Forensic Anthropology and Missing Persons Investigations

A revised method for estimating adult age at death using the auricular surface of the ilium has been developed. It is based on the existing auricular surface aging method of Lovejoy et al. ([1985] Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 68:15-28), but the revised technique is easier to apply, and has low levels of inter- and intraobserver error. The new method records age-related stages for different features of the auricular surface, which are then combined to provide a composite score from which an estimate of age at death is obtained. Blind tests of the method were carried out on a known-age skeletal collection from Christ Church, Spitalfields, London. These tests showed that the dispersion of age at death for a given morphological stage was large, particularly after the first decade of adult life. Statistical analysis showed that the age-related changes in auricular surface are not significantly different for males and females. The scores from the revised method have a slightly higher correlation with age than do the Suchey-Brooks pubic symphysis stages. Considering the higher survival rates of the auricular surface compared with the pubic symphysis, this method promises to be useful for biological anthropology and forensic science. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Forensic anthropology is affected by the unavoidable limits concerning difficulties in standardization of methods and procedures; age estimation is one of the main tasks of forensic anthropology and odontology, both on the dead and the living: literature has shown several methods of age estimation, and although they may be thought of as equivalent, every procedure has its limits, mean error, practical situation and age range where it gives the best results; the lack of standardization and consensus concerning which method can be used, as well as the lack of a practical approach in different cases is the main limit in a correct age estimation process. This review aims at exposing the experience of the authors working in the FASE (Forensic Anthropology Society of Europe) subsection of IALM (International Academy of Legal Medicine) in the field of age estimation both on the dead and the living, at highlighting advantages and limits of each method, and suggesting practical solutions concerning the age estimation process for adults and subadults, dead and living, and pedopornographic material.

When the pelvis is unavailable, the skull is widely considered the second best indicator of sex. The goals of this research are to provide an objective hierarchy of sexing effectiveness of cranial and postcranial elements and to test the widespread notion that the skull is superior to postcranial bones. We constructed both univariate and multivariate discriminant models using data from the Forensic Anthropology Data Bank. Discriminating effectiveness was assessed by cross-validated classification, and in the case of multivariate models, Mahalanobis D(2). The results clearly indicate that most postcranial elements outperform the skull in estimating sex. It is possible to correctly sex 88-90% of individuals with joint size, up to 94% with multivariate models of the postcranial bones. The best models for the cranium do not exceed 90%. We conclude that postcranial elements are to be preferred to the cranium for estimating sex when the pelvis is unavailable. © 2011 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.