NCJ Number
203997
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 49 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2004 Pages: 119-121
Date Published
January 2004
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This paper describes the investigative technique used to determine whether the injury observed on a women who alleged she was bitten by a family member was in fact a bite mark or an injury caused by some other means.
Abstract
The injury consisted of a semicircular pattern of healing abrasion that measured 24 mm by 14 mm, surrounded by diffuse bruising. Due to the size and arrangement of the injury, a forensic odontologist concluded that the mark was not caused by human teeth. The orientation of the injury was also inconsistent with the history reported by the victim. Other causes for the pattern injury were then considered. A photograph of the injury pattern was made. Using an Arcus 1200 Agfa scanner and a personal computer with Adobe Photoshop 6.0 software, the photograph was aligned and resized by using the techniques described by Bowers and Johansen. The same equipment was used to scan a corrugated bottle top. A digitally produced overlay image of the edging of the bottle top was constructed, and the computer-generated overlay was compared with the injury pattern on the photograph. There was good correlation between the two images, suggesting that it was possible that the bottle top was used to cause a self-inflicted injury. Police did not proceed with any further investigation, and no formal charges were made. 4 figures and 11 references