NCJ Number
214140
Date Published
2006
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This paper explains digital technology and techniques that can improve the quality of comparative analyses of crime-related bite marks and suspect dental patterns.
Abstract
The advantages of the features and analysis of digital images include the speedy transmission of digital information, the storage of digital information in a small space, the quick and easy enhancement of digital images, ease of duplication and sharing, and simplification of procedural standardization. The recent development of digital imaging software and image capture devices such as scanners and digital cameras has created more opportunity to control the variables that influence the quality of images used to compare evidence. In describing the features of digital evidence, one section of the paper describes the steps necessary to create a digital comparison. The examples are from a typical forensic dentistry bite mark evaluation. The application of these methods may also be useful in other areas of forensic investigation that involve image comparisons. The topics addressed in this section are image formats, resolution, digital control and correction for photographic distortion, and photographic standards. Another section of the paper discusses the digital analysis of two- and three-dimensional evidence. The subjects covered include the resizing of the image to life-size, image enhancement, computer-generated overlay creation, nonmetric analysis of the bite mark and the suspect's dental pattern, compound overlay, the recording of the analysis, and metric analysis of bite mark injuries. This section concludes with an explanation of the following steps in matching a bite mark with a suspect: spatial analysis of the bite mark injury, analysis of the suspect's dental pattern, and comparison data. 10 figures