Identification

DR.chandrakanthHV
PROF & HEAD
FORENSIC MEDICINE DEPT.
JSS Medical College
Mysore
IDENTIFICATION
 Recognition of an individual based on certain
physical characters which are unique to each
individual.
* Complete identity
Absolute fixation of the individuality of a
person

* Partial identity
Ascertainment of some facts [ ex: race, sex,
age, stature - others remain unknown ]
WHY TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY ?

 IN THE LIVING
I. CIVIL: Insurance claim
Pension claim
Inheritance claim
Marriage
Disputed Sex
Missing Persons
Beauty contest
 II. CRIMINAL :- Absconding Criminals
- Absconding Soldiers
- Persons accused of
Assault, Murder, Rape etc
-Impersonation
-Interchange of new born babies in
maternity hospitals
IN THE DEAD
 Medical man is mainly concerned with
identity of dead

Body may be: Fresh,

Putrefied,
Dismembered,
Skeletal remains or
Dead Infants
IDENTITY OF DEAD IS
REQUIRED IN
 Fire, Explosion, Travel accidents, other
mishaps
 Body found on road, Fields, Railway
compartment, or in water
 Decomposed & dismembered bodies,
skeletal remains
 Mass disasters
CORPUS DELICTI
 Accurate identification is necessary in Murder
trial,
Otherwise Unclaimed bodies, Portions of dead
body, or Bones are produced to support a false
charge
C.D: ENTIRE BODY OF EVIDENCE
It includes:
1] POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION OF THE BODY
2] PROOF OF ITS DEATH BY THE CRIMINAL
ACT OF THE ACCUSED
FAMOUS CASES

 RUXTON CASE
 CRIPPEN CASE
 SYDNEY SHARK CASE
 PARKMAN MURDER CASE
 ACID BATH MURDER CASE
 ALAVANDER MURDER CASE
 NAGARAJU CASE
 Establishment of identity of a person
- Police
 Dead / fragmentary & skeletal remains
-Anthropologist
-Pathologist
-Forensic expert
-Dentist
-Trace evidence expert
 At least 2 identification marks should be
noted by the doctor in all medico-legal
cases
Identification data
 Race & religion
 Sex
 Age primary characteristics
 Stature
 General development
 External peculiarities – marks, moles

scars, tattoos
 Anthropometric measures
 Teeth
 Fingerprints, footprints, lip & palatal prints
 Personal effects-clothes, pocket contents
 Hand writing

 Speech & Voice living person

 Gait & habits
 Memory & Education
RACE
 Complexion
 Eyes
 Hair
 Skeleton- skull, mandible & teeth, longbones
 Cephalic index (C.I )=
Breadth of skull X 100
max length of skull
Types of skull Cephalic index Race

Dolico-Cephalic 70-74.9 Negroes,

( long headed) Aryans,
Aborigines
Mesati-Cephalic 75-79.9 Europeans &
(medium Chinese
headed)
Brachy-Cephalic 80-84.9 Mongolians
(round headed)
 Skull of Indian – Caucasian with a few
Negroid characters

 Other indices -Height index, nasal index

 RELIGION
 Hindu : male- religious marks, sacred
thread, necklace
female – thali, vermillion,
saree
nose ring aperture,
 Muslim : male- circumcised, callosities
female- septal nasal aperture,
multiple ear ring apertures
 SEX
Determination of sex is by

 Physical morphology
 Bones
 Gonadal biopsy
 Sex chromatin study by microscopy
 Skeleton
Accuracy of determining sex - Krogman’s

 Entire skeleton -100%

 Pelvis + skull -98%
 Pelvis alone -95%
 Skull alone -90%
 Long bones alone -80%
 Normal person -46 chromosomes
 Male 44+XY
 Female 44+XX

 Sex can be determined from hair bulb,

dental pulp, bone marrow & amniotic fluid
 Sex chromatin (nuclear sexing)
 Female (chromatin positive)
Bar body (buccal mucosa ) -20 to 80%
Davidson body (neutrophils) –up to 6%

