NCJ Number
240959
Journal
Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal Volume: 45 Issue: 3 Dated: September 2012 Pages: 126-142
Date Published
September 2012
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This article reports on a study that developed database of African Canadian facial tissue depth data used for identifying missing children.
Abstract
This study collaborated with the African Nova Scotian community to create the first African Canadian facial tissue depth database to help identify missing children. The relationships between tissue thickness, age, and sex were investigated, and comparisons were made with contemporary data for African-Americans and White European-Americans. Ultrasound technology was utilized to measure the facial tissue thickness of 54 living subadult African Nova Scotians between 3 and 18 years of age, at 19 standardized points. Results revealed significant relationships between tissue thickness and age at some points, but overall age was not a strong influencing factor. Statistical analyses suggest sex influences tissue depth at puberty. When compared to African-American and European-American children, African Nova Scotians had thicker facial tissue depths predominantly in the forehead, nose, mouth, and chin regions, while the jaw and cheek regions were thinner. These differences were not evaluated for statistical significance. The current debate on the separation versus collapse of subadult facial tissue depth data is also addressed. This study adds to the facial tissue depth data available for Canadian populations, which can aid in the generation of forensic facial reconstructions of unidentified African Nova Scotian children. (Published Abstract)