Forensic Sciences Research最新文献

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1093/fsr/owae015.].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1093/fsr/owad058.].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1093/fsr/owad052.].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1093/fsr/owad046.].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1093/fsr/owae004.].

As a leading cause of fatality, motor vehicle collisions comprise a significant proportion of medico-legal cases worldwide. During death investigations into such events, forensic practitioners may be asked to make inferences about the relationship between traumatic injuries and the circumstances of the collision. These interpretations require a thorough understanding of the hard and soft tissue blunt force trauma that results from vehicle collisions. This scoping literature review aimed to assess what is currently known about skeletal fracture patterns in occupants of fatal motor vehicle collisions and how contextual variables influence those fractures. Upon screening the search results from several databases based on a set of pre-defined inclusion criteria, 133 articles were identified including case reports, case series and large empirical studies. Most studies investigated car occupants, followed by motorcyclists, with very few focusing on heavy vehicle occupants. Fractures patterns observed comprised a high prevalence of rib, lower limb, and skull fractures in motorcyclists and a high frequency of skull, vertebral and rib fractures in car occupants, whilst pectoral girdle fractures were rare in both occupant types. The level of contextual detail about the collision varied between studies, with most failing to consider the influence of occupant and crash-related variables on resulting fractures. Further, there was a strong focus on soft tissue trauma and a lack of differentiation between fractures in deceased adult vehicle occupants and other groups. The minimal fracture data available in these studies provides limited assistance to forensic practitioners interpreting motor vehicle collision trauma. Additional research on fracture patterns in the context of the variables that influence trauma is recommended.

With various calls in the forensic scientific literature for pattern-matching disciplines to adopt evaluative reporting, which is also known as the likelihood ratio or logical approach, practitioners used to reporting evidence under a more traditional paradigm may have a level of apprehension and face a steep learning curve. There may be doubts about the benefits of evaluative reporting, when it applies and when it does not, what it actually entails, its validity, and how to explain it in court. These questions and more are answered in this comprehensive collection of frequently asked questions on evaluative reporting. While the focus is on providing context for forensic handwriting examiners, many of the questions and answers are general in nature and the concepts can be applied to other disciplines.

Age estimation of adults is a challenging procedure in forensic practice. Inspired by the previous work by Chinese scholars, we established population-specific age estimation models from the osseous and calcified projections (OCPs) of costal cartilages, using three-dimensional volume-rendering technique. A total of 168 clinical CT scans (2 mm slice thickness) were used to develop the sex-specific age prediction models from a sample of Egyptians, comprising 70 females and 98 males, with documented ages between 12 and 85 years. The sample was also used for validating the Chinese model. We reported the differences between the predictive accuracy of the Egyptian (population specific) and Chinese (non-population specific) models. The most accurate age estimation model was stepwise linear regression with standard error of estimates of 10.9 and 11.8 years in males and females, respectively. For the simple linear regression models, the most accurate formula included OCP of the right second costal cartilage in males and OCP of the left third costal cartilage in females with standard error of estimates of 11.2 and 12.2 years, respectively, and mean absolute error (MAE) of 8.8 and 9.6 years, respectively. By comparison, the best accuracy rates produced by the Chinese vs. the Egyptian models in males and females within 5 years were 30.61% and 32.86% vs. 35.71% and 32.86%, respectively, whereas within 10 years, the accuracy rates increased up to 57.14% and 58.57% vs. 72.45% and 64.29%, respectively. Although the accuracy rates from the Chinese models were lower than those obtained from the Egyptian models, the MAE and least error values were comparable in both sexes. Notable accurate age estimation rates in the advanced age group ≥40 years were reached being 81.25% to 97.92% in males and 69.77% to 93.02% in females. OCP of the right first costal cartilage was the most accurate in cross-population application for males and females with MAE values of 10.7 and 11.03 years, respectively, with balanced accuracy rates of age estimation using the 10-year interval and 40-year cutoff.

Key points: Age differences in calcification form and amount in the seven costal cartilages were found.The best model for males include the second costal cartilage.The best model for females include third or fifth costal cartilages.First OCP is the most accurate in cross-population application regardless of sex.The best OCP in one population is not necessarily the best predictor in both samples.