NCJ Number
217641
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 52 Issue: 2 Dated: March 2007 Pages: 286-293
Date Published
March 2007
Length
8 pages
Annotation
In order to assess the extent to which anatomical features of earprints might vary over time, this cross-sectional anthropometric study estimated expansion of the external ear (auricle) during adult life.
Abstract
The estimated length and width increments of the auricle during the various stages of adult life differed significantly by sex. The difference was especially obvious for width expansion. Earlobe expansion did not differ significantly between the sexes, nor was there evidence of the acceleration of lengthening at old age. Lengthening of the earlobe apparently was the greater portion of total lengthening. The estimated cartilage expansion (i.e. auricle expansion minus lobe expansion) was apparently the greatest during early adulthood. Thus, the imprint of the lobe should be less stable with time. The findings suggest that the updating of earprints is particularly recommended for relatively young offenders. This would optimize the chance of matching recent prints to older prints of the same ear in a database. Comparisons will require examination by an experienced investigator, who should consider the variability of the earlobe when comparing prints that were deposited many years apart. The study analyzed data obtained from photographed ears of 1,353 subjects. The effect of age on auricle length, earlobe length, and auricle width was investigated by using univariate analyses of variance. 4 tables, 2 figures, and 32 references