Determination of sex and race from the subpubic angle in Ugandan subjects

The accurate determination of sex and race are important tools to forensic and physical anthropologists. In this study, the sex and race of 205 adult Ugandans were determined from the antero-posterior radiographs of the pelvis by measuring their subpubic angles. The angle ranged from 50 to 140 degrees with a mean of 93.86 degrees and standard deviation (SD) of 21.12 degrees for males and 75 to 155 degrees with a mean of 116.11 degrees (SD, 17.79 degrees) for females. The angle was significantly wider in women than men (P < 0.05), as indeed has previously been shown in other population groups studied. Using the demarking point method, 31.82% of Ugandan men and 10.53% of Ugandan women could be accurately sexed. However, more Malawians of both sexes previously studied had lower values for the angle and could be more accurately sexed. This study has also documented regional and racial variability of this angle among different population groups previously documented. Using the watershed subpubic angle derived from the means of this study and those of previously documented studies, 63% of Ugandans and 71% of Malawians could be accurately assigned to the black race. This method is recommended to physical and forensic anthropologists in the developing world.     

Voicing concerns: The balance between data protection principles and research developments in forensic speech science

The status of forensic speech recordings among existing data protection guidance is not clear. The inherent nature of voice and the way in which forensic speech casework is currently allocated mean that there are additional barriers to incorporating real casework data into research activities. The key objective of this work is to explore data protection solutions that could enable the forensic speech science community to responsibly use real casework data for research and development purposes. While reviewing relevant guidance and rulings, issues such as proportionality, opportunism and data minimisation are addressed, as well as where voice sits in relation to the definition of “biometric data”. This paper ultimately places forensic speech recordings in the data protection context to illuminate the specific issues that arise for this data type.     

Domestic Homicide: Neuropsychological Profiles of Murderers Who Kill Family Members and Intimate Partners

Domestic homicide is the most extreme form of domestic violence and one of the most common types of homicide. The objective was to examine differences between spontaneous domestic homicide and nondomestic homicide offenders regarding demographics, psychiatric history, crime characteristics, and neuropsychological status, utilizing neuropsychological test data from forensic examinations of 153 murderers. Using standard crime classification criteria, 33% committed spontaneous domestic homicides (SDH) and 61% committed nondomestic homicides (NDH). SDH offenders were more likely to manifest psychotic disorders, but less likely to be diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder or to have prior felony convictions. SDH offenders manifested significantly worse neuropsychological impairments than NDH offenders. The mean number of victims was lower for the SDH than the NDH group and only 14% of SDH offenders used a firearm, whereas 59% of NDH offenders used a firearm. These findings corroborate the notion that spontaneous domestic homicide may represent a discernible criminological phenotype.     

Evaluation of cast methods for estimating age from the os pubis.

Age-related changes of the pubic symphysis have gained wide acceptance among physical anthropologists as one basis for estimating adult skeletal age. However, these methods have not been tested by independent observers on large samples with known ages at death that represent contemporary populations. In this study 202 female and 116 male pairs of pubes collected at autopsy were blindly evaluated for age using the McKern-Stewart or Gilbert-McKern and Suchey-Brooks methods. Performance of the methods was measured by mean absolute deviation of true age from scored interval means and frequencies of true age falling within +/- 1 and +/- 2 standard deviations from the mean. The results suggest that the Suchey-Brooks methods are superior in forensic applications and that the racially specific refinement for males should be used. Age estimates should include +/- 2 standard deviations, and chances of error should be considered, especially when advanced age or debilitation is suspected.     

Non-destructive dental-age calculation methods in adults: intra- and inter-observer effects

The aim of the present study was to obtain data on the reliability and reproducibility of two non-destructive dental-age estimation methods in adults by calculating inter- and intra-observer effects. Both a morphological and a radiological technique available in the scientific literature were evaluated on a number of recently extracted teeth: the morphological technique was evaluated on a total of 160 teeth by two examiners, while three examiners applied the radiological technique on apical radiographs of 72 extracted teeth. Paired t-tests were used to calculate intra- and inter-observer differences. For the morphological method, both examiners were able to produce dental-age estimations that did not differ significantly from the real age of the teeth, obtaining a mean error between 0.5 and 1.8 years and a standard deviation of this error between 9.0 and 11.3 years. When using the radiological technique according to the original protocol, all three examiners produced age estimations that were statistically comparable to the real age of the teeth with a mean error of 0.5-2.5 years and a standard deviation of 4.6-9.8 years. For both techniques, intra-observer differences were observed. Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that both non-destructive dental-age estimation techniques were able to produce reasonably accurate dental-age estimations, at least when these techniques were applied appropriately. However, the forensic odontologist is recommended to use different age estimation techniques and perform repetitive measurements in order to verify the reproducibility of the calculations performed.     

