Forensic Relevance Research Articles

Postmortem interval estimation of human skeletonized remains through luminol chemiluminescence.

Postmortem interval (PMI) estimation represents a significant challenge in the forensic sciences, particularly when dealing with human skeletal remains. A screening protocol for distinguishing possible remains of forensic interest is a crucial tool for judicial purposes. In this context, luminol chemiluminescence emerges as a promising method, with low overall costs and required time. This method is primarily used as a presumptive test, based on the understanding that the intensity of the chemiluminescence reactions decreases with an increase in the postmortem interval, thus underlining its practical implications.This research aims to expand previous research on the potential of luminol chemiluminescence, evaluating its usefulness in estimating PMI. Our sample comprised 239 human clavicles, with known PMI. The luminol solution was sprayed on each powder bone sample in a dark room, observed by the naked eye and photographed. The intensity of the chemiluminescence reaction was measured using a binary and a 5-level scale.The present results reveal that this method is a suitable tool for PMI estimation as a presumptive test, reducing time and costs in criminal investigations. The findings underscore the high sensitivity of luminol chemiluminescence for detecting recent PMI but also highlight a notable incidence of false positives. Thus, our results confirm luminol chemiluminescence as a powerful tool for dating time of death, particularly for identifying forensic relevant remains. Still, the relatively low specificity indicates that it should be complemented with additional tests for further confirmation and scientific validation of the remains' forensic relevance.

Collaborative interviewing of eyewitnesses: a field study

Purpose When eyewitnesses talk to each other after witnessing a crime, they can contaminate each other’s memory. However, laboratory research shows that collaborative interviewing can also result in correction of mistakes and retrieval of more new information. The aim of this study is to examine whether these laboratory findings would generalise to real police interviews in The Netherlands. Because little is known about which interviewing techniques Dutch police detectives use, the secondary aim was to examine how Dutch detectives approach individual and collaborative eyewitness interviews. Design/methodology/approach In a field study, witnesses of serious incidents (e.g. police shooting) were interviewed individually and then collaboratively by real investigators, resulting in 15 interviews of 1–2 h each from five witness pairs (5,534 details in total). Transcripts were coded for detail type, forensic relevance, verifiability, retrieval strategies and interviewing techniques. Results were described using both quantitative descriptive data and a qualitative analysis of interview excerpts. Findings On average, collaborative interviews resulted in 131 new details, over half of which were considered highly relevant to the police investigation. Interview excerpts demonstrated how content-focused retrieval strategies (acknowledgements, repetitions, restatements, elaborations) can elicit new and highly relevant details. Interviewers mostly asked clarifying questions and equal numbers of open, closed and yes/no questions, but rarely allowed for uninterrupted free recall. Interviewers asked a higher proportion of open questions during collaborative interviews than during individual interviews. Research limitations/implications Limitations included the small sample size and lack of a control condition. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to investigate the effectiveness and feasibility of the Collaborative Eyewitness Interview in real-world settings.

Investigation of country-made firearms in forensic relevance

Investigation of country-made firearms in forensic relevance

A benchmark tetra-modal biometric score database

As biometric technology evolves speedily, challenges increase to implement secure and accurate systems for personal identification and authentication as the highest target to achieve. Parallel security system evolution reveals continuously that monomodal biometrics is no longer exerted due to the lack of relevance in intruder’s identification. The switch to multimodality started to be more attractive for researchers as well as investigators considering their advantages. We present a tetra modal biometric base integrating hard (fingerprint, face, and iris) and genetic (DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA)) characteristics building process, extracted features, and matching scores from 500 consented volunteers throughout Tunisia. This database was developed within the framework of the PBMLT project (Plateforme Biométrique Multimodale de Lutte contre le Terrorisme). A fusion of matching scores generated by fingerprint, face, and iris modalities to identity verification is carried out using the Choquet integral approach. The collected multimodal database is flexible, suggesting that if one of the modalities is excluded, the system can still ensure security using the remaining. Except for DNA, the modality often approves its forensic relevance on its monomodal subsystem. Scores@PBMLT database will open up benchmark perspectives, particularly in terms of fusion algorithms at the score level.

