NCJ Number
35740
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 21 Issue: 3 Dated: (JULY 1976) Pages: 514-517
Date Published
1976
Length
4 pages
Annotation
DESCRIPTION OF A STUDY WHICH COMPARED THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A LARGE SAMPLE OF HUMAN PUBIC HAIRS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE GUIDELINES ON THE PROBABILITIES INVOLVED IN MATCHING PUBIC HAIR SAMPLES.
Abstract
BY USE OF A CARD CODING SYSTEM FOR SOME MACROSCOPIC AND MICROSCOPIC CHARACTERISTICS OF HUMAN PUBIC HAIRS, 101,368 COMPARISONS WERE MADE BETWEEN 454 HAIRS FROM 60 DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS. OF THESE, 16 PAIRS WERE FOUND TO BE SIMILAR. FOR A CAUCASIAN POPULATION, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT IF ONE HUMAN PUBIC HAIR IS FOUND TO BE SIMILAR TO AT LEAST ONE OF A GROUP OF SIX TO ELEVEN MUTUALLY DISSIMILAR HAIRS FROM A GIVEN SOURCE, THE PROBABILITY THAT IT COULD HAVE ORIGINATED FROM ANOTHER SOURCE IS SMALL, ABOUT 1 IN 800. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)