- Forensic Genetics, Forensic Science, Reliability of forensic science evidence, Facial Image Comparison, Facial Comparison, Facial Comparison Evidence, and 20 moreComputer Facial Animation, Prehistoric Archaeology, Criminal Justice, Facial Reconstruction, Forensic Facial Reconstruction, Facial Approximation, Forensic Anthropology, Ancient Greek History, Forensic Archaeology, Criminal Justice History, Rape and Sexual Assault Law, Ancient DNA (Archaeology), Ancient DNA Research, Forensic Pathology, Disaster Victim Identification, Transitional Justice, British Prehistory (Archaeology), Human Identification (Forensic Anthropology), Forensic Facial Identification, and Forensic Medicineedit
- Martin Evison graduated in genetics from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne in 1982. After a period of graduate st... moreMartin Evison graduated in genetics from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne in 1982. After a period of graduate study, work and travel in New Zealand and Australia, he pursued a six-year professional career in computing. He returned to academia in 1992 completing the MSc in Environmental Archaeology at Sheffield University. Martin’s academic background in genetics and archaeology allowed him to continue to doctoral research in low-template DNA analysis in a project co-supervised with Trent Centre, National Blood Service. His work included a comprehensive statistical study of the patterns of intrusive contamination of DNA encountered when using extended-cycle PCR. Martin’s knowledge of computer systems led him to join a research project in computerised forensic facial reconstruction with the Department of Forensic Pathology at Sheffield Medico-Legal Centre, where he developed early Internet-based visualisation models. Analysis of skeletal material reported to the Centre led him to develop a practice in that area and, with the kind support of colleagues in the Department he was able to establish a research group in human identification, which undertook a range of scientific projects and consultancy work.
In 2005, Martin joined the University of Toronto as Director of the Forensic Science Program—the longest standing forensic science degree programme in Canada. In 2010, he returned to the UK to direct Northumbria University Centre for Forensic Science—a highly-interdisciplinary research group successfully returned to the UK Research Excellence Framework in 2014. Martin has undertaken case work in forensic facial comparison, forensic archaeology and anthropology, and where innocent transfer or contamination of DNA is in issue; and has accepted similar numbers of instructions from prosecution and defence. He has contributed to humanitarian work in Kenya , Kosovo and Brazil—where he collaborates with colleagues investigating alleged human rights abuses of the military governments of 1964 to 1985.edit
The human KDM7 subfamily histone H3 Ne-methyl lysine demethylases PHF8 (KDM7B) and KIAA1718 (KDM7A) have different substrate selectivities and are linked to genetic diseases and cancer. We describe experimentally based computational... more
The human KDM7 subfamily histone H3 Ne-methyl lysine
demethylases PHF8 (KDM7B) and KIAA1718 (KDM7A) have different
substrate selectivities and are linked to genetic diseases and cancer.
We describe experimentally based computational studies revealing
that flexibility of the region linking the PHD finger and JmjC
domains in PHF8 and KIAA1718 regulates inter-domain interactions,
the nature of correlated motions, and ultimately H3 binding and
demethylation site selectivity. F279S an X-linked mental retardation
mutation in PHF8 is involved in correlated motions with the iron
ligands and second sphere residues. The calculations reveal key roles
of a flexible protein environment in productive formation of enzymesubstrate complexes and suggest targeting the flexible KDM7 linker region is of interest from a medicinal chemistry perspective.
demethylases PHF8 (KDM7B) and KIAA1718 (KDM7A) have different
substrate selectivities and are linked to genetic diseases and cancer.
We describe experimentally based computational studies revealing
that flexibility of the region linking the PHD finger and JmjC
domains in PHF8 and KIAA1718 regulates inter-domain interactions,
the nature of correlated motions, and ultimately H3 binding and
demethylation site selectivity. F279S an X-linked mental retardation
mutation in PHF8 is involved in correlated motions with the iron
ligands and second sphere residues. The calculations reveal key roles
of a flexible protein environment in productive formation of enzymesubstrate complexes and suggest targeting the flexible KDM7 linker region is of interest from a medicinal chemistry perspective.