Gonial Angle in Forensic Anthropology to Determine Age and Gender: A Population-Specific Analysis.

Background The study highlights the gonial angle as a key craniofacial landmark for age and gender determination in forensic cases. It emphasizes population-specific analysis, enhancing precision by recognizing variations between populations. By clarifying the gonial angle's forensic use, the study offers clear guidelines, improving forensic practices. Moreover, the gonial angle and age and gender correlations are thoroughly examined, offering important information on their forensic relevance. The results highlight how crucial population-specific research is to improving the precision and dependability of forensic age and gender estimation techniques, which advances forensic anthropology and supports forensic investigations around the globe. Aim and objective The purpose of this study is to assess the accuracy of age and gender estimates using gonial angles. The objectives of this research are to evaluate the precision of age and gender estimates utilizing the gonial angle. Materials and methods This present study comprises two groups based on age groups: Group I belongs to 51 to 60 years of age, and Group II belongs to 61 to 70 years of age. Making use of G-Power software (version 3.1.9.4, Düsseldorf, Germany), the sample size was determined. The calculation ensured 95% statistical power at a significance level (alpha error probability) of 0.05. To achieve sufficient statistical power, a total of 1000 samples were included, with a projected required sample size of 92. A total of 1000 samples, consisting of 500 male and 500 female panoramic radiographs,were meticulously selected for the study. The samples picked were within the age range of 51 to 70 years. Orthopantomograms were determined using Planmeca software (Planmeca Romexis®, Version 6.0, USAInc.). Descriptive statistics, including prediction classification analysis of age and gender, were conducted using SPSS Statistics version 16.0 (SPSS Inc., Released 2007, SPSS for Windows, Version 16.0, Chicago, SPSS Inc.). Results According to this study, the mean gonial angle of males aged 51 to 60 years is larger (124.7370degrees) than that of females (119.6371degrees). The female group's mean estimates are more accurate, as seen by the smaller standard error (0.20844) compared to the male group's (0.60998). A statistically significant difference in mean gonial angles between the genders is evident, with males having a larger gonial angle (p-value <0.001). In the age range of 61 to 70 years, the mean gonial angle of females is higher (128.4322degrees) than that of males (124.0529degrees). In this instance, the male group's standard error is smaller (0.14968) than the female group's (0.30028), indicating more accurate mean estimates. Once more, a statistically significant difference is indicated by a p-value of less than 0.001, with females having a larger gonial angle than males. Conclusion Our study revealed that the gonial angle of the mandible can be considered a reliable parameter for gender identification. The study's limitation is its inability to reliably identify gender in the subadult population and in cases of edentulousness. An orthopantomogram is a trustworthy and accurate method for taking the different measurements needed to identify the gender of a particular mandible.

Comparison of the effectiveness and efficiency of the grid and link search methods to recover scattered skeletal remains

The grid and link search methods are used to recover scattered skeletal remains. Neither have not been compared robustly and clear guidelines for the link method have not been sufficiently developed. The study aimed to compare the effectiveness and efficiency of both methods and propose guidelines for the link method. The scattering patterns of two scavengers of forensic relevance—slender mongooses (Galerella sanguinea) and black-backed jackals (Canis mesomelas)—were recreated using four pig skeletons (Sus scrofa domesticus). Two groups (n = 6 each) were assigned a different method to recover the scattered remains. The length of the search and when each bone was located for each scatter pattern was recorded for each group and scatter pattern. A Likert scale questionnaire assessed participants’ perceptions of their assigned method. A paired t-test (p = 0.005) compared the efficiency of each method and the questionnaire answers. Both methods were effective, recovering 100% of all remains. The link method was more efficient for both scatter patterns, despite there being no statistical significance (jackal: p = 0.089; mongoose: p = 0.464). Participants indicated favorable views for both methods; however, the link method scored significantly more favorably (p = 0.01) for efficiency. Specific guidelines were developed for the use of the link method. The link method is suggested for the recovery of scattered remains in forensic contexts, especially when the scavenger, its behavior, and scattering pattern is known or suspected.

