All that glitters is not gold: X-ray fluorescence analysis of a fixed dental prosthesis from Colecção de Esqueletos Identificados Século XXI, Portugal (CEI/XXI).

Access to better health care anticipates that more medical devices can be found alongside skeletal remains. Those employed in oral rehabilitation, with available brands or batch/series, can prove useful in the identification process. A previous study in the Colecção de Esqueletos Identificados Século XXI described macroscopically the dental prostheses. An unusual case of a dental device with chromatic alterations demonstrated to require a more detailed analysis. The individual, a 53-year-old male, exhibited, at both arches, a fixed tooth-supported rehabilitation, with gold colouring classified initially as a gold-palladium alloy. Simultaneously, a green pigmentation deposit was observable in bone and prosthesis. This investigation aimed to verify the elemental composition of the dental prosthesis alloy. Elemental analysis was performed by X-ray fluorescence in two regions (labial surface of the prosthetic crown and the root surface of the lower right lateral incisor). Both the spectra and the qualitative results found higher levels of copper and aluminium, followed by nickel, iron, zinc, and manganese. No gold or palladium was detected. The most probable assumption is that a copper-aluminium alloy was used, as its elemental concentration corresponds to those measured in similar devices. Dental prostheses of copper-aluminium alloys have been made popular since the 1980s, particularly in the USA, Japan, and Eastern Europe. Apart from the biographical information, it was also known that the individual's place of birth was an Eastern European country, which highlighted the usefulness of this type of information when dealing with missing people cases.

Nails as optimal source of DNA for molecular identification of 5 decomposed bodies recovered from seawater: from Y-ancestry to personal identification.

Molecular identification of extremely compromised human remains in forensic field is usually performed from DNA typing of bones, which are a difficult sample to work with. Moreover, autosomal STR profiles do not always result in the identification of the donor due to lack of comparisons or non-hit throughout database searching. An attempt to overcome these issues is represented by fingernails as an alternative DNA source and Y-STRs typing to infer both geographical and familial ancestry of the unknown donor. In this study, we analyzed both 24 autosomal and 27 Y-chromosome STRs from unidentified human remains (UHRs) of five males recovered from the water near the southwestern coast of Sardinia by the Italian Harbor Master's Office. Nail clippings provided an optimal source of autologous DNA for molecular identification in a very short time, producing complete autosomal and Y-STR profiles even under conditions of high body degradation. Unfortunately, no match neither compatibility occurred using autosomal STRs (aSTRs), initially. Upon analyzing the Y-haplotypes, we found out they had already been observed in northern Africa, providing us important investigative leads. This prompted the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) to provide us with references of alleged relatives that were then confirmed to be related. The use of fingernails represents an excellent DNA source especially for genetic identification of decomposed bodies recovered in seawater environment. Notably, DNA extracted from nails gave high-quality Y-STR haplotypes by which predicting paternal ancestry of the unidentified donors may result fundamental in the forensic investigative context.

Facial soft tissue depth of a contemporary adult Greek population.

Facial approximation is a technique that involves constructing the facial muscles and applying a suitable facial soft tissue depth (FSTD) dataset. To date, several FSTD studies have been conducted for varying population groups. This study aims to establish a FSTD dataset of an adult Greek population sample for the first time. The facial depths of subjects were measured on 100 head CT scans of 50 male and 50 female subjects aged from 18 to 99. The 3D head and skull models of subjects were segmented in Amira 6.1 by using histogram method. FSTDs were measured at 22 cranial landmarks (5 mid-sagittal, 17 bilateral). The FSTD dataset was generated by considering the age and sex of subjects. The impact of age and sex on the FSTD was limited. Slight inter-population depth variations were reported. Facial asymmetry calculated between the bilateral landmarks was insignificant for both male and female subjects.

Evaluating artificial intelligence for comparative radiography.

