Reliability of the methods applied to assess age minority in living subjects around 18 years old. A survey on a Moroccan origin population

We present a review of a population of 114 immigrant Moroccan males for which an age estimation was requested. The subjects' real chronological age was confirmed by the Moroccan Embassy in Spain. The confirmed age range was between 13 and 25, with an average age of 18.1 years and a standard deviation of 2.03. The following tests were performed to arrive at the forensic estimation of age: general physical examination, carpus X-ray (Greulich and Pyle method) and dental orthopantomography to determine the degree of maturity of the third inferior molars (Demirjian's method). Carpus X-ray (skeletal age) was the most useful method, followed by Demirjian's method (dental age), as prediction factors of a chronological age of over or under 18. The combination of skeletal and dental age variables represented a significant improvement in the prediction of the chronological age of the subjects in this population, reducing the number of ethically unacceptable test errors to a minimum.     

Validation of a 21-locus autosomal SNP multiplex for forensic identification purposes

A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) multiplex has been developed to analyse highly degraded and low copy number (LCN) DNA template, i.e. <100 pg, for scenarios including mass disaster identification. The multiplex consists of 20 autosomal non-coding loci plus Amelogenin for sex determination, amplified in a single tube PCR reaction and visualised on the Applied Biosystems 3100 capillary electrophoresis (CE) system. Allele-specific primers tailed with shared universal tag sequences were designed to speed multiplex design and balance the amplification efficiencies of all loci through the use of a single reverse and two differentially labelled allele denoting forward universal primers. As the multiplex is intended for use with samples too degraded for conventional profiling, a computer program was specifically developed to aid interpretation. Critical factors taken into account by the software include empirically determined extremes of heterozygous imbalance (Hb) and the drop-out threshold (Ht) defined as the maximum peak height of a surviving heterozygous allele, where its partner may have dropped out. The discrimination power of the system is estimated at 1 in 4.5 million, using a White Caucasian population database. Comparisons using artificially degraded samples profiled with both the SNP multiplex and AMPFISTR SGM plus (Applied Biosystems) demonstrated a greater likelihood of obtaining a profile using SNPs for certain sample types. Saliva stains degraded for 147 days generated an 81% complete SNP profile whilst short tandem repeats (STRs) were only 18% complete; similarly blood degraded for 243 days produced full SNP profiles but only 9% with STRs. Reproducibility studies showed concordance between SNP profiles for different sample types, such as blood, saliva, semen and hairs, for the same individual, both within and between different DNA extracts.     

Forensic case profiling aspects on multiple homicides from the Cologne-Bonn metropolitan area 1985-2000

The medicolegal and subsequent criminologic interpretation of forensic and pathological findings in cases of homicide makes up an important tool of case profiling. In a retrospective study of 26 cases of "multiple homicides" involving 31 perpetrators (30 males, 1 female, mean age 33.5 years) and 73 victims (33 males, 40 females, mean age 36 years, 68 fatalities, 5 survivors), autopsy reports and prosecution authorities' files were investigated with regard to individual characteristics of victims and offenders, circumstances as well as mode of commitment. The major aim of this study was to comprehensively elucidate and characterise relevant forensic and criminologic features, which may gain importance for forensic case profiling. Forty-six victims were found in the close social environment of the perpetrator and 45 homicides were committed either in the victim's, the perpetrator's or the shared domicile. The main motives included concealment of a crime (n=13), personal conflicts/domestic arguments (n=7) and greed (n=12). The relevant injuries with regard to the cause of death were attributable to sharp force (n=13), blunt force (n=7), gunshot wounds (n=24), ligature strangulation (n=3), smothering (n=5), fire/carbon monoxide (n=4) and combined impacts (n=11). In 15 cases, so called defence injuries were found. In 5 victims a post-mortem blood alcohol concentration >1.5 g/l was determined. In six perpetrators, a severe psychiatric impairment of juridical responsibility was ascertained (Section 20 German criminal code, n=2, psychosis; Section 21 German criminal code, n=4, acute alcohol intoxication). As far as conviction data were available, 27 crimes were juridically assessed as murder, 12 as manslaughter and one as bodily harm with fatal consequences.     

Mobile phase influence on electrospray ionization for the analysis of smokeless powders by gradient reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography-ESIMS

The solution parameters associated with gradient elution reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were characterized by evaluating the electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESIMS) response of selected smokeless powder additives. Using direct liquid infusion, the positive ion ESIMS responses were determined for three general classes of powder constituents: dialkylphthalate acid esters, N,N'-dialkyl-N,N'-diphenyl urea based stabilizers and nitroso-, nitro-, and dinitro- derivatives of diphenylamine. The relative ESIMS intensities of the powder components were investigated as a function of three solution parameters: ammonium acetate concentration, pH, and percent methanol. The effect of the ammonium acetate concentration demonstrates that the electrolyte is required for efficient ionization and the ESIMS intensity was optimal at a concentration of 2mM for the selected compounds, except 2,4'-dinitrodiphenylamine. The aqueous solution pH, corresponding to the available protons in solution, did not have a significant effect on the ESIMS intensity of the analytes. The percent methanol was evaluated with both decreasing and constant electrolyte concentrations to demonstrate the effects of droplet stability and ion transfer into the gas phase. These findings were applied to the analysis of the selected smokeless powder additives using HPLC-ESIMS to illustrate increased sensitivity for the protonated molecules.     

The femoral head: sex assessment of prehistoric New Zealand Polynesian skeletal remains

Prehistoric Polynesian skeletal remains are frequently being recovered in New Zealand due to the increasing pace of urbanisation. Since such material must often be reinterred quickly, it is important that the sex of individuals be determined from the remains in a relatively short time. For this purpose, discriminant function analysis was utilised for sex determination of prehistoric adult New Zealand Polynesian femora (47 male and 44 female). Three measurements of the femoral head were taken and subjected to Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) discriminant function analysis. For the discriminant functions derived, accuracy of sex determination ranged from 80.9% to 82.4%. Reduction in error over random assignment by sex ranged from 62% to 65%.     

AFTER LABELING AND CONFLICT

Criminology will become somewhat more concerned for values in the future hence shifting slightly from the empirical, scientific end of the spectrum toward the normative, philosophical end. This will result from crises in criminal justice. from the “coming crisis in western sociology.” from the effects of “critical criminology” from changes in social science generally. and from broader circumstances of criminology and criminal justice.