#victim identification

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Forensic DNA: Discovering the Unidentified

While not always directly related to identifying unknown individuals, infidelity DNA testing in New Mexico, can also be a part of forensic t

Forensic DNA testing is a game-changer in identifying unknown individuals, offering a level of accuracy that other methods simply cannot match. Whether it’s for criminal investigations, disaster victim identification, or even resolving personal matters, forensic DNA testing in Houston, Texas, plays a crucial role.

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How Forensic Breakthroughs Are Still Helping Identify 9/11 Victims Today

Forensic scientists are still working to identify victims of the 9/11 attacks using advancements in technology and techniques developed over

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Day 16 - Hair analysis is the process by which hair is analyzed to find out things about the person or animal it came from.

Hair samples can give an excellent lead in an investigation, as they can tell investigators a hair color, a specific race, whether or not the hair has been dyed, and, in some cases, a particular hair style.

If the hair still has a follicle (root) attached, DNA testing may be used to identify an individual or exclude suspects, as well as identify sex. 

The best hair samples tend to be tested with 50 strands of an individual’s hair, which considering that most human have approximately 100,000 strands of hair on their heads, is not a lot.

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In the event of a major disaster, the identification of the victims can be complicated. For a closed disaster, such as a commercial plane crash in the wilderness, the list of passengers can be obtained easily, and thus ante mortem information such as medical records and physical descriptions are relatively easy to acquire. For an open disaster, like an earthquake, a tsunami, or an explosion in a city, the victims are unknown so no ante mortem data is readily available. In either case, in order to make a positive identification, the ante mortem information of the missing individual must be matched with the post mortem information gathered from the body in order to make a positive identification.

This is where these forms come in. These are the Interpol Disaster Victim Identification Forms. They are intended to help streamline and regulate the identification process, which helps especially if there are teams from several different countries working together. The yellow, AM forms are used to record the ante mortem data, and the pink, PM forms are used for post mortem.

The top row of images shows two pages from the AM form. Personal data for the missing person is recorded, along with any clothing or jewelry worn, their physical description, any distinguishing marks like tattoos or scars, and any fingerprint and medical information.

The bottom row shows two pages of the PM form. This form, like the AM form, contains several fields which have to be filled out, each section by an expert in the related field. A description of the recovery, the condition of the body, any personal effects, distinguishing marks, and fingerprints are noted. The information from the medical examination is recorded, as well as any DNA test results and odontological (dental) analysis.

If an AM and a PM form are matched, the white Comparison Form is filled out, and all three forms are joined into the same report. The white form states whether it is probable, possible, or established identity, and which findings suggest this: police investigation, fingerprint, pathology, odontology, DNA, anthropology, or other.

For more info, check out the Interpol website: they have a guide about the whole process, and the forms themselves can be downloaded.