INTRODUCTION: Comparative radiography is a forensic identification and shortlisting technique based on the comparison of skeletal structures in ante-mortem and post-mortem images. The images (e.g., 2D radiographs or 3D computed tomographies) are manually superimposed and visually compared by a forensic practitioner. It requires a significant amount of time per comparison, limiting its utility in large comparison scenarios. METHODS: We propose and validate a novel framework for automating the shortlisting of candidates using artificial intelligence. It is composed of (1) a segmentation method to delimit skeletal structures' silhouettes in radiographs, (2) a superposition method to generate the best simulated "radiographs" from 3D images according to the segmented radiographs, and (3) a decision-making method for shortlisting all candidates ranked according to a similarity metric. MATERIAL: The dataset is composed of 180 computed tomographies and 180 radiographs where the frontal sinuses are visible. Frontal sinuses are the skeletal structure analyzed due to their high individualization capability. RESULTS: Firstly, we validate two deep learning-based techniques for segmenting the frontal sinuses in radiographs, obtaining high-quality results. Secondly, we study the framework's shortlisting capability using both automatic segmentations and superimpositions. The obtained superimpositions, based only on the superimposition metric, allowed us to filter out 40% of the possible candidates in a completely automatic manner. Thirdly, we perform a reliability study by comparing 180 radiographs against 180 computed tomographies using manual segmentations. The results allowed us to filter out 73% of the possible candidates. Furthermore, the results are robust to inter- and intra-expert-related errors.

From Jane Doe to Sofia: DNA Extraction Protocol from Bones and Teeth without Liquid Nitrogen for Identifying Skeletal Remains.

DNA analysis plays a crucial role in forensic investigations, helping in criminal cases, missing persons inquiries, and archaeological research. This study focuses on the DNA concentration in different skeletal elements to improve human identification efforts. Ten cases of unidentified skeletal remains brought to the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Timisoara, Romania, underwent DNA analysis between 2019 and 2023. The results showed that teeth are the best source for DNA extraction as they contain the highest concentration of genetic material, at 3.68 ng/µL, compared to the petrous temporal bone (0.936 ng/µL) and femur bone (0.633 ng/µL). These findings highlight the significance of teeth in forensic contexts due to their abundant genetic material. Combining anthropological examination with DNA analysis enhances the understanding and precision of identifying human skeletal remains, thus advancing forensic science. Selecting specific skeletal elements, such as the cochlea or teeth, emerges as crucial for reliable genetic analyses, emphasizing the importance of careful consideration in forensic identification procedures. Our study concludes that automated DNA extraction protocols without liquid nitrogen represent a significant advancement in DNA extraction technology, providing a faster, more efficient, and less labor-intensive method for extracting high-quality DNA from damaged bone and tooth samples.

Validity of postmortem computed tomography for use in forensic odontology identification casework.

Forensic Odontology (FO) identification compares antemortem (AM) and postmortem (PM) dental datasets and is widely accepted as a primary identifier. Traditionally, a PM dental examination is undertaken in the same manner as a dental examination conducted for a living patient. Recently, the increased forensic application of computed tomography (CT) offers an alternative source of PM data. While charting from PMCT is widely accepted as less accurate, the impact on reconciliation is unknown. This study aims to determine if reconciliation outcome differs when PM dental data is collected from PMCT, compared with conventional PM examination. PMCT data was reviewed for 21 cases previously completed using conventional PM dental examination. Operators blinded to original identification outcomes charted from CT images before comparing to AM data to form an opinion regarding identity. Opinions formed were compared with original identification outcomes. Differences in PM dental charting between the two methods and the evidentiary value of AM and PM datasets were assessed to determine driving factors of differences in identification outcome. Compared to conventional PM dental examination, PMCT examination resulted in similar or less certain identification outcomes. Discrepancies in outcome were driven by the quality of AM and PM datasets rather than inaccuracies in charting from PMCT. Based on the results of this study, both conventional and PMCT methods of PM dental examination can reach similar identification outcomes. However, operators remained more certain in establishing identity when conducting conventional PM dental examinations especially when AM data was lacking.