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N-Methylation of DNA/RNA bases can be regulatory or damaging and is linked to diseases including cancer and genetic disorders. Bacterial AlkB and human FTO are DNA/RNA demethylases belonging to the Fe(II) and 2-oxoglutarate oxygenase... more
N-Methylation of DNA/RNA bases can be regulatory or damaging and is linked to diseases including cancer and genetic disorders. Bacterial AlkB and human FTO are DNA/RNA demethylases belonging to the Fe(II) and 2-oxoglutarate oxygenase superfamily. Modelling studies reveal conformational dynamics influence structure-function relationships of AlkB and FTO, e.g. why 1-methyladenine is a better substrate for AlkB than 6-methyladenine. Simulations show that the flexibility of the double stranded DNA substrate in AlkB influences correlated motions, including between the core jelly-roll fold and an active site loop involved in substrate binding. The FTO N-and C-terminal domains move in respect to one another in a manner likely important for substrate binding. Substitutions, including clinically observed ones, influencing catalysis contribute to the network of correlated motions in AlkB and FTO. Overall, the calculations highlight the importance of the overall protein environment and its flexibility to the geometry of the reactant complexes.
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Forensic science policy has been the subject of a series of judicial and parliamentary enquiries in the United Kingdom in recent decades. Forensic science research has been a recurrent theme in their reports, which have included... more
Forensic science policy has been the subject of a series of judicial and parliamentary enquiries in the United Kingdom in recent decades. Forensic science research has been a recurrent theme in their reports, which have included recommendations for research into the economics of forensic service provision; for the development of expertise and centres of excellence; and for research to establish the validity of the forensic sciences. These recommendations reflect similar concerns expressed internationally—particularly in the United States. In the United Kingdom, however, the Forensic Science Service recently enjoyed a near monopoly in research, and limited research funding and activity in the Universities was exacerbated by the lack of visibility of forensic science in government audits of research quality. This study used established methods in evidence-based policy and research quality evaluation to analyse the range, quantity and quality of research submitted to the two most
recent audits – RAE 2008 and REF 2014. Strengths and weaknesses in the methods used are discussed, and the findings analysed in relation to wider research policy issues in forensic science. The study concludes that consolidating forensic science as a peer-science in the academy is essential in order to establish a virtuous circle that will sustain research in the discipline—and address wider policy and socio-economic questions that persistently trouble the field.
recent audits – RAE 2008 and REF 2014. Strengths and weaknesses in the methods used are discussed, and the findings analysed in relation to wider research policy issues in forensic science. The study concludes that consolidating forensic science as a peer-science in the academy is essential in order to establish a virtuous circle that will sustain research in the discipline—and address wider policy and socio-economic questions that persistently trouble the field.
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Validation of a standard forensic anthropology examination protocol by measurement of applicability and reliability on exhumed and archive samples of known biological attribution. Forensic Science International in press.. Validation of a... more
Validation of a standard forensic anthropology examination protocol by measurement of applicability and reliability on exhumed and archive samples of known biological attribution. Forensic Science International in press.. Validation of a standard forensic anthropology examination protocol by measurement of applicability and reliability on exhumed and archive samples of known biological attribution. Forensic Science International in press.
