Korean J Phys Anthropol.  2018 Dec;31(4):121-131. 10.11637/kjpa.2018.31.4.121.

Analytical Review of the Forensic Anthropological Techniques for Stature Estimation in Korea

• Jeong Y
• Woo EJ

• KMID: 2430457
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.11637/kjpa.2018.31.4.121

Abstract

Stature is one of the unique biological properties of a person, which can be used for identification of the individual. In this regard, statures are estimated for the unknown victims from crimes and disasters. However, the accuracy of estimates may be compromised by inappropriate methodologies and/or practices of stature estimation. Discussed in this study are the methodological issues related to the current practices of forensic anthropological stature estimation in Korea, followed by suggestions to enhance the accuracy of the stature estimates. Summaries of forensic anthropological examinations for 560 skeletal remains, which were conducted at the National Forensic Service (NFS), were reviewed. Mr. Yoo Byung-eun's case is utilized as an example of the NFS's practices. To estimate Mr. Yoo's stature, Trotter's (1970) femur equation was applied even though the fibula equation of a lower standard error was available. In his case report, the standard error associated with the equation (±3.8 cm) was interpreted as an "˜error range', which gave a hasty impression that the prediction interval is that narrow. Also, stature shrinkage by aging was not considered, so the estimated stature in Mr. Yoo's case report should be regarded as his maximum living stature, rather than his stature-at-death. Lastly, applying Trotter's (1970) White female equations to Korean female remains is likely to underestimate their statures. The anatomical method will enhance the accuracy of stature estimates. However, in cases that the anatomical method is not feasible, the mathematical method based on Korean samples should be considered. Since 1980's, effort has been made to generate stature estimation equations using Korean samples. Applying the equations based on Korean samples to Korean skeletal remains will enhance the accuracy of the stature estimates, which will eventually increase the likelihood of successful identification of the unknowns.

Keyword

Forensic anthropology; Stature estimation; Korea; National Forensic Service; Yoo Byong-eun

MeSH Terms

Aging
Crime
Disasters
Female
Femur
Fibula
Forensic Anthropology
Humans
Korea*
Methods

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1. Relationship between the left femur equation of Lee et al [46] [solid line] and White female femur equation of Trotter [8][dashed line]. Notice that the slope of the former is steeper than the latter. Two lines intersect at the point (35.817, 142.568).

Reference

References

1. Megyesi MS, Nawrocki SP, Haskell NH. Using accumulated degree-days to estimate the postmortem interval from decomposed human remains. J Forensic Sci. 2005; 50:618–26.

2. Ubelaker DH. A history of forensic anthropology. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2018; 165:915–23.

3. National Forensic Service [Internet]. c2018. [cited 2018 Nov 30]. Available from:. http://www.nfs.go.kr/site/nfs/main.do.

4. Kim JH. Some arguments of the decision of admissibility over the scientific. Ilkam law review. 2017; 37:275–308. Korean.

5. Kim DI, Lee SS, Kim YS. Statistical analysis of bone elements excavated from the forensic context. Korean J Phys Anthropol. 2010; 23:1–8. Korean.

6. Jeong GR. Understanding the current state of human identification in Korea based on the records of forensic anthropology and forensic odontology analyses. Graduate school of the Catholic university;. 2017. Master of Science dissertation. Korean.

7. Yang KM, Lee S, Lee HY. Autopsy report (2014-H-10839). National Forensic Service. 2014. Korean.

8. Trotter M. Estimation of stature from intact long limb bones. Stewart TD, editor. Personal identification in mass disasters. National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. Washington DC;1970. p. 71–83.

9. Trotter M, Gleser G. Estimation of stature from long bones of American Whites and Negroes. Am J Phys Anthropol. 1952; 10:463–514.

10. Trotter M, Gleser G. A re-evaluation of estimation of stature based on measurements of stature taken during life and of long bones after death. Am J Phys Anthropol. 1958; 16:79–123.

11. Lee SS. Forensic odontology report (2014-H-10839). National Forensic Service. 2014. Korean.

12. Maijanen H. Stature estimation from skeletal elements: general problems and small solutions. University of Oulu, Finland;. 2011. Doctoral dissertation.

13. Scientific Working Group for Forensic Anthropology (SWGANTH). Stature estimation (revision 1) [Internet]. SWGANTH;c2012. [cited 2018 Nov 30]. Available from:. http://www.swganth.org.

14. Jantz RL, Hunt DR, Meadows L. The measure and mismeasure of the tibia – implications for stature estimation. J Forensic Sci. 1995; 40:758–61.

15. Jeong Y, Jantz LM. Caveats in using Trotter and Gleser's (1958) Asian equations for stature estimation. Korean J Phys Anthropol. 2016; 29:81–91.

16. Giles E, Klepinger LL. Confidence intervals for estimates based on linear regression in forensic anthropology. J Forensic Sci. 1988; 33:1218–22.

17. Wilson RJ, Hermann NP, Jantz LM. Evaluation of stature estimation from the database for forensic anthropology. J Forensic Sci. 2010; 55:684–9.

18. Friedlaender JS, Costa Jr PT, Bosse R, Ellis E, Rhoads JG, Stoudt HW. Longitudinal physique changes among healthy White veterans at Boston. Hum Biol. 1977; 49:541–58.

19. Niskanen M, Maijanen H, McCarthy D, Junno JA. Application of the anatomical method to estimate the maximum adult stature and the age-at-death stature. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2013; 152:96–106.