 Male (chromatin negative)

Bar body -0 to 4%
Davidson body -Absent
 Intersex
 Intermingling of sexual characters of either
sex (physical form, reproductive organs &
sexual behaviour)

 Gonadal agenesis
 Gonadal dysgenesis
 True hermophroditism
 Pseudo hermophroditism
 Gonadal dysgenesis
 Testes or ovaries fail to develop at puberty
(A) Klinefelter’s syndrome
Chromosomal pattern- 44+XXY(47)
Male but nuclear sexing is female
Testicular atrophy with hyalinization of
seminiferous tubules
Sterility, gynaecomastia, MR
(B) Turner’s syndrome
 Anatomically female but nuclear sexing is
male
 Chromosomal pattern- 44+XO (45)
 Ovaries do not contain primordial follicles
 Short stature, primary amenorrhea &
congenital malformations
 True hermophroditism
 Presence of both testis & ovaries with
external genitalia of both sexes
 Sex chromatin may be either male or
female
 Pseudo-hermophroditism
 Male Pseudo-hermophroditism
Nuclear sex-male,
Sex organs & characteristics –female

 Female Pseudo-hermophroditism
Nuclear sex –female
Sex organs & characteristics -male
 Concealed Sex

 Criminals may conceal their sex to avoid

detection

 Can be detected by physical examination

 MEDICO LEGAL SIGNIFICANCE

 Exercise certain civil rights

 Legitimacy, divorce, paternity
 Marriage
 Age
 Determined from

1. Teeth
2. Ossification of bones
3. Secondary sex characteristics
4. General physical development
 Teeth
 Usefull for age estimation by
1. State of development
2. Secondary changes

 Types

1. Temporary teeth
2. Permanent teeth
 Temporary teeth
 20 in number
 Smaller, Lighter, Narrow
 Anterior teeth are vertical
 China white in colour
 Permanent teeth
 32 in number
 Heavier, Stronger, Broader
 Ivory white in colour
 Anterior teeth are inclined
 Mixed dentition
Presence of both temporary &
permanent teeth ( b/n 6 -12 yrs)
 Successional teeth- erupt in place of
deciduous teeth
 Superadded teeth – do not have deciduous
predecessors
 GUSTAFSON’S METHOD –age estimation of
adult over 21yrs (A P S R T C)
1. Attrition
2. Paradentosis
3. Secondary dentin
4. Cementum apposition
5. Root resorption
6. Transparency of the root- most reliable
 Ossification of bones
 Process of appearance & union of ossification
centres has a sequence & time period

 Ageing of bones is more accurate with respect

to the appearance of centres than union

 Multiple criteria of skeletal age should be

employed
 Medico-legal importance of age
 5yrs – liable for punishment for any unlawful act
under Indian Railways Act

 < 7yrs - Criminally not responsible (Sec 82 IPC)

 7-12yrs – Presumed to be capable of committing an

offence (Sec 83 IPC)

 <12yrs – cannot give valid consent for

general physical examination
 10yrs - kidnapping (Sec 369IPC)

 <14 yrs – cannot be employed to work in any

factory

 <15 yrs – Rape (sexual intercourse even if

she is his own wife)
 >15yrs – allowed to work in a factory with
fitness certificate

 <16 yrs - Rape (sexual intercourse with any

other girl even with her consent)
 18yrs – attainment of majority
- Female can marry legally
- juvenile upto 18yrs
- consent for MTP
- consent for organ transplantation
- can vote
- legally can get driving licence
 21 years: Age of marriage for boys
Age of majority-court of wards
Kidnapping

 25 yrs : Contest for MLA , MLC

 35 yrs : President post
 58 yrs : Retirement from Govt. service
 60 yrs : Senior citizen
 STATURE
 Primary characteristic for identification .

 Stature increases progressively & becomes

maximum at the age between 21 – 25 years.

