] Since then, the method of DNA typing in forensic science has advanced and many techniques to identify microRNA markers in bodily fluids have developed.
[22] Forensic scientists analyse the impact of time and sensitivity on the appearance of microRNAs when determining how well they can be detected in different bodily fluids.
[24] Common methods of DNA extraction include Phenol, Chelex, Silica, and Magnetic beads.
[22] PCR, Polymerase chain reaction, is the technology used for the purpose of copying particular DNA in a test tube.
[22] The process of NGS includes three fundamental steps; “library preparation, sequencing, and data interpretation”.
[33] This method uses Genomics, Computer database technologies, Genealogy and finally Forensic DNA profiling to identify an unknown individual.
