One chance only : Advocating the use of archaeology in search, location and recovery at disasters scenes

The public has traditionally perceived the discipline of archaeology as being concerned with ancient ruins, treasure hunting and Egyptian mummies. While archaeology may have suffered from a perception problem, there is no doubt that the discipline plays a valuable role in providing evidence about both recent and distant past cultures. In the last decade archaeology has extended its utility into forensic, human rights, and mass disaster scene investigations. Archaeology has proven itself to be an effective investigative tool both nationally (particularly in North America and the UK) and internationally (in the investigation of war crimes in, for example, Bosnia and Croatia). To date however, there has been limited use of archaeological techniques in these areas in Australia. As with archaeology, the key issues in the investigation of disaster scenes are response and recovery. This paper examines the ways in which archaeologists can potentially contribute to an effective disaster scene response in Australia. The paper highlights the need for the formation of a professional body of forensic archaeologists who can be called upon to work with emergency services. Efforts to establish such a group are outlined. (AU)

Identification apres catastrophe aerienne (DC 10 au Niger) : Résultats et réflexions

A la suite d'un accient aerien, nous avons été conduit á identifier 159 corps ou fragments de corps. Pour ce faire une équipe pluridisciplinaire a fonctionné pendant 2 mois. 105 identifications ont pu etre realisses. Pami les reflexions suggerees par cette etude, nous insistons sur la rigueur du ramassage des corps et sur le delai necessaire pour realiser les differentes etapas de identification, ce qui impose une structure d'accueil refrigereee suffisamment vaste (AU)

Scene investigation, identification, and victim examination following the accident of Galaxy 203 : Disaster preplanning does work

Galaxy Airlines Flight 203 crashed following takeoff from Reno-Cannon International Airport on 21 Jan. 1985. Sixty-eight persons on board the aircraft perished in the initial crash and resultant fire which followed. Two victims expired as a result of crash injuries within subsequent days and one passenger survived. A community disaster response plan was in place and had been practiced by local government agencies before this incident. The successes of this preplanned response, as well as methods of actual recovery, identification, and examination of victims is presented (AU)

Identification based on medical data

When the personal identification of human remains cannot be determined from finger - prints or odonto - stomatological methods, it may be based on medical data including radiological / skeletal, blood groups, surgical procedures and prostheses, disease / accident, iatrogenic features, medicines and drugs. We illustrate these with a few cases from our own practice (AU)

L' anatomie dentaire "fine" au service de l'dentification

Des empreintes dentaires realisees dans un but orthodontique ont permis l'identification d'un crane d'adulte retrouve de nombreuses annees plus tard. Les auteurs insistent sur l'importance de l'examen minutieux des surfaces coronaires pour donner une conclusion formelle (AU)

The computer - assisted postmortem identification (CAPMI) system : A computer - based identification program

The computer - assisted postmortem identification (CAPMI) system was developed at the U.S army institute of dental research to facilitaterapid identification of human remains. The increasing requirement for dental based identification of high - energy fatalities and decomposed remains has dovetailed with the development of computer capabilities permitting automation of most of the highly repetitive chart-by-chart screenings characteristic of traditional identification taskings. This report summarizes the concepts upon which CAPMI is based. describes how it works, and reviews suggested applications and limitations. Capmi software is available to governmental, civic, or humanitarian at no cost (AU)

The computer - assisted postmortem identification (CAPMI) system : Sorting algorithm improvements

Refinements to the original computer - assisted postmortem identification (CAPMI) software algorithms and general data handling were suggested as a resultof observations made following the Gander plane crash of 1985. The presence of highly fragmented and scattered remains following most plane crashes suggested that changes to procedure might improve CAPMI performance for use in these types of disasters. A total of 162 ante - and postmortem dental records which had been used successfully to identify victims of the Gander disaster were coded for a anonymity and used for this investigation. Changes in data construction and management were made to CAPMI, according to concepts which were thought might improve system performance, and tested. Although most tested techniques improved CAPMI performance. The data suggested that replacement of "virgin" chartings with "data unknown" results in improved performance of CAPMI largely independent of other factors (AU)

Efficacite, rapidite, fiabilite de la desarticulation temporo - mandibulaire bilaterale dans l'identification des victimes d'une catastrophe aerienne

Les auteurs exposent une technique d'identification comparative odonto-stomatologique particuliere. Cette demiere a ete utilisee a une grande echelle pour la premiere fois, lors d'une catastrophe aerienne sur des sujets presentant un etat de carbonisation avance. Une desarticulation temporo - mandibulaire bilaterale est effectuee suivie de cliches macrophotographiques (AU)

Video superimposition of skulls and photographic portraits - A new aid to identification

The use of antemortem photographic records of facial features in the identification of human skeletal remains has been well established over the past 40 years. In the identification process, establishing the correct enlargement factor of the photograph to the skull is a critical factor. The enlargement of the photograph to "life size" must be accurate if facial features are to be accurately superimposed. This enlargement factor has been based on the linear measurements of fabric on the victim, items within a room in which the photograph portrait was taken, or the focal length of the camera lens.The aim of this paper is to describe in detail this technique, using video equipment, to enlarge antemortem photographs and then superimpose these on the video picture of the skull of the suspected deceased person (AU)

Photographs of the human face and broken projective symmetry

The exact projective symmetry manifested in photographs is broken if the object is not flat. It has been found that front view perspectives of the human face, photographed with limited variations in camera angle (within 30 degrees) show a breaking projective symmetry sufficiently small to be considered for accurate comparison. As a practical implementation of this new approach, a computer - controlled video camera superimposition technique has been developed and demostrated in the identification of a disguised human face (AU)

A study on the standard for forensic anthropologic identification of skull - image superimposition

By means of X ray photography tests were made of 224 (100 males and 124 females) volunteer Chinese adults of han nationality to study the related regular patterns of superimposed projection of face landmarks onto the skull. On the basis of these tests, the present article reveals from a forensic antropology angle the related regular patterns of plane projection of the human face with its skull. Study shows that there exist a strict individual identity and exclusiveness in relation between the human face and skull (AU)

The positioning and magnification of faces and skulls for photographic superimposition

In the identification of persons living or dead, or of skulls, the technique of photographic superimposition of laboratory images on existing original portraits has frequently been used. The applicability of the technique and the confidence in the results have always depended very much on the professional acceptance and experience of forensicspecialists. Defined preconditions, improved methods and clear-cut directions on how to posture the head or the skull and how to magnify its photographic laboratory image, not only help to standardize and simplify procedures, but also increase the accuracy and credibility of the resulting diagnoses (AU)

Identification of unknown human remains by comparison of antemorten and postmortem radiographs

Mhe identification of unknow human remains by comparison of ante mortem and post mortem radiographs has found wide acceptance in recent years. This report documents two recent cases in Hong Kong in which unequivocal positive identifications were achieved by comparison of radiographs. In cases where ante mortem radiographs and photographs are available, establishment of personal identity by comparison of radiographs is deemed preferable to identification by photographic superimposition because radiographic comparison permits the matching of a potentially larger number of unique anatomical features and is less time consuming and technically exacting (AU)

Personal identification from skull suture pattern

In medicolegal cases and mass disasters, the identification of individuals is critical. This paper summarizes an effective method of identification from the sutural patterns found on the ectocranial surface of skulls (AU)

Disaster victim identification

General overview of the importance of disaster victims identification and the methods used. Short description of DVI incident management and the use of Interpol forms