NCJ Number
209737
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 50 Issue: 3 Dated: May 2005 Pages: 493-500
Date Published
May 2005
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This study assessed the accuracy and precision of 17 morphological features of the skull in the determination of the sex of cranial remains.
Abstract
Sex determination is one of the most important components of a biological profile, yet few of the qualitative methods used to determine cranial sex have been assessed. As such, the current study assessed the accuracy and precision of 17 craniofacial traits in determining the sex of skeletal remains. The sample consisted of 46 skulls from the 19th century St. Thomas’ Anglican Church Cemetery in Canada. Skull traits were assessed for their collective effectiveness as sex indicators by calculating two by two tables. The probability of correctly identifying the sex of the remains was calculated by dividing the number of correct assessments by the total number of estimates. Four skull traits proved the most accurate at identifying sex: nasal aperature, zygomatic extension, malar size/rugosity, and supraorbital ridge. There were no combinations of two traits that proved more accurate than using all 17 traits. Future research should focus on testing the reproducibility of each trait scored by different observers. Tables, references