Taphonomy of human burials on beacon Island: archaeological observations informing forensic interpretations

ABSTRACT This paper demonstrates how the complex interaction of a number of intrinsic and extrinsic taphonomic factors have differentially affected the relative preservation of the skeletal remains recovered from Beacon Island. These include: local geology and hydrology; flora and fauna; human interactions; and burial type (e.g. body position and number). The latter function to demonstrate that contemporary burials dating to 1629 can present markedly divergent taphonomic ‘alterations’, even those buried within close proximity to one-another. It is evident that alterations can arise in a very short-time frame (months to a few years) and their recognition in a modern context is thus of forensic relevance. These are accordingly illustrated and described relative to their potential to inform forensic interpretations in a modern case-work context.

Seeing Clearly in the Twilight: The Clinical and Forensic Relevance of the Indeterminate/Borderline Range in Multivariate Models of Performance Validity Assessment

Seeing Clearly in the Twilight: The Clinical and Forensic Relevance of the Indeterminate/Borderline Range in Multivariate Models of Performance Validity Assessment

Forensic significance of intracardiac expressions of Nrf2 in acute myocardial ischemia

When exposed to oxidative and electrophilic stress, a protective antioxidant response is initiated by nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). However, the extent of its importance in the forensic diagnosis of acute ischemic heart diseases (AIHD), such as myocardial infarction (MI), remains uncertain. On the other hand, immunohistochemical analyses of fibronectin (FN) and the terminal complement complex (C5b-9) prove valuable in identifying myocardial ischemia that precedes necrosis during the postmortem diagnosis of sudden cardiac death (SCD). In this study, we investigated the immunohistochemical levels of Nrf2, FN, and C5b-9 in human cardiac samples to explore their forensic relevance for the identification of acute cardiac ischemia. Heart samples were obtained from 25 AIHD cases and 39 non-AIHD cases as controls. Nrf2 was localized in the nuclei of cardiomyocytes, while FN and C5b-9 were detected in the myocardial cytoplasm. The number of intranuclear Nrf2 positive signals in cardiomyocytes increased in AIHD cases compared to control cases. Additionally, the grading of positive portions of cardiac FN and C5b-9 in the myocardium was also significantly enhanced in AIHD, compared to controls. Collectively, these results indicate that the immunohistochemical investigation of Nrf2 combined with FN, and/or C5b-9 holds the potential for identifying early-stage myocardial ischemic lesions in cases of SCD.

On the forensic relevance of tattoos: distinguishing black inks with energy dispersive spectroscopy and backscattered scanning electron microscopy.

This study aimed to analyze black tattoo inks by means of energy dispersive spectroscopy and backscattered scanning electron microscopy. The sample consisted of five types of commercial tattoo pigments of the black colour (Easy Glow™, Electric Ink™, Iron Works™, Master Ink™, and Viper™). An Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) detector (Silicon Drift Detector - SDD - type) attached to a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) device (Tescan Vega3 LMU, Libusina, Czech Republic) was used. X-ray characteristic signs were detected for each tattoo ink in an interval between 0 and 2.5keV. The electron acceleration potential in the microscope was 15keV. Two regions were analyzed for each sample (n = 10). On each region, a micrography of backscattered electrons (BSE) was obtained. Means and standard deviations (SD) of the weight percentages (Wt%) were calculated. C and O were predominant, with a mean O/C ratio between 2.69 and 2.74 Wt%. Electric Ink and Master Ink were the most similar pigments, while Easy Glow was the most distinctive - with agglomerates of Al that had a concentration 25 × higher than other specimens. Other compounds detected in the sample were Cl and Cu. EDS and SEM were efficient to distinguish black tattoo inks. These are our preliminary outcomes on the use of EDS and SEM to analyze black tattoo inks. Thus, careful interpretation is necessary to avoid rash applications in human identification practice.