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The study of facial growth is explored in many fields of science, including anatomy, genetics, and forensics. In the field of forensics, it acts as a valuable tool for combating child pornography. The present research proposes a new... more
The study of facial growth is explored in many fields of science, including anatomy, genetics, and forensics. In the field of forensics, it acts as a valuable tool for combating child pornography. The present research proposes a new method, based on relative measurements and fixed references of the human face—specifically considering measurements of the diameter of the iris (iris ratio)—for the analysis of facial growth in association with age in children and sub-adults. The experimental sample consisted of digital photographs of 1000 Brazilian subjects , aged between 6 and 22 years, distributed equally by sex and divided into five specific age groups (6, 10, 14, 18, and 22 year olds ± one month). The software package SAFF-2D ® (Forensic Facial Analysis System, Brazilian Federal Police, Brazil) was used for positioning 11 landmarks on the images. Ten measurements were calculated and used as fixed references to evaluate the growth of the other measurements for each age group, as well the accumulated growth (6–22 years old). The Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) was applied for the evaluation of intra-examiner and inter-examiner reliability within a specific set of images. Pearson's Correlation Coefficient was used to assess the association between each measurement taken and the respective age groups. ANOVA and Post-hoc Tukey tests were used to search for statistical differences between the age groups. The outcomes indicated that facial structures grow with different timing in children and adolescents. Moreover, the growth allometry expressed in this study may be used to understand what structures have more or less proportional variation in function for the age ranges studied. The diameter of the iris was found to be the most stable measurement compared to the others and represented the best cephalometric measurement as a fixed reference for facial growth ratios (or indices). The method described shows promising potential for forensic applications, especially as part of the armamentarium against crimes involving child pornography and child abuse.
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A recent issue of NG&S included an exchange between Hill (2011) and Turney (2011) discussing an earlier paper on the use of DNA identification in the Australian bush fires disaster of 2009 (Turney, 2010). An editor’s introduction to the... more
A recent issue of NG&S included an exchange between Hill (2011) and Turney (2011) discussing an earlier paper on the use of DNA identification in the Australian bush fires disaster of 2009 (Turney, 2010). An editor’s introduction to the exchange solicited further observations on the issues raised by the two participants (Glasner, 2011). What follows is a response to that solicitation. It has been written jointly by individuals from a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds (including forensic genetics, forensic anthropology, sociology, bioethics, and science & technology studies) located within two research centres (the Northumbria University Centre for Forensic Science (NCUFS); the Policy, Ethics and Life Sciences Research Centre at Newcastle University (PEALS)). We currently collaborate on a range of research topics including the uses of the life sciences for Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) . Some of us have worked as scientists commissioned by the UK Government and other agencies in response to particular disasters; others of us have an interest in the formation of policy and in the uses of science and technology as they affect a range of social goods including health, justice and security.
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Exhumation may be defined as the legally sanctioned excavation and recovery of the remains of lawfully buried or – occasionally – cremated individuals, as distinct from forensic excavations of clandestinely buried remains conducted as... more
Exhumation may be defined as the legally sanctioned excavation and recovery of the remains of lawfully buried or – occasionally – cremated individuals, as distinct from forensic excavations of clandestinely buried remains conducted as part of a criminal investigation and from unlawful disinterment of human remains,commonly referred to as ‘bodysnatching’. The aim of this article is to review the role of exhumation – so defined – in the activities of CEMEL, the Medico-Legal
Centre of the Ribeirão Preto Medical School-University of São Paulo, in international, regional and local collaborations. Exhumations form part of routine forensic anthropology casework; scientific research in physical and forensic anthropology; and forensic casework conducted in collaboration with the Brazilian Federal Police; and are carried out as part of humanitarian investigations into deaths associated with the civil–military dictatorship of 1964 to 1985. This article aims to offer
a non-technical summary – with reference to international comparative information – of the role of exhumation in investigative and scientific work and to discuss developments in their historical and political context.
Centre of the Ribeirão Preto Medical School-University of São Paulo, in international, regional and local collaborations. Exhumations form part of routine forensic anthropology casework; scientific research in physical and forensic anthropology; and forensic casework conducted in collaboration with the Brazilian Federal Police; and are carried out as part of humanitarian investigations into deaths associated with the civil–military dictatorship of 1964 to 1985. This article aims to offer
a non-technical summary – with reference to international comparative information – of the role of exhumation in investigative and scientific work and to discuss developments in their historical and political context.
