Craniofacial Criteria in Forensic Race Identification (From Forensic Osteology, P 143-159, 1986, Kathleen J Reichs, ed. - See NCJ-103038)

• NCJ Number: 103043
• Author(s): G W Gill
• Date Published: 1986
• Length: 17 pages
• Sale Source: Charles C. Thomas
• Publication Type: Literature Review
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Craniofacial traits used by physical anthropologists to determine racial affinities (Mongoloid, American Indian, Caucasoid, Polynesian, and Negroid) are reviewed.

Abstract

Cranial form, sagittal outline, facial and alveolar prognathism, malar and palatal form, mandible, and chin projection and form are among trait variations useful in distinguishing race. Nasal traits (nose form and profile, nasal sill and spine) also should be considered in any evaluation of geographical race. While these anthroposcopic approaches to race determination are familiar to forensic anthropologists, they suffer from a lack of quantification, and the precise frequencies of each form to be found among the races is not known. Of metric approaches to forensic race and sex identification, the Giles and Elliot (1962) discriminant function analysis is the most widely used. While new technology is contributing to the development of more sophisticated statistical and metric approaches to race identification, many of these are not yet practical for forensic applications. Quantification of old and new, metric and nonmetric approaches is now needed. Figures, photographs, 1 table, and 49 references.