 Stature is shortened by 2.5 cms/25yrs, due to

thinning of the intervertebral discs & tone of
muscles
 maximum in the morning & less by 1.5 – 2 cms
in the evening due to reduction of the elasticity
of intervertebral discs.
Approximate stature
 The distance between the tips of 2 middle fingers of the
out streched hands

 Length from the vertex to pubic symphysis is roughly

half the stature.

 Its equal to twice the length from pubic symphysis to

heel.

 The length of the entire skeleton + 2.5 cms to 4 cms for

the thickness of the soft tissues – gives stature.
 Dactylography (Fingerprint system)
 Sir Francis Galton systemetised this method
(Galton System of Fingerprinting)

 Fingerprints are the impressions of patterns

formed by the papillary / epidermal ridges of the
fingertips.
 The arrangement and distribution of the papillary ridges
on the finger tips are absolutely constant and persist
throughout life.

 No two individuals will have identical prints – even

identical twins.

 Only one chance of two persons having identical prints

is one in 64 thousand million population.
Classification
4 types
 Loops (67%)
 Whorls (25%)
 Arches (6-7%)
 Composite / Accidental (3-4%)
Further Subdivisions:
 Loop – Ulnar loop & radial loop

 Whorls – Clockwise & Anticlockwise

 Composite -Twinned loops, Central pocket loop,
Lateral pocket loop etc.

 Arches – Plain & Tented arches

 Thefinal identification of any fingerprint is not
based on comparison of patterns - but by
comparison of characteristic ridge Patterns

like : ridge ending, bifurcations, lake

formations, islands etc.
 In practice 16 – 20 points of fine comparison are
accepted as proof of identity

 Final points vary from place to place

 Mode of production:

sweat contains fat, & if any part of finger is

applied to a smooth surface, a greasy
impression of its pattern is made on it.
 Techniques of Fingerprinting
Glass Slab Method
Printake Strip Method
 Methods:
Direct impression
Rolled impression
Types of fingerprints:
 Visible Prints:- formed by fingers stained with blood / ink
or other medium.

 Plastic prints:- Impression made on a soft surface, such

as a soap, cheese etc.

 Latent prints:- Invisible or barely visible impression left

on a smooth surface like glass etc, which
is made visible by using dusting powders.
Latent Prints
 Powdering & Lifting.
 Magnetic Brushes & Powders.
 Cellulose Lifting Tape.
 Chemical Methods.
 Ultra – Violet Lamps.
 Digital Scanners.
 Electronography
Latent Prints
Automated Fingerprint Identification
System (AFIS)
Fingerprints in decomposed bodies

 Ridges are present both in dermis & epidermis.

 In advanced putrefaction & drowning- skin is removed

and preserved in formalin

 In the dead bodies- the skin of terminal phalanx of each

finger should be removed ?, separately from both hands
& sent to FPB
Medico – legal Importance

 Impressions left at a scene of crime, Eg: on

weapons, furnitures, doors, utensils, clothes etc,
establish the identity of the criminal.
 Identification suicides,deserters,persons with
loss of memory,dead,unconscious &
decomposing bodies.

 Surest data of identification & commonly used

for both civil & criminal cases.
 Identification in cases of accidental exchange of
newborn infants in hospitals.

 Cheques, bank notes & other legal documents

can bear a fingerprint.

 To maintain identity records

 Scars

 A scar is a fibrous tissue covered by epithelium,

devoid of hair follicles, sweat glands, or pigment
– which is produced from the healing of a
wound.

 Injury to the dermis produces a scar.

 These scars are permanent.

Medico-Legal Importance
 Important marks for identification

 The shape of the scar may indicate the type of

weapon or agent that caused the injury.

 Disfiguration due to scars is a grievous hurt

(Sec 320 IPC).
[ Crippen case ]
 Age of scar important in criminal offence
 To charge enemy-scars due to disease are
those of wounds
 Accused attribute scars of wounds to
disease or therapeutic procedures
 Linea albicantes – previous pregnancy
 Tattoo Marks

 These are the designs made artificially, by

pricking the skin with needles dipped in some
coloring/pigment matter.