Expert Disagreement in Bitemark Casework*

Abstract: Bitemark cases continue to raise controversy due to the degree of expert disagreement which is frequently seen. Using a case mix of 49 bitemark cases from 2000 to 2007 each injury was independently assessed for its forensic significance using a previously described bitemark severity scale. Following the assessment, the mean value for the bites was categorized according to the crime type, the degree of expert agreement, and the judicial outcome. Results suggest that bitemarks found in child abuse cases have statistically significantly lower forensic value than those in other crime types, that bites where there is mutual agreement between experts will have higher forensic value than those where there is disagreement at trial, and that cases in which DNA has provided an exoneration will demonstrate similar quality to those where a conviction was secured. Forensic odontologists should carefully assess bitemark evidence and ensure that it meets certain minimums in relation to the presence of class and unique features before undertaking an analysis.     

Proposing Problem-Based Learning for teaching future forensic speech scientists

In the last 10–15 years, Masters programmes and undergraduate modules have emerged in the UK that teach forensic speech science. Forensic speech science is the forensic subdiscipline concerned with analysing speech recordings, such as telephone calls of unknown speakers, when they arise as evidence. In order to answer questions surrounding the identity of the speakers in these recordings, forensic speech analysts draw on their expertise in phonetics and acoustics. Even though existing UK forensic speech science programmes do not claim to train students to a level where they are in a position to carry out real-life forensic casework, a proportion of the graduates from these programmes do go on to fill discipline-specific roles in security organisations or for private providers of forensic speech analysis. It is therefore surely in the community’s interests to review educational approaches to capitalise on the current training opportunities. This paper specifically proposes to explore the potential of a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) approach to forensic speech science teaching. PBL is a student-centred learning approach that heavily relies on the students’ independence in the solving of ill-structured problems. PBL has shown to be beneficial to programmes that directly lead on to discipline-specific professional roles, and has even become the standardised teaching approach in some of those areas (medicine being the flagship example). Given its reported success in other disciplines, the question arises as to whether PBL could bring similar benefits to prospective forensic speech practitioners and to forensic speech science as a whole.     

The influence of alcohol content variation in UK packaged beers on the uncertainty of calculations using the Widmark equation

It is common for forensic practitioners to calculate an individual's likely blood alcohol concentration following the consumption of alcoholic beverage(s) for legal purposes, such as in driving under the influence (DUI) cases. It is important in these cases to be able to give the uncertainty of measurement on any calculated result, for this reason uncertainty data for the variables used for any calculation are required. In order to determine the uncertainty associated with the alcohol concentration of beer in the UK the alcohol concentration (%v/v) of 218 packaged beers (112 with an alcohol concentration of ≤5.5%v/v and 106 with an alcohol concentration of >5.5%v/v) were tested using an industry standard near infra-red (NIR) analyser. The range of labelled beer alcohol by volume (ABV's) tested was 3.4%v/v – 14%v/v. The beers were obtained from a range of outlets throughout the UK over a period of 12?months. The root mean square error (RMSE) was found to be ±0.43%v/v (beers with declared %ABV of ≤5.5%v/v) and ±0.53%v/v (beers with declared %ABV of >5.5%v/v) the RMSE for all beers was ±0.48%v/v. The standard deviation from the declared %ABV is larger than those previously utilised for uncertainty calculations and illustrates the importance of appropriate experimental data for use in the determination of uncertainty in forensic calculations.     

Root Morphology and Anatomical Patterns in Forensic Dental Identification: A Comparison of Computer‐Aided Identification with Traditional Forensic Dental Identification*

Abstract: An online forensic dental identification exercise was conducted involving 24 antemortem–postmortem (AM–PM) dental radiograph pairs from actual forensic identification cases. Images had been digitally cropped to remove coronal tooth structure and dental restorations. Volunteer forensic odontologists were passively recruited to compare the AM–PM dental radiographs online and conclude identification status using the guidelines for identification from the American Board of Forensic Odontology. The mean accuracy rate for identification was 86.0% (standard deviation 9.2%). The same radiograph pairs were compared using a digital imaging software algorithm, which generated a normalized coefficient of similarity for each pair. Twenty of the radiograph pairs generated a mean accuracy of 85.0%. Four of the pairs could not be used to generate a coefficient of similarity. Receiver operator curve and area under the curve statistical analysis confirmed good discrimination abilities of both methods (online exercise = 0.978; UT‐ID index = 0.923) and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient analysis (0.683) indicated good correlation between the results of both methods. Computer‐aided dental identification allows for an objective comparison of AM–PM radiographs and can be a useful tool to support a forensic dental identification conclusion.     