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Truth commissions are widely recognised tools used in negotiation following political repression. Their work may be underpinned by formal scientific investigation of human remains. This paper presents an analysis of the role of forensic... more
Truth commissions are widely recognised tools used in negotiation following political repression. Their work may be underpinned by formal scientific investigation of human remains. This paper presents an analysis of the role of forensic investigations in the transition to democracy following the Brazilian military governments of 1964-1985. It considers practices during the dictatorship and in the period following, making reference to analyses of truth commission work in jurisdictions other than Brazil, including those in which the investigation of clandestine burials has taken place. Attempts to conceal the fate of victims during the dictatorship and of democratic governments to investigate them are described. Despite various initiatives since the end of the military government, many victims remain unidentified. In Brazil, as elsewhere, forensic investigations are susceptible to political and social influences, leading to a situation in which relatives struggle to obtain meaningful restitution and have little trust in the transitional justice process.
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The aim of this brief critical qualitative analysis is to examine the development of forensic anthropology in Australia, at a time of significant change in the discipline. It will briefly summarise its historical establishment, making... more
The aim of this brief critical qualitative analysis is to examine the development of forensic anthropology in Australia, at a time of significant change in the discipline. It will briefly summarise its historical establishment, making comparative reference to other regions—particularly the United Kingdom and United States, and the influence of the Bali Bombings of 2002, Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami of 2004 and Black Saturday Bushfires of 2009. The analysis goes on to consider key factors in research in forensic anthropology in the United States, and the development of standards and regulation in the US and UK. The significance of research in post-mortem diagenesis in Brazil—a country sharing aspects of climate, soil types and demography with Australia—is also considered, as well as the significance of patterns of casework encountered in Australia compared with those of other jurisdictions. While forensic anthropology as a discipline has grown remarkably in recent years, this analysis suggests that research and training tailored to the specific pattern of casework encountered in Australia is now essential to support the development of national standards in science, education, and professional regulation. The significance of the establishment of the first taphonomy research facility outside of the US—the Australian Facility for Taphonomic Experimental Research—is briefly considered with reference to what this facility may offer to the development of forensic anthropology in Australia.
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Taphonomic processes affecting bone post mortem are important in forensic, archaeological and palaeontological investigations. In this study, the application of tissue microarray (TMA) analysis to a sample of femoral bone specimens from... more
Taphonomic processes affecting bone post mortem are important in forensic, archaeological and palaeontological investigations. In this study, the application of tissue microarray (TMA) analysis to a sample of femoral bone specimens from 20 exhumed individuals of known period of burial and age at death is described. TMA allows multiplexing of subsamples, permitting standardized comparative analysis of adjacent sections in 3-D and of representative cross-sections of a large number of specimens. Standard hematoxylin and eosin, periodic acid-Schiff and silver methenamine, and picrosirius red staining, and CD31 and CD34 immunohistochemistry were applied to TMA sections. Osteocyte and osteocyte lacuna counts, percent bone matrix loss, and fungal spheroid element counts could be measured and collagen fibre bundles observed in all specimens. Decalcification with 7% nitric acid proceeded more rapidly than with 0.5 M EDTA and may offer better preservation of histological and cellular structure. No endothelial cells could be detected using CD31 and CD34 immunohistochemistry. Correlation between osteocytes per lacuna and age at death may reflect reported age-related responses to microdamage. Methodological limitations and caveats, and results of the TMA analysis of post mortem diagenesis in bone are discussed, and implications for DNA survival and recovery considered. Bone undergoes a range of changes in the burial environment that are of forensic, archaeological and palaeonto-logical interest. Analysis