Measuring Desiccation Using Qualitative Changes: A Step Toward Determining Regional Decomposition Sequences |
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Authors: | Melissa Connor Ph.D. Christiane Baigent M.Sc. Eriek S. Hansen Ph.D. |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Forensic Investigation Research Station, Colorado Mesa University, 1100 North Avenue, Grand Junction, CO, 81501Corresponding author: Melissa Connor, Ph.D. E‐mail:;2. Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Forensic Investigation Research Station, Colorado Mesa University, 1100 North Avenue, Grand Junction, CO, 81501;3. Department of Biological Sciences, Colorado Mesa University, 1100 North Avenue, Grand Junction, CO, 81501 |
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Abstract: | The creation of a regional decomposition scoring system for western Colorado provides a model for the creation of regional systems. The development of a scoring system requires: (1) human remains, not proxies, (2) longitudinal observations, and (3) large sample size. First, an enhanced system (total body desiccation score; TBDS) was developed through observations of 40 human remains. This effort produced a categorical scoring model augmented by qualitative categories of gross tissue change. The new model was tested with retrospective photographic packets. A sample of eight donors with data collected over 3 years was selected. Monthly data points over a maximum of a 3‐year period yielded 112 data points. Correlations between TBDS and accumulated degree‐days (ADD), and total body score (TBS) and ADD were approximately equal for a TBS below ~20, but the TBDS correlated better with ADD at higher TBS scores >20. The TBDS may be used to refine postmortem interval (PMI) models in areas where remains desiccate. |
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Keywords: | forensic science taphonomy desiccation arid environment |
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