NCJ Number
145750
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 38 Issue: 4 Dated: (July 1993) Pages: 788-797
Date Published
1993
Length
10 pages
Annotation
A technique for identifying anatomical rib number is presented, and preliminary tests indicate that percent accuracy for identification using the technique may approach 100 percent.
Abstract
Problems associated with the quality of preserving human skeletal remains may cause considerable difficulties when forensic investigators attempt to identify individuals, especially since areas on bones used to estimate age at the time of death are vulnerable to postmortem environmental effects. The reported technique to identify rib number was tested on archaeological remains where rib number was documented in situ. This rib identification method was then used to determine rib number on a larger sample, and the effect of intercostal variation at the sternal end was assessed. It was found that Spearman rank correlations between rib four and ribs three through nine ranged from 0.89 to 0.91. No significant differences were observed between ribs conforming to or deviating from the phase observed on rib four. A significant proportion of deviations fell below the phase set by rib four, although these deviations were not statistically associated with rib number and were usually within one phase. Results indicate that rib four standards can be cautiously applied to other sternal ends when rib four is not preserved. 13 references, 2 tables, and 5 figures