Chapter I: Importance of Personal Identification in Criminal Investigation
Chapter I: Importance of Personal Identification in Criminal Investigation
Chapter I: Importance of Personal Identification in Criminal Investigation
terrorist attacks,
bomb blasts,
Some of these features, which are general and have a criminal record, is part of the military, or
observer-dependent, are potentially misleading. the country of origin registers fingerprints on
identity cards. Many countries have a database
However, there are more specific
(automated fingerprint identification system, or
features and descriptors such as:
AFIS) that permits one to compare the
1. scars fingerprints inserted in a databank with those of
2. moles subjects already fingerprinted in life. Once the
3. gross anomalies fingerprint of the cadaver is entered, this
computerized system will return a series of
that often may be sufficient for identification. possible matches, which the fingerprint expert
Finally, within the context of the autopsy, it is will then evaluate.
possible to carry out a dental examination, to
verify organ anomalies, and to take blood Forensic anthropology and odontology
samples and samples of other tissues for methods, which compare the status and shape
genetic examination, together with samples and of teeth and bones, ARE VALID ALTERNATIVE
radiographs of bone tissue. METHODS. They are advantageous methods
because they are faster and less costly;
Apart from the issue of identifying a however, they may suffer, in the view of some
well-preserved cadaver with personal judges, of the qualitative and nonquantitative
descriptors such as physiognomy, tattoos, and responses they give.
so on, THERE ARE FOUR MAIN DISCIPLINES
INVOLVED IN THE IDENTIFICATION OF HUMAN Genetic and fingerprinting methods
REMAINS: give a quantitative result, or at least statistics
have been performed on the specific traits
1. DNA, studied that allow one to answer in a
2. FINGERPRINT ANALYSIS quantitative manner on the probability of two
3. ODONTOLOGY, AND individuals having similar characteristics—in the
4. ANTHROPOLOGY (OR BETTER first case, for the distribution of different alleles
YET, OSTEOLOGY). within a population; in the second, for the
GENETIC AND DACTYLOSCOPIC frequency of minutiae on the finger. In the case
(FINGERPRINTING) INVESTIGATIONS are better of morphological methods (such as the
known to criminal investigation departments odontological and anthropological ones), a
and to the magistrates. In the first case, one unanimous and clear agreement on the quality
compares the genetic asset of the remains with and quantity of the characters necessary in
those of the presumed relatives (children, order to achieve personal identification does
parents, siblings) or with that obtained from not exist. The recurrence of discordant
residual cells on the personal belongings used characters settles the case by excluding the
by the person in life (for example, razors, identity; some or many concordant characters,
combs, toothbrushes, and so forth). THE particularly if not uncommon within the
GENETIC INVESTIGATION TECHNIQUES ARE population, can only permit expression of a
CERTAINLY VERY EFFECTIVE AND HAVE GREAT judgment of compatibility or possibility; few
POTENTIAL. However, at times they may not be characters or a combination of characters, rare
applicable as there could be problems in the among the population, will allow one to express
extraction of DNA from skeletal remains, or a judgment of high probability or certainty.
relatives suitable for a genetic comparison may
not be available.