of exhumed bone may allow the mechanism of interment or disposal, burial location, time since death and time since burial to be established, and possible secondary interments to be identified 1–5. Forensic, archaeological and palaeontological investigations of bone taphonomy have addressed macroscopic, microscopic, physico-chemical and molecular processes occurring post mortem 6–15. In forensic human identification, osteological analysis and DNA profiling are each of fundamental importance and understanding of post mortem changes or diagenesis can assist in ensuring investigative procedures can accommodate both 16–21. Bone diagenesis in soil is characterized by destruction of histological integrity, alteration in bone porosity and mineral crystallinity, and loss of collagen 6–9. Collagen loss can be the result of enzymatic hydrolysis promoted by collagenase activity, creating pathways that facilitate microbial invasion 10,11. Microbial attack in specific areas results focal microscopic destruction, during which collagen loss follows bone demineralization, leading to reduction in bone strength 12. The extent of these changes can vary dramatically depending on the time and conditions of burial. They are especially influenced by factors such as humidity, pH and temperature: while physico-chemical deterioration is accelerated by extreme pH or high temperatures 13–15 , microbial activity is optimized in conditions close to neutral pH. This study describes the application of tissue microarray (TMA) analysis to the investigation of post mortem diagenesis in exhumed human bone. TMA 22 analysis is a method in which small cores are precisely extracted from conventional paraffin-embedded specimens and inserted into a fresh block so that large numbers of sub-specimens can be analyzed together in a single multiplex. Cores from the donor block may be selected to give a representative cross-section of an original specimen. These cores, which may vary from 0.6 to 2.0 mm in diameter , are extracted with a hollow needle coupled to a precision support and then mounted in a recipient block. Up to a thousand specimens may be subsampled and multiplexed in this way. If, for example, slides are cut to a thickness of 5 μ m and each of 40 sections is subsampled at the same point, there will be 200 μ m between the first
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There is a perception in forensic anthropology that anthropometric methods are less subjective, and have lower intra and inter observer error rates compared with more subjective classificatory or anthroposcopic approaches. Anthropometric... more
There is a perception in forensic anthropology that anthropometric methods are less subjective, and have lower intra and inter observer error rates compared with more subjective classificatory or anthroposcopic approaches. Anthropometric methods have risks of execution errors, however, and may be laborious and time-consuming. Heterogeneous or less than homogeneous samples—such as in cases of intensive admixture—yield equally heterogeneous results. This study is an evaluation of the efficiency and effectiveness of an anthropometric method of sex estimation from the mastoid process triangle (porion, asterion and mastoidale), as described by Paiva & Segre and Kemkes & Göbel. Of 74 skulls selected from the CEMEL/FMRP-USP collection, 28 were excluded due to the impossibility of execution of the method. The remaining 46 skulls were measured three times and the results compared with each other, as well as with the assignments based on the classifications used in the LAF/CEMEL protocol. In addition to the high number of exclusions due to impossibility of execution of the method, and the need for technical refinements to avoid intra-observer errors, the results obtained contrasted with those obtained by Paiva & Segre in 60.9% of cases. Reduction of observer errors over time and with technical refinement led to the anthropometric method increasing in efficiency. It was not as effective in estimating the sex of the skulls in the heterogeneous admixed sample compared to the anthroposcopic methods, indicating that these are more useful on samples of this kind.
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In the UK forensic animations are becoming an increasingly important visual aid in courtroom situations. where complex data relating to a sequence of events is being visualised before a general public who may, have little or no... more
In the UK forensic animations are becoming an increasingly important visual aid in courtroom situations. where complex data relating to a sequence of events is being visualised before a general public who may, have little or no understanding of established forensic procedure or methodology. This paper will introduce and discuss a spectrum of new technologies that utilise new developments in Computer Graphics (CG) and Virtual Reality (VR) for a range of incident investigation and presentation scenarios.