Exploring the Impact of Hand-Foot Syndrome on Fingerprint Persistence: A Comprehensive Review

The hand-foot syndrome, also known as Palmar-Plantar Erythrodysesthesia (PPE), is a dermatological condition associated with certain chemotherapeutic agents. From a forensic perspective, understanding the manifestations of PPE becomes crucial in cases involving drug-related exposures or poisoning. This abstract explores the dermatological aspects of handfoot syndrome, its potential forensic implications, and the importance of recognizing and documenting such findings in medico legal investigations. Additionally, the abstract discusses the relevance of PPE in establishing a link between a specific chemotherapeutic drug and its adverse effects, aiding forensic experts in determining the cause of morbidity or mortality in relevant cases. Hand-Foot Syndrome (HFS), a dermatological condition commonly associated with chemotherapy, presents a unique avenue for forensic investigation. This study endeavors to unravel the forensic implications of HFS, shedding light on its potential significance in post-mortem examinations. Characterized by erythematous and desquamative changes on the palms and soles, HFS has distinct clinical manifestations that may serve as valuable markers in forensic pathology. Our research employs a comprehensive approach, integrating dermatological analysis with forensic perspectives. Through an extensive review of case studies and medical records, we aim to establish a nuanced understanding of HFS patterns and their correlation with diverse forensic scenarios. By identifying and documenting these distinctive dermatological features, forensic professionals can potentially utilize HFS as an additional tool in their investigative arsenal. Furthermore, this study explores the temporal aspects of HFS progression, seeking to determine the reliability of its manifestation timeline in forensic reconstructions. By elucidating the chronological patterns of HFS development, forensic experts may enhance their ability to establish a timeline of events in cases involving suspicious or unexplained deaths. In conclusion, this research contributes to bridging the gap between dermatology and forensic science, offering insights into the forensic relevance of Hand-Foot Syndrome. The findings presented here aim to empower forensic practitioners with an additional layer of diagnostic precision, ultimately aiding in the pursuit of justice and accurate cause-of-death determinations.

Calliphora rohdendorfi (Grunin, 1966) (Diptera: Calliphoridae): a new blow fly in the Italian fauna detected in Calabrian Apennines

Within the family Calliphoridae, the genus Calliphora Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830, includes species of medical, veterinary and forensic relevance. This study reports for the first time the presence of Calliphora rohdendorfi (Grunin, 1966) in the Italian territory, namely in Calabrian Apennines (Southern Italy). The adults of the species were captured by bait bottle and yellow pan traps within a monitoring project of Diptera Brachycera involving Parco Nazionale dell’Aspromonte (Aspromonte National Park), Parco Nazionale della Sila (Sila National Park) and Parco Naturale Regionale delle Serre (Natural Regional Park of Serre), between 2018 and 2021. Calliphora rohdendorfi was identified on detailed morphological bases of both sexes. This was the first description of the general morphology of the female and its terminalia through digital photographs acquired by stereomicroscopy. The species was captured in pine and beech forests at an altitude between 1010 and 1820 m a.s.l. in shaded mountain areas. Prior to the finding in Southern Italy, this species showed an unusually disjointed distribution in Caucasus, Germany and Poland, thus the presence of C. rohdendorfi in Calabrian Apennines provides new and interesting data that require further investigation, because the species could play a role as flower visitor, pollinator and forensic indicator.

Exploring the Impact of Hand- Foot Syndrome on Fingerprint Persistence: A Comprehensive Review