正常人长潜伏期听觉诱发电位的法医学应用价值

目的 研究正常人短纯音诱发的不同频率长潜伏期听觉诱发电位(auditory long latency response,ALR)的特点及其法医学应用价值.方法 选择主观检查配合的正常听力受试者20名(40耳),依次测试500、1000、2000、4000Hz4个频率的纯音主观听阈、短纯音主观听阈和短纯音ALR反应阈.结果 在4个频率上,短纯音主观听阈与纯音主观听阈之差的均值和标准差分别为3.48±2.17、4.33±2.36、4.07±1.78、3.96±2.21;短纯音ALR反应阈与短纯音主观听阈之差的均值和标准差分别为3.85±2.27、3.78±1.83、3.15±2.14、5.22±2.04;短纯音ALR反应阈与纯音主观听阈之差的均值和标准差(dB)分别为7.33±3.12、8.11±2.62、7.22±2.50、9.19±2.85.各频率短纯音ALR波反应阈与纯音主观听阈之差均在20dB之内.结论 短纯音诱发的ALR具有频率特异性、接近主观听阈,能够反应整个听觉通路的功能状况.     

Forensic Autopsies can Determine Latent Prostate Cancer Prevalence

To evaluate the usefulness of forensic autopsies in determining latent prostate cancer (PC) prevalence, we examined latent PC prevalence from autopsies and compared our findings between decedents with and without cancer. Data from forensic autopsies performed in Japan from 2004 to 2014 were obtained. For each prostate, histopathological examinations were performed in both the base and the apex sections. Three hundred and seventeen Japanese decedents were selected for analysis. The mean age of decedents was 56.4 ± 17.8 years (range, 14–94 years). Among this population, 39.4% died suddenly of disease and 60.6% died of external causes. Latent PC was identified in 45 (14.2%) decedents, who ranged from 27 to 93 years old (mean, 71.1 ± 12.9 years). The prevalence of clinically significant PC with a Gleason score of 7 or more was 8.8%, and the rate increased with age. Fifteen males had cancers other than PC. The prevalence of overall latent PC was significantly higher for those with cancer compared with those without (40.0% vs. 12.9%; P = 0.003). In this study, the use of forensic autopsy materials provided the opportunity to obtain a more accurate natural history of PC, as the decedents in this situation would have been more likely to have died suddenly while behaving as normal prior to death, and less likely to have been impacted by long-term medical interventions.     

What does method validation look like for forensic voice comparison by a human expert?

Method validation has gained traction within forensic speech science. The community recognises the need to demonstrate that the analysis methods used are valid, but finding a way to do so has been more straightforward for some analysis methods than for others. This article addresses the issue of method validation for the Auditory Phonetic and Acoustic (AuPhA) approach to forensic voice comparison. Although it is possible to take inspiration from general regulatory guidance on method validation, it is clear that these cannot be transposed on to all forensic analysis methods with the same degree of success. Particularly with respect to an analysis method like AuPhA, and in a field of the size and characteristics of forensic speech science, a bespoke approach to method validation is required. In this article we address the discussions that have been taking place around method validation, and illustrate one possible solution to demonstrating the validity of voice comparison by a human expert using the AuPhA method. In doing so we consider the constraints placed on sole practitioners, which generally go unacknowledged.     

Population genetics of 30 insertion-deletion polymorphism in polish Populations

The Investigator DIPplex® kit (Qiagen) contains components for the simultaneous amplification and analysis of 30 biallelic autosomal InDels and amelogenin. The objective of this study was to estimate the diversity of the 30 markers in a Polish population sample (N = 389) and to evaluate their usefulness in forensic genetics. The DIPplex genotype distributions showed no significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg rule expectations (Bonferroni corrected). The mean observed heterozygosity value is 0.4611, and the combined Matching Probability value is 1.08x10⁻¹³. The investigated marker set has been confirmed as a potential extension to standard STR - based kits or a separate informative system for individual identification and kinship analysis.     