On the forensic relevance of tattoos: distinguishing black inks with energy dispersive spectroscopy and backscattered scanning electron microscopy.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to analyze black tattoo inks by means of energy dispersive spectroscopy and backscattered scanning electron microscopy. METHODS: The sample consisted of five types of commercial tattoo pigments of the black colour (Easy Glow™, Electric Ink™, Iron Works™, Master Ink™, and Viper™). An Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) detector (Silicon Drift Detector - SDD - type) attached to a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) device (Tescan Vega3 LMU, Libusina, Czech Republic) was used. X-ray characteristic signs were detected for each tattoo ink in an interval between 0 and 2.5 keV. The electron acceleration potential in the microscope was 15 keV. Two regions were analyzed for each sample (n = 10). On each region, a micrography of backscattered electrons (BSE) was obtained. Means and standard deviations (SD) of the weight percentages (Wt%) were calculated. RESULTS: C and O were predominant, with a mean O/C ratio between 2.69 and 2.74 Wt%. Electric Ink and Master Ink were the most similar pigments, while Easy Glow was the most distinctive - with agglomerates of Al that had a concentration 25 × higher than other specimens. Other compounds detected in the sample were Cl and Cu. CONCLUSION: EDS and SEM were efficient to distinguish black tattoo inks. These are our preliminary outcomes on the use of EDS and SEM to analyze black tattoo inks. Thus, careful interpretation is necessary to avoid rash applications in human identification practice.

Cheiloscopy in sex estimation: a systematic review.

This study aimed to conduct a systematic review to gather evidence to clarify if cheiloscopy can be used in sex estimation and identify the reasons behind the lack of consensus in the scientific community. The systematic review was performed following the PRISMA guidelines. A bibliographic survey was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, restricted to articles published between 2010 and 2020. Studies were selected according to eligibility criteria, and then the study data were collected. The risk of bias in each study was assessed and applied as additional inclusion or exclusion criteria. The results of the articles eligible for analysis were synthesized using a descriptive approach. In the 41 included studies, several methodological flaws and variations between studies that contribute to the discrepancy in results were identified. The data gathered allowed us to conclude that there is no strong scientific evidence to support the use of cheiloscopy in sex estimation, as there is no specific pattern for each sex, which reduces the criminalistic interest of cheiloscopy in estimating this parameter.

Digital matching of palatal rugae patterns for forensic identification in edentulous denture wearers.

Identifying edentulous victims in forensic contexts poses a significant challenge. It has been reported that having a denture to reproduce and compare Palatal Rugae (PR) patterns is crucial for identifying edentulous individuals, yet there are no validated protocols for conducting this procedure. In this study, a new method was developed and validated for plaster molding of the internal surface of upper dentures, along with a protocol involving focus-stacked photographs and reference scales. Thirty-eight edentulous subjects participated in the study, obtaining plaster models of the patients (PM), and their dentures (AM) were standardized. The AM/PM model was highlighted and photographed with ten shots in different z-focuses for each model, using standard lighting and aligning the position of the PR perpendicular to the photographic axis using tubular spirit levels and modeling clay. The images were processed using the stacking technique and analyzed by three observers through the proposed protocol using Adobe® Photoshop®. The results were analyzed based on the intra-observer and inter-observer agreement levels, with a 95% confidence interval. This study demonstrated high-precision intra-observer and inter-observer agreement (k = 1) in the matching of Palatal Rugae (PR) and maxillary morphology obtained from participants and their dentures. The protocol is simple, cost-effective, and precise. It enables standardization of the technique for obtaining plaster models, and the exposure of PR and photographic protocol minimizes the presence of artifacts in the images, thereby reducing the likelihood of errors and promoting the reproducibility of both the recording technique and the comparison of the PR.

[Microwave Heartprint: A novel non-contact human identification technology based on cardiac micro-motion detection using ultra wideband bio-radar].

The existing one-time identity authentication technology cannot continuously guarantee the legitimacy of user identity during the whole human-computer interaction session, and often requires active cooperation of users, which seriously limits the availability. This study proposes a new non-contact identity recognition technology based on cardiac micro-motion detection using ultra wideband (UWB) bio-radar. After the multi-point micro-motion echoes in the range dimension of the human heart surface area were continuously detected by ultra wideband bio-radar, the two-dimensional principal component analysis (2D-PCA) was exploited to extract the compressed features of the two-dimensional image matrix, namely the distance channel-heart beat sampling point (DC-HBP) matrix, in each accurate segmented heart beat cycle for identity recognition. In the practical measurement experiment, based on the proposed multi-range-bin & 2D-PCA feature scheme along with two conventional reference feature schemes, three typical classifiers were selected as representatives to conduct the heart beat identification under two states of normal breathing and breath holding. The results showed that the multi-range-bin & 2D-PCA feature scheme proposed in this paper showed the best recognition effect. Compared with the optimal range-bin & overall heart beat feature scheme, our proposed scheme held an overall average recognition accuracy of 6.16% higher (normal respiration: 6.84%; breath holding: 5.48%). Compared with the multi-distance unit & whole heart beat feature scheme, the overall average accuracy increase was 27.42% (normal respiration: 28.63%; breath holding: 26.21%) for our proposed scheme. This study is expected to provide a new method of undisturbed, all-weather, non-contact and continuous identification for authentication.