The hand-foot syndrome, also known as Palmar-Plantar Erythrodysesthesia (PPE), is a dermatological condition associated with certain chemotherapeutic agents. From a forensic perspective, understanding the manifestations of PPE becomes crucial in cases involving drug-related exposures or poisoning. This abstract explores the dermatological aspects of handfoot syndrome, its potential forensic implications, and the importance of recognizing and documenting such findings in medicolegal investigations. Additionally, the abstract discusses the relevance of PPE in establishing a link between a specific chemotherapeutic drug and its adverse effects, aiding forensic experts in determining the cause of morbidity or mortality in relevant cases. Hand-Foot Syndrome (HFS), a dermatological condition commonly associated with chemotherapy, presents a unique avenue for forensic investigation. This study endeavors to unravel the forensic implications of HFS, shedding light on its potential significance in post-mortem examinations. Characterized by erythematous and desquamative changes on the palms and soles, HFS has distinct clinical manifestations that may serve as valuable markers in forensic pathology. Our research employs a comprehensive approach, integrating dermatological analysis with forensic perspectives. Through an extensive review of case studies and medical records, we aim to establish a nuanced understanding of HFS patterns and their correlation with diverse forensic scenarios. By identifying and documenting these distinctive dermatological features, forensic professionals can potentially utilize HFS as an additional tool in their investigative arsenal. Furthermore, this study explores the temporal aspects of HFS progression, seeking to determine the reliability of its manifestation timeline in forensic reconstructions. By elucidating the chronological patterns of HFS development, forensic experts may enhance their ability to establish a timeline of events in cases involving suspicious or unexplained deaths. In conclusion, this research contributes to bridging the gap between dermatology and forensic science, offering insights into the forensic relevance of Hand-Foot Syndrome. The findings presented here aim to empower forensic practitioners with an additional layer of diagnostic precision, ultimately aiding in the pursuit of justice and accurate cause-of-death determinations

Open-ended initial invitations are particularly helpful in eliciting forensically relevant information from child witnesses

BackgroundOpen-ended prompting is an essential tool for interviewers to elicit evidentiary information from children reporting abuse. To date, no research has examined whether different types of open-ended prompts elicit details with differing levels of forensic relevance. ObjectiveTo examine interviewers' use of three open-ended prompt subtypes (initial invitations, breadth prompts, and depth prompts) and compare the forensic relevance of the information elicited by each. Participants and settingTranscripts of field interviews conducted by 53 police interviewers with children aged 6- to 16-years alleging abuse were examined. MethodsIn each transcript, initial invitations, breadth prompts, and depth prompts were identified, and the child's response was parsed into clauses. Clauses were classified according to their forensic relevance: essential to the charge (i.e., a key point of proof or element of the offence), relevant to the offending (i.e., what occurred before, during, or after an incident but not an essential detail), context (i.e., background information), irrelevant to the charge, no information provided, or repeated information already provided earlier. ResultsInterviewers posed fewer initial invitations than breadth and depth prompts, p < .001, ηp2 = 0.58. Initial invitations elicited higher proportions of essential and relevant clauses than breadth and depth prompts; depth prompts further elicited higher proportions of essential clauses than breadth prompts, ps ≤ 0.001. We found few effects of children's age. ConclusionsInitial invitations are a particularly useful subtype of open-ended prompt for interviewers to elicit details that are legislatively essential for prosecution of crimes from children of all ages.

The role of microorganisms in the biotransformation of psychoactive substances and its forensic relevance: a critical interdisciplinary review.

Microorganisms are widespread on the planet and grow in a myriad of environments.Microorganisms can often be found in matrices of forensic interest.Drugs can be metabolized or produced (e.g. ethanol) by microorganisms.

Pharmacokinetic and Toxicological Aspects of 1,3-Dimethylamylamine with Clinical and Forensic Relevance

1,3-dimethylamylamine (1,3-DMAA) is a simple straight-chain aliphatic sympathomimetic amine, which was used as a nasal decongestant between 1948 and 1983. It reappeared in both dietary supplements as a substitute for ephedrine, and in party pills as an alternative to 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine and/or 1-benzylpiperazine, after these substances were banned. Following its introduction to the market, it became one of the most widely used stimulants, and several case reports started to raise concerns about the safety and adverse effects of 1,3-DMAA. As a result, many countries banned or restricted the sale of 1,3-DMAA. Nevertheless, despite the efforts of regulating agencies, it has been reported that 1,3-DMAA is still found in dietary supplements and has been identified in doping controls. Therefore, the objective of this work is to review both the clinical and forensic aspects of 1,3-DMAA.

Persistence of cellular material after exposure to water.