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The London Riots of August 2011 were notable for the prominence of CCTV images of offenders in news and social media, as well as in investigation, prosecution and conviction. The Metropolitan Police Service relied on specialist units that... more
The London Riots of August 2011 were notable for the prominence of CCTV images of offenders in news and social media, as well as in investigation, prosecution and conviction. The Metropolitan Police Service relied on specialist units that had in fact been established in the five years prior to the riots, which had been tasked with acting systematically upon CCTV image evidence: a procedural approach deemed so effective it had been termed the ‘Third Forensics’. This article discusses the significance of this claim and its implications for the justice system. The use of images in the investigations of the riots was highly effective, suggesting claims for substantially improved impact in investigation and prosecution are valid, and earlier scepticism regarding both utility and surveillance society agendas in public area CCTV studies was justified. Systematic procedural use of CCTV footage is not new, however, as demonstrated following riots in Vancouver, Canada, and earlier in Bradford, UK. Furthermore, identification in the ‘Third Forensics’ is eyewitness recognition, not scientifically or technologically comparable to fingerprints or DNA. The article suggests this difference affects risks of prejudice and miscarriages of justice, and the ‘profiling’ of individuals and social categories images appear to represent. The article concludes that while forensic investigation of CCTV images may not meet scientific criteria of a third forensic discipline, it does define a nascent development in police investigation where improvements in procedure have combined with proliferating CCTV systems and social media. This has led to a novel set of circumstances, which raises a number of unexplored issues of such significance that ‘Third Forensics’ is a suitable term to use to define them.
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The London Riots of August 2011 were notable for the prominence of closed-circuit television (CCTV) images of offenders in investigation and prosecution, and in social media and news publicity. The systematic use of CCTV footage in... more
The London Riots of August 2011 were notable for the prominence of closed-circuit television (CCTV) images of offenders in investigation and prosecution, and in social media and news publicity. The systematic use of CCTV footage in criminal investigations was not new, however. London's Metropolitan Police had pioneered specialist units tasked with acting upon image evidence in the five years prior to the riots, an approach deemed so effective it was termed the ‘Third Forensics’. This article discusses the significance of this claim and its implications for the justice system. The use of images in the investigation of the riots was highly effective, suggesting claims for substantially improved impact in investigation and prosecution are valid, and earlier scepticism regarding both utility and surveillance society agendas in public area CCTV studies was justified. Systematic procedural use of CCTV footage is not new, however, as demonstrated following riots in Vancouver, Canada, and earlier in Bradford, UK. Furthermore, identification in the Third Forensics is eyewitness recognition, and not scientifically or technologically similar to fingerprints or DNA. The article suggests this difference affects risks of prejudice and miscarriages of justice, and profiling of individuals and social categories images appear to represent. The article concludes that while forensic investigation of CCTV images may not meet scientific criteria of a third forensic discipline, it defines nascent development in police investigation, where improvements in procedure have combined with proliferating CCTV systems and social media, leading to a novel set of circumstances raising a number of unexplored issues of such significance that ‘Third Forensics’ is a suitable term to use to symbolise them.
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In Approaching Utility in Forensic Anthropology, Evison, Francisco, and Guimarães (2012) propose an attrition model for the study of the impact of forensic anthropology in the justice system and consider wider implications for crime... more
In Approaching Utility in Forensic Anthropology, Evison, Francisco, and Guimarães (2012) propose an attrition model for the study of the impact of forensic anthropology in the justice system and consider wider implications for crime prevention and public health and safety. In this short supplementary article, brief illustrations of case findings are offered to demonstrate their significance in case progression—or conversions—in the investigative and prosecutorial process. The examples, it is suggested, support the specific arguments for improved communication and integration, feedback on evidential reliability, and tailoring of research and education to reflect caseload proposed via the attrition model, as well as policy advances that would improve efficacy in public health and safety.
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Abstract: Improvement of methods for evidential facial comparison for the Courts relies on the collection of large databases of facial images that permit the analysis of face shape variation and the development of statistical tools. In... more
Abstract: Improvement of methods for evidential facial comparison for the Courts relies on the collection of large databases of facial images that permit the analysis of face shape variation and the development of statistical tools. In this paper, we present a short description and key findings of an anthropometric study of face shape variation in three-dimensions. We used Statistical Shape Analysis to investigate a large database sample (n = 1968), classified by age and gender. We found that size, shape of the bilateral features and midline contributed successively to overall variation. Face size is associated with age. Sexual dimorphism is evident in size and shape, and shows patterns that affect male and female subjects differently. We anticipate this approach will lend itself to the development of methods for analysis of variation within subject groups and the establishment of the relative uniqueness or abundance of facial measurements within them.
