Body identification

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Body identification is a subfield of forensic science that uses a variety of scientific and non-scientific methods to identify a body. Forensic purposes are served by rigorous scientific forensic identification techniques, but these are generally preceded by formal identification.^[1] This involves requesting a family member or friend of the victim to visually identify the body.

If a body is not badly decomposed or damaged, one or more persons who knew the deceased well can visually confirm their identity.^[2] Authorities will also compare supportive documents such as a driver's license, passport, or other authoritative photo ID before accepting a personal identification.^[3]

Any formal investigation should be used to support additional scientific evidence, allowing forensic scientists to either reinforce or question the supposed identity of the victim.^[4] Scientific methods are also used in cases where these introductory approaches are not possible. These scientific identification techniques, including anthropometry, skin analysis, dental records and genetics, rely on the individuality of each body.^[4] Factors such as body size, weight, skin prints, and blood type all act as indicators of identity. Forensic scientists analyse these characteristics in their process of identifying of a body.^[4] This process generally involves a comparison between antemortem information, from living individuals, either relatives or information from a missing person with postmortem information obtained from the dead unidentified individual.^[5]