 Dyes commonly used -indigo, cobalt, carbon,

cinnabar, vermilion, Prussian blue, Indian ink etc.

 The most prominent pictures are made when

the dye penetrates the dermis.
 Most of the marks are found on the arms,
forearms and chest.

 The tattoo marks are recognised even in

decomposed bodies when the epidermis is
removed
Removal of Tattoo Marks

 Surgical methods:
Complete excision & skin grafting
Scarification.
Application of carbon dioxide snow.

 Electrolysis: by using 6-8 mamp of current.

 Caustic substances: Zinc chloride, tannic acid.

 LASER beam: vaporises the dye

Complications of Tattooing
 Septic inflammation – cellulitis
Abscess formation
Gangrene formation

 Spread of contagious diseases - HIV, Leprosy,

T.B etc.
Medico –Legal Importance
 Identity-initials,dates, own name,place,identity
numerals,marriage event etc

 Religion, God of worship, social status

 Reflects mental make up of a person –

criminality, sexual perversions, etc.
 Blue bird tattoo over the dorsum of the hand is
seen amongst the homosexuals (USA)

 Distribution,design & figures—country

 Reflect travel,history,war,occupation,sex
interest etc
 Drug addicts –tattoo infront of elbow or wrist
 HAIR
 Structure of hair:
consists of a root , a shaft & the tip.

 The shaft is composed of :-

Medulla
Cortex
Cuticle
 Medulla - innermost core, irregularly cylindrical in
shape & contain scattered cells of different sizes &
shapes.

 Cortex - intermediate layer, formed of elongated,

spindle – shaped closely attached longitudinal horny
plates which contains pigment granules.

 The Cuticle is composed of non nucleated polygonal

cells
 Examination of hair
 Whether the material is hair or some other
fiber.

 If hair, Whether it belongs to humans or

animals?

 If human? What is the race, sex & age of

the person?
 From which part of the body did it come?

 Has the hair been altered by dyeing,

bleaching or disease?

 Did the hair fall naturally or was it forcibly

removed?
 From which part of the body it is derived?

 Scalp hair – Usually long & soft & taper gradually from
root to the tip.

 Beard & Moustache – Thicker than the hair of any other

part of the body.

 Chest / Axilla / Pubic region – Short, stout & curly.

Medico legal Importance

 Rape & sodomy – the pubic hair of the accused may be

found on the victim & vice versa.

 Nature of the weapon can be made out from the injuries

to hair & hair bulb:-
-A sharp weapon produces a clean uniform cut surface.
-Blunt object crushes the shaft with flattening & splitting.

 Singeing of hair indicates burns, or a close range

firearm injury.
 Age of a person may be determined from the
growth of hair on different parts of the body.

 Sex may be determined from their distribution

on the body, texture & from Barr bodies.

 Chronic poisoning can be detected in the hair

for eg:- Arsenic.
 Stains on the hair indicate nature of assault
Blood : Injury
Semen : Sexual assault
Saliva : Asphyxial death
Mud : Struggle
Faecal : Sodomy
Dung : Bestiality
Superimposition

“Is the technique applied to determine whether the

skull is that of the person in the photograph or
not.”

A recent photograph – enlarged to natural size

from the presence of some standards in the
photographs
 The skull is mounted on an appropriate skull
rest, so as to align as accurately as possible
with the outline of the head.

 The negative of the skull and the photographs

are superimposed by aligning the characteristic
points in the negatives.
 The following points are
compared:
 The eyes within the orbital plates, with the two
pairs of canthuses properly aligned.

 The Nasion.

 The Nasal spine.

 The Lower border of nose.

 The zygomas below the
eyes.

 Supraorbital ridges.

 External auditory meatus.

 Teeth.

 FORENSIC ODONTOLOGY

 Forensic
Odontology deals with the
science of dentistry, to aid in the
administration of justice.
SHOE PRINTS
LIP PRINTS [ CHEILOSCOPY ]