NCJ Number
209739
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 50 Issue: 3 Dated: May 2005 Pages: 513-518
Date Published
May 2005
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This study examined sex categorization using recently published soft tissue depth data.
Abstract
The thickness of human facial soft tissue has been used in craniofacial sex identification. However, it is important to subject soft tissue depths to an analysis of variation before accepting this type of analysis as accurate enough to classify data by sex. The current study analyzed previously published soft tissue depth data for sex separation. Results indicated that the variance within each sex was large but the variation between sexes was small. Additionally, opposite sex overlap in areas defined to be close to the male or female mean were found to be large and the amount of variance explained by sex was discovered to be small. The findings suggest that individual male and female soft tissue depths are often the same or similar. As such, in cases where an individual must be independently considered, the use of soft tissue depth analysis holds little practical meaning for craniofacial identification. Table, figures, references