Forensic Anthropology And Establishment Of Human Identity: Determination Of Age, Sex, Stature And Other Physical Characteristics
Priyanshu Mehta, Presidency University, Bengaluru
Abhishek De Sarkar, Presidency University, Bengaluru
ABSTRACT
Identification of a person through examination of physical, biological, and skeletal features is what forensic anthropology is all about, and this is one of the important cross-disciplinary branches of forensic sciences. Age, sex, height, and other characteristic features should be determined in order to identify deceased, decomposed, fragmented, burnt, or skeletal bodies. This data is useful for conducting crime investigations and identification procedure by law enforcement agencies and courts. The scientific methods of identifying age, sex, and stature in particular will be explored in this paper to explain the role and significance of forensic anthropology in human identification.
Technological advances of forensic identification such as DNA profiling, radiological scanning, three-dimensional visualization, facial reconstruction, and artificial intelligence techniques are considered in the paper as well. It examines the enhancement provided by modern technologies to classical anthropological methods and raises concerns regarding the admissibility, accuracy, and scientific reliability of these methods. Also with regards to Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, constitutional guarantees, and forensic evidence as ruled by the Indian courts, the legal and judicial framework of forensic anthropology in India is considered in this paper.
The methodological limitations, population-dependent variation, error margin, inadequate forensic infrastructure, lack of standardized protocols, and misidentification are some of the challenges that are discussed in the paper. The paper also considers human rights and ethical implications of biological, genetic, and biometric data. Finally, it makes certain recommendations related to standardization, population-specific databases, expert certification and training, better forensic infrastructure, court guidelines, and technological regulation.
Keywords: Forensic Anthropology; Human Identification; Age, Sex and Stature Estimation; Forensic Evidence; Legal and Institutional Reforms.
