Utilization of Index Finger’s Length in Stature Establishment and Sex Determination of The Population of Rajasthan Region of India
Amit Chauhan*, Navodita Tyagi and SK Shukla
Amity Institute of Forensic Sciences, Amity University, India
Submission: August 20, 2018; Published: September 10, 2018
*Corresponding author: Amit Chauhan, Amity Institute of Forensic Sciences, Amity University, India.
How to cite this article: Amit C, Navodita T, SK Shukla. Utilization of Index Finger’s Length in Stature Establishment and Sex Determination of The Population of Rajasthan Region of India. J Forensic Sci & Criminal Inves 2018; 10(4): 555794. DOI: 10.19080/JFSCI.2018.10.555794.
Abstract
In this era of advancement, identification of an individual has become one of the most important aspects of investigation as well as identity in our civilization. In a few aspects of investigation i.e. natural disasters, murder, accidents etc.; stature estimation and gender perception play a vital role to establish the personal identification. As the advancement has taken over the traditional analytical methods, even still, some of the aspects are left questionable for establishing identity of suspects from the minutiae details which can reveal or provide the clue about the culprit/ suspect involved in omission of act. During the exploration, minutiae details/ clue of victim left over the crime scene are sufficient to disclose the identity of victim/suspect.
These details need a careful analysis/ intensification which are left over any surface or objects unknowingly while in some cases where the unidentified dead bodies are recovered from the crime scene, the Skelton remains could provide the details such as the stature, gender and age of the victim. Numerous scientists came out with innovative methods & techniques to analyse these remains and contributed by establishing new parameters of identification. In this present study, we studied the Index finger length to determine the stature and for gender discrimination of age group 18-30 years from the population of Rajasthan region of India. We successfully concluded that the suspect can be nabbed from the intensified Index finger length or Skelton remaining that are encountered during the investigation of several types of cases.
Keywords: Personal Identification; Stature; Gender; Length; Investigation; Estimation Etc.,
Introduction
In this present time of advancement and technology, which has facilitated the identification of an individual from various aspects such as, Skelton remains, biological fluids, hairs, distinct types of fingerprints or palm prints, gait pattern etc. These identities are matched with national identity, gender, age, profession or any criminal record or involvement of an individual in any conspiracy etc [1,2]. are verified. Investigators often experience some problematic situations in the identification of people which may be cause of natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, earth-quake tsunami, or in cases of explosion, plane crash etc. Excessive complications are faced in the burnt dead bodies where only remnants are recovered [3-5]. In Anthropology, investigators deal with the bones remnants to extract out the information about an individual such as gender, age and stature [6]. Personal identification of an individual is based on the unique features or multiple consistent characteristics i.e. tattoo marks, birth mark, injury marks etc. that become very important for any forensic expert/ medico-legal officer to turn it out with responsibility in any investigation [7,8].
Strategies are used to decide stature and make presumptions about extents of the human body. Especially in cases for relapse strategies, which force a straightforward relationship between the measure of a particular bone and stature [9]. There is diverse arrangement of formulae for different gatherings and populace. Gender estimation is based on the morphological features of pelvis and skull because of conceptive necessities indicates distinctive characteristics elements [10,11]. These morphological features of skeletal remains help to discriminate, that is, the incidence of non-metric traits on each of the bone. For example, these features include the degree of fusion of the proximal and distal epiphyses, fusion of the cranial sutures, dental eruption patterns etc [12,13]. A numerous method are used by forensic anthropologists to estimate the age at death from remnants by using of a correlation, regression equations which provide assistance in estimating other physical attributes like structure to get aid in the identification of victim [14,15].
In the previous studies conducted by scientists & researchers, it was observed that a proportions of body segment vary between the population of one place from other place which may be a cause of metamorphosis in environment, occupation etc [16]. Because of different body parts response differently and ripen change in environmental conditions as well as genetics [17]. Assorted studies have been carried out by many researchers to establish a relation between the height/ stature with gender. This study was conducted by using the Index finger length of both of hands as a parameter of the population of National capital region of India. The researchers were incapable to ascertain the stature and gender of the defunct accurately by use of some statistical equations for completion of this study [18]. The results of this study can be used by forensic anthropologists like other investigative techniques which will standardized and worldwide acceptable for investigation [19].