Short Tandem Repeat (STR) Profiling of Earwax DNA Obtained from Healthy Volunteers.

The present study aimed to establish human earwax as a potential source of DNA evidence that could be effectively used in human identification. Sixty earwax samples were obtained from 15 healthy male and female Saudi volunteers living in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Four consecutive earwax swab samples were obtained from each volunteer and stored for 1, 15, 30 and 60 days. Earwax samples were stored at room temperature (20-22 °C). Reference oral swab was also taken from each volunteer. DNA was extracted by QIAamp DNA Mini kit and quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) on 7500 Thermal Cycler. Autosomal STR loci were amplified using AmpFLSTR™ Identifiler™ Plus PCR Amplification Kit (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Carlsbad, CA, USA). Amplified fragments were size separated and analyzed on a 3500 Genetic Analyzer. Complete autosomal STR profiles were obtained from the earwax swabs of all the volunteers stored up to 30 days after the collection. Some STR profiles were partially obtained 60 days after the earwax collection. Allelic drop-out, allelic drop-in, and stutters were seen in earwax samples analyzed 60 days after the collection. The results have shown that human earwax can be a potential source of DNA evidence for human identification up to 30 days after the earwax collection. It is recommended to quickly analyze earwax samples or store them at room temperature or at -10 °C after their recovery from the crime scene.

Understanding the burden of unidentified bodies: a systematic review.

While human identification is a crucial aspect of medico-legal investigations, many individuals remain unidentified each year across the world. The burden of unidentified bodies is often referred to when motivating for improved methods of identification, and anatomical teaching, yet the actual burden is somewhat unclear. A systematic literature review was undertaken to identify articles that empirically investigate the number of unidentified bodies experienced. Despite the large number of articles returned, an alarmingly low number (24 articles) provided specific and empirical details on the number of unidentified bodies, demographics and trends thereof. It is possible that this lack of data is due to the variable definition of 'unidentified' bodies and the use of alternative terminology such as 'homelessness' or 'unclaimed' bodies. Nevertheless, the 24 articles provided data for 15 forensic facilities across ten countries of both developed and developing statuses. On average, developing countries experienced more than double (9.56%) the number of unidentified bodies when compared to developed nations (4.40%). While facilities were mandated under different legislations and infrastructures available varied greatly, the most common issue faced is the lack of standardised procedures for forensic human identification. Further to this, the need for investigative databases was highlighted. Through addressing the standardisation of identification procedures and terminology, alongside the appropriate utilisation of existing infrastructure and database creation, the number of unidentified bodies could be significantly reduced globally.

Are lip prints hereditary? A systematic review.

Hereditary lip prints have been studied by several researchers. However, the literature shows no consensus among the scientific community regarding this topic. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review to gather evidence to clarify whether the surface structure of lip prints is hereditary and, consequently, if a familial relationship between individuals can be established through the analysis of lip prints. The systematic review was performed following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. A bibliographic survey was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, restricted to articles published between 2010 and 2020. Studies were selected according to eligibility criteria, and then the study data were collected. The risk of bias of each study was assessed and applied as additional inclusion or exclusion criteria. The results of the articles eligible for analysis were synthesized by a descriptive approach. In the seven included studies, methodological variations, including the definition of similarity, that contribute to the heterogeneity of results were identified. The data gathered allowed to conclude that there is no strong scientific evidence to support the hypothesis of the existence of heredity in the surface structure of lip prints, since it was not proven that similarities between parents and children occur systematically in all families.

DNA recovery and human identification from semen stains washed at different temperatures.

