In the scenario given, the victim was found in the living room of a vacant house a week after they had died. This case can benefit from the combination of primary and secondary identifiers’ utilization. Primary identifiers are widely acknowledged as the most trustworthy way to confirm identification. These markers include DNA, forensic odontology, friction comb analysis, and secondary identifiers. Using these methods, establishing the identity of a victim or an offender will be more accurate and quicker for criminology specialists.
Friction ridge analysis is a dependable sign of identification of a victim for a number of reasons. The friction ridges on the palmar and plantar surfaces of the human body are distinctive (Topalli et al., 2020). Friction ridge forms on the human body are unique to each individual and cannot be found on any other person; therefore, they can be used to identify a victim. Furthermore, unless they suffer permanent harm or are brought on by increasing decomposition, the frictional protrusions seen on the palmar and plantar surfaces of the human body are there from birth and affected by death (Fisher, 2022). Minor wounds cause them to grow back in the same pattern, while more serious wounds might result in permanent scarring. Fingerprints, or friction ridge patterns, may be categorized and searched. Since they may be categorized, they can be methodically categorized and registered in a database or collection (Hamburda, 2019). In order to compare and identify impressions, it is then simple to search for and retrieve them.
Human teeth and jaws have distinctive traits that make it another method to identify a victim. Dental information can be recovered, documented, and compared with pre-autopsy information supplied by general practitioners or dental specialists who treated the subject while they were still alive during post-mortem examination (Topalli et al., 2020). At the time of death, close to it, or after it, teeth are well protected in the mouth cavity and can endure various external effects. When the body’s soft tissues are damaged, the properties of the teeth that are so important for identification remain accessible since teeth are formed of the body’s toughest and most elastic materials (Fisher, 2022). This is particularly true with dental operations since they are built specifically for each patient, such as fixed dentures, root canals, restorative and aesthetic fillings and crowns, implants, and fixed dentures. Even in the absence of dental care, other anatomical traits can be compared and offer helpful information for identification.
Since most of the genetic information in a cell is specific to an individual and hence varies from one person to the next, DNA material is a trusted source for the identification of both victim and offender. Even in cases involving incomplete or severely decayed remains, DNA analysis can be performed (Fisher, 2022). It is also one of the best methods for locating body parts, guaranteeing the highest level of testing quality and speed (Topalli et al., 2020). DNA matching is the only primary identifying method that does not rely on direct comparisons, such as fingerprint records and dental records, and can be based on profiles of biological relations, one’s own samples, or possessions (Hamburda, 2019). For this analysis, a sample must be taken from the deceased person’s body or from portions of it, as well as from a known reference material or source for comparison. Samples must be delivered to an accredited laboratory for analysis following global standards and profiles (Fisher, 2022). At the same time, the possibility that DNA may not be exactly the same if the samples were retrieved from biological relatives should be taken into account.
Secondary identifiers are often employed when primary identifiers have been unable to offer verifiable identification of the deceased. This can happen even when primary identifiers may singly or in combination enable a swift and trustworthy identification of the deceased. In some situations, secondary identifiers, along with primary identifiers, may be the only way to identify the deceased because access to primary identifiers may be difficult or impossible to come by (Hamburda, 2019). Therefore, it is crucial that information produced from secondary identifiers be taken into account during data collection.
Key secondary identifiers, in this case, can be medical information and clothing. Medical practitioners are largely responsible for gathering medical data, however, it may also be necessary to include a forensic anthropologist as a member of the team (Hamburda, 2019). Scars, sickness symptoms, and surgical organ removal can all serve as vital pieces of medical information about a victim’s past. Common surgical intervention types that have few distinctive characteristics should be considered in this situation. Pacemakers and other prosthetic devices have distinctive serial numbers that serve as trustworthy identification markings (Fisher, 2022). Deformities, moles, and tattoos can also be used as markers of identification. The presence of jewelry, clothing and identification documents constitutes additional personal items. It is crucial to keep in mind, though, that certain physical proof might not genuinely belong to this body. Researchers should attempt to access the relevant subjects’ details and record them in great detail in order to optimize the advantages of these secondary identifiers (Topalli et al., 2020). Even while many of these properties may be reasonably well-known to the general public, the discovery of many properties can offer compelling evidence when utilized to support other kinds of secondary identifiers.
The discussed methods can be beneficial in successfully establishing an identity in the given case. It can be useful to combine several of them instead of relying solely on one identifier to ensure a quick process. Moreover, collaborating with specialists and resources from other fields, such as medical or DNA databases, is important. When achieved, it will lead to the successful closing of the case and the identification of the victim.
References
Fisher, D. R. (2022). Techniques of crime scene investigation. Taylor & Francis.
Hamburda, O. A. (2019). Forensic methods of identifying corpses with unknown identities. In RAIS Conference Proceedings-The 14th International RAILS Conference on Social Sciences and Humanities.
Topalli, V., Dickinson, T., & Jacques, S. (2020). Learning from criminals: Active offender research for criminology. Annual Review of Criminology, 3(1), 189–215.