NCJ Number
223384
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 53 Issue: 3 Dated: May 2008 Pages: 594-600
Date Published
May 2008
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This study tested interobserver variation for a variety of methods used to determine age-at-death (skeletal traits of ribs, pubic symphyseal, or teeth wear) for identified individuals in the Kosovo region of the Balkans.
Abstract
For each of the methods used to estimate age-at-death, similar patterns were found in the variation in observer estimates. First, there was more agreement among observers in age-at-death estimates for younger and older individuals than for middle-aged adults. Only the method for scoring tooth wear differed from this pattern, in that the earliest phases of tooth wear showed more disagreement than the later stages. Second, observers usually differed from one another by one phase of age transition. The exception to this finding was that observers confused phases III and IV for phase VI, using the Suchey-Brooks method. These findings highlight areas where multiple investigators varied in assigning age-at-death categories; however, the wide age ranges associated with such categories used in combination with multiple traits generally produced accurate individual age estimation, since there is room for such variation in the process of estimating skeletal age in assessing biological age. A total of 296 pubic symphyses were scored with Todd's 10-phase system and the Suchey-Brooks 6-phase system. A total of 622 sternal rib ends were scored under the Iscan and coauthor's 9-phase system. A total of 412 single-rooted teeth were measured for wear under the system developed by Lamendin et al. and scored for the amount of tooth wear using Smith's 9-phase system. Repeat measures were taken by multiple observers. 16 tables, 2 figures, and 23 references