NCJ Number
203494
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 48 Issue: 6 Dated: November 2003 Pages: 1213-1218
Date Published
November 2003
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article discusses discriminant function analysis of the calcaneus of South African Whites.
Abstract
The calcaneus is a compact bone that is able to withstand high tensile forces. Some of its parameters have been used for sex determination in American Whites and Blacks and Italians. This bone has not been used for sex determination in the South African White population. This study subjected certain measurements of a sample of the calcaneus of South African Whites to discriminant function analysis and obtained discriminant function score equations that may be used for sex determination in this population group. Two sets of samples were used. Sample 1 consisted of 53 White male and 60 White female calcanei, with the age range of 22 to 75 years, randomly selected. Sample 2 consisted of 40 calcanei distributed equally by sex. The nine parameters that were measured on each calcaneus were the maximum length, the load arm length, the dorsal articular facet length, the body height, the maximum height, the cuboidal facet height, the middle breadth, the dorsal articular facet breadth, and the minimum breadth. The results showed that all the nine variables measured on the calcanei of South African Whites were individually sexually dimorphic, and their individual and combined discriminant function score equations could be used for sex determination. The average accuracy of sex classification ranged from 73 to 86 percent for the univariate method, 81 to 91 percent for the stepwise method, and 82 to 92 percent for the direct method. High accuracies obtained from various combinations of these variables confirmed the usefulness of the calcaneus for sex determination in this population group. 4 tables, 23 references