One of the most important pieces of evidence to find the suspect of a sexual assault are semen stains. It has been observed that suspects do not use condoms in many cases and transfer seminal fluids over the body of the victim, to their clothes, to bed linen, or to other objects in the environment. However, in many cases, it has been seen that the suspects or the victims tend to clean their bodies and clothes because of psychological conditions such as fear, panic, and anxiety. This study aims to determine whether human identification can be accomplished from washed semen stains by evaluating the quantity of extracted DNA obtained from washed clothes. In this study, both cotton- and nylon-blended fabrics were stained with semen samples taken from 10 volunteers and washed with detergent at 40 °C, 60 °C, and 90 °C. After stains were made re-visible using an ultraviolet (UV) light source, DNA was extracted using two different extraction methods (phenol-chloroform and spin-column). As a result, DNA extraction methods, washing conditions, and obtained DNA quantity from different washed fabrics were compared. It was shown that DNA could be obtained from all samples and that these DNA amounts could be used to perform identification. This study gives hope to the victims who have not been able to go to the judicial units immediately after the incident for fear or any other reasons and who think that they cannot get results because they have washed the laundry.

Optimization of InnoXtract™ extraction and purification system for DNA extraction from skeletal samples.

The InnoXtract™ extraction and purification system is a purification method designed for DNA extraction from low-template samples, specifically rootless hair shafts. Its ability to successfully capture highly fragmented DNA suggests its suitability for use with other challenging sample types, including skeletal remains. However, the lysis and digestion parameters required modifications to successfully optimize the method for this sample type. A two-part digestion was developed utilizing a homebrew digestion buffer (0.5 M EDTA, 0.05% Tween 20, and 100 mM NaCl) and a supplemental lysis with the Hair Digestion Buffer included in the InnoXtract™ kit. Additionally, the magnetic bead volume was modified to improve DNA recovery from these challenging samples. With the altered protocol, the quality and quantity of DNA recovered from InnoXtract™ extracts were comparable to another commercial skeletal extraction method (PrepFiler™ BTA). This modified extraction method successfully purified sufficient amounts of quality DNA from a variety of skeletal samples to produce complete STR profiles. Successful STR typing from surface decomposition, burned, cremated, buried, and embalmed remains indicates the potential of this new method for challenging human identification and missing-person cases.

KD-Net: Continuous-Keystroke-Dynamics-Based Human Identification from RGB-D Image Sequences.

Keystroke dynamics is a soft biometric based on the assumption that humans always type in uniquely characteristic manners. Previous works mainly focused on analyzing the key press or release events. Unlike these methods, we explored a novel visual modality of keystroke dynamics for human identification using a single RGB-D sensor. In order to verify this idea, we created a dataset dubbed KD-MultiModal, which contains 243.2 K frames of RGB images and depth images, obtained by recording a video of hand typing with a single RGB-D sensor. The dataset comprises RGB-D image sequences of 20 subjects (10 males and 10 females) typing sentences, and each subject typed around 20 sentences. In the task, only the hand and keyboard region contributed to the person identification, so we also propose methods of extracting Regions of Interest (RoIs) for each type of data. Unlike the data of the key press or release, our dataset not only captures the velocity of pressing and releasing different keys and the typing style of specific keys or combinations of keys, but also contains rich information on the hand shape and posture. To verify the validity of our proposed data, we adopted deep neural networks to learn distinguishing features from different data representations, including RGB-KD-Net, D-KD-Net, and RGBD-KD-Net. Simultaneously, the sequence of point clouds also can be obtained from depth images given the intrinsic parameters of the RGB-D sensor, so we also studied the performance of human identification based on the point clouds. Extensive experimental results showed that our idea works and the performance of the proposed method based on RGB-D images is the best, which achieved 99.44% accuracy based on the unseen real-world data. To inspire more researchers and facilitate relevant studies, the proposed dataset will be publicly accessible together with the publication of this paper.

Success rate of rapid DNA technology in kinship analysis for forensic purpose.

Reducing the time required for DNA analysis in forensic genetics can yield significant benefits, both in determining genealogical relationships for legal proceedings and in criminal cases. Swift identification of individuals plays a pivotal role in solving crimes and apprehending perpetrators. Additionally, in situations like mass disasters, prompt victim identification holds utmost importance. The Rapid DNA technology, introduced in 2012 to expedite DNA analysis, has evolved to streamline the process into a single step. This advancement not only minimizes the risk of human error and contamination, but also boasts a remarkable time advantage, delivering results in as little as 90 min. In this study, DNA profiles of 30 families (consisting of mothers, fathers, and children) were analyzed using the RapidHITTM ID System. The system automatically calculated maternity-paternity probabilities to assess the suitability of Rapid DNA technology for kinship analysis. For validation, DNA profiles were also generated using the 3500 GA method. The study revealed that 9 out of 30 families exhibited discrepancies in DNA profiling, leading to inaccuracies in automatic kinship analysis. Consequently, while the method offers rapid and user-friendly advantages for forensic sciences, the software underlying the system requires re-evaluation. Issues such as maternal-paternal exclusion in kinship analyses, arising from challenges like un-called alleles, warrant further attention.