Speech Watermarking: An Approach for the Forensic Analysis of Digital Telephonic Recordings*

Abstract: In this article, the authors discuss the problem of forensic authentication of digital audio recordings. Although forensic audio has been addressed in several articles, the existing approaches are focused on analog magnetic recordings, which are less prevalent because of the large amount of digital recorders available on the market (optical, solid state, hard disks, etc.). An approach based on digital signal processing that consists of spread spectrum techniques for speech watermarking is presented. This approach presents the advantage that the authentication is based on the signal itself rather than the recording format. Thus, it is valid for usual recording devices in police‐controlled telephone intercepts. In addition, our proposal allows for the introduction of relevant information such as the recording date and time and all the relevant data (this is not always possible with classical systems). Our experimental results reveal that the speech watermarking procedure does not interfere in a significant way with the posterior forensic speaker identification.     

Meeting a Forensic Podiatry Admissibility Challenge: A Daubert Case Study

This article is an introduction to the United States Supreme Court's standard of admissibility of forensic evidence and testimony at trial, known as the Daubert standard, with emphasis on how this standard applies to the field of forensic podiatry. The author, a forensic podiatrist, provided law enforcement with evidence tying a bloody sock‐clad footprint found at the scene of a homicide to the suspect. In 2014, the author testified at a pretrial hearing, known as “a Daubert hearing,” to address the admissibility of this evidence in court. This was the first instance of forensic podiatry being the primary subject of a Daubert hearing. The hearing resulted in the court ordering this evidence admissible. The expert's testimony contributed to the suspect's conviction. This article serves as a reference for forensic podiatrists and experts in similar fields that involve impression evidence, providing evidentiary standards and their impact on expert evidence and testimony.     

Evaluation of a commercial radioimmunoassay kit for the detection of lysergide (LSD) in serum, whole blood, urine and stomach contents

The Diagnostic Products Corporation Coat-A-Count radioimmunoassay kit for LSD in urine has been evaluated for use in forensic toxicology with a variety of sample types. The cut-offs (defined as the mean response of blank samples plus three standard deviation) for LSD in serum, haemolysed whole blood, urine and stomach contents were 0.06, 0.050-0.055, 0.18 and 0.18 ng/ml, respectively. Preliminary extraction of LSD from the samples is not usually necessary. The precision of the analysis and the recoveries from spiked samples were satisfactory. The cross-reactivities of 2-oxo-LSD, lysergic acid methyl propylamide, lysergic acid monoethylamide and nor-LSD were estimated to be 11,6,2 and 1% respectively relative to LSD (100%).     

Intra- and inter-speaker variations of formant pattern for lateral syllables in Standard Chinese

Speech variation of speakers is a crucial issue for speaker recognition and identification, especially for forensic practice. Greater intra-speaker variation is one main reason for incorrect speaker identification in real forensic situations. Understanding the stability of acoustic parameters and their variation in speech is therefore significant for the evaluation of effective parameters for speaker identification. In this paper, all vowels in Standard Chinese including five monophthongs, eight diphthongs and four triphthongs were combined with lateral /l/. Finally, 15 lateral syllables with different tones for 10 speakers were selected and acoustically analyzed. Central frequencies of the first four formants for each syllable were measured for quantitative comparison of intra- and inter-speaker variation in order to provide a general idea of speaker variation in Standard Chinese, and finally serving for forensic application. Results show that the overall intra-speaker variation is less than the inter-speaker variation in great extent under laboratory condition though occasionally they are contrary. This supports the basis for forensic speaker identification, that is, intra-speaker variation should be less than inter-speaker variation in many acoustic features, and further validates the probability and reliability of forensic speaker identification.     

Augmented reality in forensics and forensic medicine – Current status and future prospects

Forensic investigations require a vast variety of knowledge and expertise of each specialist involved. With the increase in digitization and advanced technical possibilities, the traditional use of a computer with a screen for visualization and a mouse and keyboard for interactions has limitations, especially when visualizing the content in relation to the real world. Augmented reality (AR) can be used in such instances to support investigators in various tasks at the scene as well as later in the investigation process. In this article, we present current applications of AR in forensics and forensic medicine, the technological basics of AR, and the advantages that AR brings for forensic investigations. Furthermore, we will have a brief look at other fields of application and at future developments of AR in forensics.