NCJ Number
218470
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 52 Issue: 3 Dated: May 2007 Pages: 528-531
Date Published
May 2007
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This study examined how the percentage of the remains of a complete body recovered affected identification (ID) rates and the determination of the cause and manner of death.
Abstract
The study findings show that the percentage of remains of a body recovered had a significant effect on ID rates, as well as the ability to determine the cause and manner of death. For complete bodies, the ID rates ranged from 89 percent for complete bodies to 56 percent when less than half of the body was available. Determination of the cause/manner of death were highest (83 percent and 79 percent, respectively) for complete bodies, but declined to 40 percent when less than half the body was found. The recovery of the skull, regardless of the percentage of postcranial remains found, also significantly impacted ID rates and rates of cause/manner of death determination. Findings were compared with general autopsy ID rates (94-96 percent) and rates of determination of the cause/manner of death (96-99 percent), as well as prior published rates for individual casework and mass-death events. The findings of this study argue for the participation of anthropologists in the recovery of all decomposed and skeletal remains in order to maximize recovery rates. The study involved 773 cases of decomposed and skeletal remains analyzed by forensic anthropologists at the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator from 1974 to 2006. All individuals were unidentified at the time of the anthropological examination. The information drawn from case files included anthropology and autopsy reports, a summary of findings, reports of death, and scene information. 4 tables, 1 figure, and 26 references