Methodology
This study was focused on the stature assessment and the gender discrimination from the Index finger length of the population of Rajasthan region of India. All the samples were collected from the North-East district of Rajasthan i.e. Bagina, Bandedi, Sureli Chout ka Barwada etc. The purpose of this study was to establish the degree of reliability for the identification perseverance.
Material & Method
For this study, 200 individuals including 100 males and 100 females from the age group of 18-30 years were selected and studied. Sample selection was done randomly and the consent of the subjects were taken prior by explaining the purpose of this study. All the subjects included in the present study were healthy and had no history of any sort of deformity of the hand, metabolic disorders and any developmental process. To avoid any kind of diurnal variation, all the measurements were taken during day time interval. All the measurement was taken with the help of anthropometric board. Measurements of stature were taken as vertical distance from the vertex to the foot. To measure the stature, all the subjects were asked to stand barefoot on the platform of stadiometer with the upper back, and heels pressed against the wall thus ensuring their upright position, while head was positioned in the Frankfurt horizontal plane. During the measurement of Index finger length, all the subjects were asked to turn inverse their palm & fingers horizontally towards the stand following by the Frankfurt plane [20]. The movable rod of stadiometer was brought in contact with vertex in the midsagittal plane. All the measurements of thumb were measured with the help of a sliding calliper, when the subjects placed their hands supine on a flat horizontal surface with the fingers extended [21]. The measurement of Index finger length was obtained up to one decimal place and avoid any kind of error, all the measurements were taken twice and the average of both of measures were considered for the further analysis. To avoid any kind of instrumental error or variation, all the instruments were verified at significance level and a variation of ±0.01cm was observed (Table 1).
Statistical Analysis
The data was tabulated, analyzed and subjected to statistical analysis by using SPSS software (latest version, 11.0).
Result and Discussion
To calculate out the height of an individual, bones especially long bones are preferable in practice because of their higher correlation coefficient and small error of to estimate the stature. However, (Table 2).the difficulties arise in that condition where only dissect body parts are available for medical examination and further analysis. Hence, forensic investigators are exploring new parameters and establishing new methods to estimate the stature, gender discrimination by the measurements of head, foot, face, finger lengths, phalanges etc. As described earlier, to conduct this study a data of two hundred subjects (including male & female) were collected by taking their respective measurements. The dossier of measured subjects righthand and left- hand Index finger length is described in the given table according to their respective age (Table 3). Since p is greater than 0.005 it is significant. The correlation coefficient in the measurement of right hand Index finger was 0.259 at significant level while in left hand, it was 0.237. The regression equation for stature estimation was applied in both of gender (male as well as female). The stature estimation of females is shown in (Table 4). below while the male stature estimation regression equation is shown in (Table 5). below. For correlation coefficient for right hand Index finger in females we used the regression coefficient
y = (b˳ +b 1) x.
For right -hand Index finger measurements in male.
y=B0+B1x
B0=109.32
B1=8.93
x=7
y=109.32+57.98= 166.2
Measured height=165.9cm.
To estimate the stature, linear regression equation derived from the Index finger length shows a significant statistically (p<0.001) relationship between them. As of resultant from the derived regression models in the present study, the standard error in stature estimation was more in males than the females. In other words, the accuracy of stature estimation in females is higher than males. According to our study height and length of the hand were significantly more in males compared to females. There was no bilateral variation of right and left Index fingers length (Table 6).
Conclusion
Since early phase of time, stature estimation and gender discrimination from the Skelton remains have been used for the identification of an individual but a very few works exist about the gender discrimination and stature estimation from the Index finger length. As a resultant of this study, it was observed that Index finger length is a good and reliable method for gender discrimination and stature estimation which raised hopes that even a Skelton remains of Index finger can conclude the identity of suspect/victim. Every year around 2,22,446 dead bodies are recovered and among them only 5% are found in appropriate condition while rest are found in decomposed, putrefied or Skelton form. In such cases, when the identity of actual person wouldn’t possible then stature estimation along with gender identification and age determination helps to conclude the case. This study will help the investigators to collect information about victim around the particular area while minimize the time duration of investigation. It could be proved as a milestone for justice system in the population of National Capital Region.
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