Sphenoid sinuses' volume and area analysis of Brazilian individuals' CBCTs, related to sex, age, skin color, and nutritional status using DDS-Pro™ software.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the volume and area of sphenoid sinuses of Brazilian individuals' cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images using the beta version of the DDS-Pro™ 2.14.2_2022 software (DPP Systems, Czestochowa, Poland), to assess a potential correlation to sex, age, skin color, and nutritional status, and to evaluate differences between the right and left sides. Three-dimensional volume and area measurements were made with the software using CBCT images of 113 living Brazilian individuals of both sexes (67 females and 46 males). TEM, rTEM, and R were used to assess the reproducibility of inter- and intra-examiner measurements. The measurement means were estimated with 95% confidence intervals according to sex and age group. There were no significant differences between the left and right sides for both volume and area and between the sexes and black and white individuals. Volume and area were significantly higher in 18 years or older (p < 0.05) and in individuals with normal body mass index (BMI) (p < 0.05). The obtained results do not allow indicating the use of sphenoid sinuses volume and area measurements to estimate sexual dimorphism, and the same occurred for skin color. However, such measures can help to estimate age. Further studies are suggested with a larger sample, especially for the nutritional status variable.

Development of a multiplex panel with 36 insertion/deletion markers (InDel) for individual identification.

In recent years, the insertion/deletion (InDel) polymorphism has become a preferred genetic marker in forensic genetics due to its low mutation rates and small amplicon sizes. In this study, a 36-InDelplex identification panel, consisting of autosomal 34 InDel loci, 1 Y InDel locus, and amelogenin, was developed, and gene frequencies in the Turkish population were determined. The loci of the InDel panel with global minimum allele frequencies (MAF) ≥ 0.4 were selected from the 1000 Genomes Project Phase 3 data. The amplicon sizes of the loci were designed in the range of 69-252 bp. In the validation study of the developed panel, analysis threshold, dynamic range, sensitivity, stochastic threshold, inhibitor tolerance, and reproducibility parameters were studied by following the Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods (SWGDAM) guidelines. The sensitivity studies indicated that complete and reliable InDel profiles could be obtained with 0.25 ng of DNA. A population study was evaluated using 250 samples from Turkey. The mean observed heterozygosity ratio (Ho) of all loci was 0.48. The combined discrimination power (CPD) is 0.999999999990867 and the combined exclusion probability (CPE) was 0.9930. The population comparison was also made using Turkish and the five major populations from the 1000 Genomes Phase 3 populations' data (Africa, Europe, East Asia, South Asia, and America). In conclusion, the results showed that the 36-InDelplex panel is a reliable, sensitive, and accurate system that is suitable for human identification and population genetics purposes.

[Craniometric aspects in forensic medical identification of the Kazakhstan population]. / Kraniometricheskie aspekty sudebno-meditsinskoi identifikatsii naseleniya Kazakhstana.

The aim of this study is to estimate the variability limits of craniometric skull parameters, revealed in Kazakhstan, and find out significant criteria for forensic medical identification of the local population. The investigation included 25 standard craniometric skull parameters, revealed in Kazakhstan. Standard antropometric tests and tools were used. Current study confirm that the craniometrics indicators of Kazakhstan population have specific regional features. The skulls, revealed in Kazakhstan, are well craniometrically differentiated. Statistically significant differences were found out in 6 craniometric parameters in men (width of skull base, frontal chord, full face height, condylar and bigonial width, mandibular height) and in 4 parameters in women (transverse diameter, width of skull base, mastoid width, width of occipital foramen). The usage of updated data according to the regional features of the craniometrics parameters allow to significantly improve the forensic identification accuracy, study more completely the biological regularities of population formation and assess the comparative efficacy of individual features in the population reconstructions.