Disposing of items of forensic relevance in bodies of water is one countermeasure offenders can use to avoid detection. The impact of immersion in water has been explored for blood, saliva, and semen; however, few studies have assessed touch DNA. Here we report on the effect of exposure to water on the persistence of touch DNA over prolonged periods of time. To evaluate the persistence of cells from touch DNA, after water exposure, three substrates and two water types were tested: plastic, metal, and ceramic, submerged into seawater or tap water. Diamond™ Nucleic Acid Dye was used to stain cells deposited by touch. Cell counts before and after water exposure were compared to investigate cell loss over time, ranging from 6 hours to 5 days. A logarithmic increase in the percent of cells lost was observed over time when the data for substrate and water type conditions were combined. Substrate type influenced the persistence of cells, with the metal substrate retaining cells longer than plastic or ceramic. The influence of water type appeared dependent on the substrate, with varied cell persistence on metal whereas plastic and ceramic recorded similar cell loss over time between water types. The ability to visualize cells after exposure to water could assist in triaging evidence within operational forensic laboratories and allow for targeted sampling. This proof-of-concept study demonstrated that greater than 50% of cells can persist on various items submerged in aqueous environments for at least 5 days, highlighting the possibility for downstream DNA testing.

Ultrastructure Morphology of the Antennae of Bahamiola orbitalis (Diptera: Sarcophagidae)

This study presents the first scanning electron microscopy investigation of the antenna of adult Bahamiola orbitalis, a species of potential forensic relevance. The specimens used in the analysis were obtained from traps baited with decomposing chicken in Jamaica, and 16 males were used in the morphometric analysis of the species. The antennae of B. orbitalis exhibit the typical characteristics of cyclorrhaphan Diptera, with the scape, the pedicel, and the postpedicel that bears the arista. The distribution, number, and location of sensilla on the antennae are described. Five types of sensilla were observed. The scape and pedicel have only chaetic sensilla, the postpedicel bears trichoid, basiconic, coeloconic sensilla, and clavate sensilla. Basiconic sensilla were the most numerous sensilla found on the antennae. Coeloconic sensilla are short-pegged and located in sunken depressions. The ventral surface of the postpedicel bears one sensory pit. This study provides additional information about the structure of the antennae in Sarcophagidae. This can be used to compare evolutionary relationships and identify shared characteristics.

Morphological and molecular characterization of puparia of Piophilidae species of forensic relevance.

Piophilidae are a small family of Diptera with a worldwide distribution and which are historically associated with human activities. In addition to their economic importance, piophilid larvae can also be of medical and legal relevance. Within a medicolegal context, piophilids are frequently associated with cadavers in advanced stages of decomposition, thus being potentially useful forensic indicators and they have been reported also from archaeo-funerary contexts. An accurate species identification is therefore an essential prerequisite to ensure the reliable analysis of insect material in medical, forensic and archaeological investigations. Identification of the adult piophilid flies is possible because of the availability of identification keys, in contrast immature insects, especially puparia, have been poorly investigated and described. In this paper, puparia of 11 species of forensic interest (Piophila casei, Piophila megastigmata, Parapiophila atrifrons, Parapiophila flavipes, Parapiophila vulgaris, Protopiophila litigata, Liopiophila varipes, Prochyliza nigrimana, Prochyliza xanthosoma and Stearibia nigriceps in subtribe Piophilina and Centrophlebomyia furcata in subtribe Thyreophorina) are described and a molecular analysis, based on the COI sequencing, is presented to show the potential of the molecular approach in their identification.

To ask or not to ask: strategic recall, but not spontaneous recall, decreases by the passage of time in 46-month-olds' memory of a unique event.

Children's ability to intentionally recall events lessens with temporal distance to the occurrence. However, little is known about the effects of retention time on memories that emerge spontaneously. We examined spontaneous and strategic retrieval in eighty-one 46-month-olds' memory of a lab event after 1 week (the 1-week Condition) versus 43weeks (the 43-weekCondition) in a between-subjects design, using well-established procedures (Krøjgaard et al., in Consciousness and Cognition 55(91): 105, 2017). While spontaneous recall showed no significant effect of retention, the children's strategic recall was negatively affected: even though the children overall still remembered the event, the children in the 43-week Condition showed reduced voluntary recall compared to the children in the 1-week Condition. To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess spontaneous recall after such a long retention interval. The findings add to existing evidence of two modes of retrieval in early childhood and are of both theoretical and forensic relevance.