20. Trotter M, Gleser G. The effect of ageing on stature. J Phys Anthropol. 1951; 9:311–24.

21. Hertzog KP, Garn SM, Hempy III HO. Partitioning the effects of secular trend and ageing on adult stature. Am J Phys Anthropol. 1969; 31:111–5.

22. Galloway A. Estimating actual height in the older individual. J Forensic Sci. 1988; 33:126–36.

23. Borkan GA, Hults DE, Glynn RJ. Role of longitudinal change and secular trend in age differences in male body dimensions. Hum Biol. 1983; 55:629–41.

24. Cline MG, Meredith KE, Boyer JT, Burrows B. Decline of height with age in adults in a general population sample: estimating maximum height and distinguishing birth cohort effects from actual loss of stature with aging. Hum Biol. 1989; 61:415–25.

25. Giles E. Corrections for age in estimating older adults'stature from long bones. J Forensic Sci. 1991; 36:898–901.

26. Ruff C, Holt BM, Niskanen M, Sladek V, Berner M, Garofalo E, et al. Stature and body mass estimation from skeletal remains in the European Holocene. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2012; 148:601–17.

27. Pablos A, Gomez-Olivencia A, Garcia-Perez A, Martinez I, Lorenzo C, Arsuaga JL. From toe to head: use of robust regression methods in stature estimation based on foot remains. Forensic Sci Int. 2013; 226:299–e1.

28. Sciulli PW, Schneider KN, Mahaney MC. Stature estimation in prehistoric Native-Americans of Ohio. Am J Phys Anthropol. 1990; 83:275–80.

29. Stewart TD, Kerley ER. Essentials of forensic anthropology: especially as developed in the United States. Spring-field, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas;1979.

30. Lundy JK. The mathematical versus anatomical methods of stature estimation from long bones. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 1985; 6:73–6.

31. Pearson K. Mathematical contributions to the theory of evolution. V. on the reconstruction of the stature of prehistoric races. Philos Trans R Soc Lond A. 1899; 192:169–244.

32. Fully G. Une nouvelle méthod de détermination de la taille. Annales de Médicine Légale, Criminologie, Police Scien-tifique et Toxicologie. 1956; 36:266–73. French.

33. Raxter MH, Auerbach BM, Ruff C. Revision of the fully technique for estimating statures. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2006; 130:374–84.

34. Raxter MH, Ruff C, Auerbach BM. Technical note: revised fully stature estimation technique. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2007; 133:817–8.

35. Jeong Y, Jantz LM. Developing Korean-specific equations of stature estimation. Forensic Sci Int. 2016; 260:105.e1–105.e11.

36. Pomeroy E, Stock JT. Estimation of stature and body mass from the skeleton among coastal and mid-altitude Andean populations. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2012; 147:264–79.

37. Raxter MH, Ruff C, Azab A, Erfan M, Soliman M, El-Sawaf A. Stature estimation in ancient Egyptians: a new technique based on anatomical reconstruction of stature. Am J Phys Anthropl. 2008; 136:147–55.

38. Auerbach BM, Ruff C. Stature estimation formulae for indigenous North American populations. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2010; 141:190–207.

39. Dayal MR, Steyn M, Kuykendall KL. Stature estimation from bones of South African Whites. South African J Sci. 2008; 104:124–8.

40. Auerbach BM. Methods for estimating missing human skeletal element osteometric dimensions employed in the revised fully technique for estimating stature. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2011; 145:67–80.

41. Bidmos MA, Manger PR. New soft tissue correction factors for stature estimation: results from magnetic resonance imaging. Forensic Sci Int. 2012; 214:212.e1–212.e7.

42. Ruff C, Raxter MH, Auerbach BM. New soft tissue correction factors for stature estimation: results from magnetic resonance imaging. Forensic Sci Int. 214:212.e1–212.e7.

43. Trotter M, Gleser G. Trends in stature of American Whites and Negroes born between 1840 and 1924. Am J Phys Anthropol. 1951; 9:427–40.

44. Kim KW, Kim SL, Ko HS, Oh WJ, Kim DH, Kim DY, et al. A study for the correlation between the body height and the maximum femoral length in the normal adult Korean. The Journal of the Korean orthopaedic association. 1986; 21:197–201. Korean.

45. Lee JH, Kim YS, Lee UY, Park DK, Jeong YK, Lee NS, et al. Stature estimation from partial measurements and maximum length of lower limb bones in Koreans. Australian J Forensic Sci. 2014; 46:330–8.

46. Lee S, Gong HH, Hyun JY, Koo HN, Lee HY, Chung NE, et al. Estimation of stature from femur length measured using computed tomography after the analysis of three-di-mensional characteristics of femur bone in Korean cadavers. Int J Legal Med. 2017; 131:1355–62.

47. Terry RJ. On measuring and photographing the cadaver. Am J Phys Anthropol. 1940; 26:433–47.

48. Manouvrier L. Determination de la taille d'après les grands os des membres. Revue mensuelle de l'École d'anthropolo-gie de Paris. 1892; 2:227–33. French.

49. Cardoso HF, Marinho L, Albanese J. The relationship between cadaver, living and forensic stature: a review of current knowledge and a test using a sample of adult Portuguese males. Forensic Sci Int. 2016; 258:55–63.

50. Ruff C. Morphological adaptation to climate in modern and fossil hominids. Am J Phys Anthropol. 1994; 37(Suppl 19):S65–107.

51. Ruff C. Body size prediction from juvenile skeletal remains. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2007; 133:698–716.

52. Holliday TW. Brachial and crural indices of European Late Upper Paleolithic and Mesolithic humans. J Hum Evol. 1999; 36:549–66.