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Analysis of genetically-based variation in human populations has been possible for nearly a century. Recently, DNA sequence-based methods have begun to replace protein-based methods leading to a higher resolution, but more complex... more
Analysis of genetically-based variation in human populations has been possible for nearly a century. Recently, DNA sequence-based methods have begun to replace protein-based methods leading to a higher resolution, but more complex results. Patterns of gene distribution may be established with statistical reliability, but understanding them in terms of history is a process of interpretation; multi-disciplinary research is essential. A brief synopsis of the Holocene in Britain is presented, based on the genetic data , but with reference to archaeology, palaeoecology, ethnology and linguistics. The genetic history of Britain is a Holocene history. Patterns of gene distributions can be seen as the consequence of social processes and of selection. The major events are: the reoccupation of Britain in the Late Upper Palaeolithic/Early Mesolithic (c. 10,000–7,500 bp), social and demographic development during the Mesolithic (7,500–6,000 bp), and the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition (6,000–4,000 bp). Interpretations of the transition based on social interaction, intermarriage and minor genetic input are most consistent with the broad evidence. An extreme “indigenist” position is not supported.
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Since its discovery in 1985 by Alec Jeffreys, forensic DNA profiling has emerged as an immensely powerful technology. In this chapter, the development of genetic approaches to forensic human identification will be discussed in a variety... more
Since its discovery in 1985 by Alec Jeffreys, forensic DNA profiling has emerged as an immensely powerful technology. In this chapter, the development of genetic approaches to forensic human identification will be discussed in a variety of contexts, including the analysis of skeletal remains and other trace evidence. The use of autosomal, X and Y chromosome genetic loci and maternally-inherited mitochondrial DNA in relationship analysis will be briefly reviewed. More recent advances in the application of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and next-generation sequencing (NGS) to human identification, particularly in the development of ancestry informative markers (AIMS) and externally visible characteristics (EVCs) will also be introduced, with related socio-ethical issues. A range of case studies are used to illustrate application of these technologies. Forensic genetics has a range of roles in missing person cases, including homicides and human rights related investigations. It is also important in the investigation of living missing persons, including trafficked children and persons displaced due to conflict and migration.
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Forensic facial reconstruction is a means for producing a facial surface from the skull. There are several technical approaches that can be applied, which include computerised and plastic sculptural methods. Whether the reconstruction is... more
Forensic facial reconstruction is a means for producing a facial surface from the skull. There are several technical approaches that can be applied, which include computerised and plastic sculptural methods. Whether the reconstruction is attempted in virtual or actual reality, the facial surface is projected by one of two principal means: by reconstruction of the craniofacial anatomy or by mathematical extrapolation of the face surface from that of the skull. More recently, it has been possible via a combination of the two. In this chapter, the history of facial reconstruction from the skull will be briefly introduced and the principal methods described. Both plastic and computational approaches will be summarised. The utility of forensic facial reconstruction will be discussed with reference to the investigation of cases of missing persons, and to current controversies in research and practice, relating to the precision and efficacy of the technique.
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This chapter begins with a brief overview of Brazil's somewhat hectic past and some key developments in legislation that have led to the rather incongruous state of forensic archaeology in a country whose economy is ranked the world's... more
This chapter begins with a brief overview of Brazil's somewhat hectic past and some key developments in legislation that have led to the rather incongruous state of forensic archaeology in a country whose economy is ranked the world's sixth largest and which has been chosen to host major sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and the Olympic Games in 2016. It discusses the contemporary situation in forensic archaeology in Brazil and follows with a reference to illustrative examples. The close interface between forensic archaeology and anthropology in Brazil makes both areas almost indistinguishable. Contemporary practice does recognise that forensic archaeology and anthropology represent more than excavation and osteology. The wider significance of forensic archaeology and anthropology to the rule of law and the safeguarding of human rights is of contemporary as well as historical importance, in Brazil as it is elsewhere.