ABSTRACT
It is a fundamental human right to have a personal identity; this is recognized in international law. Proof of identity is necessary for many reasons; these include social, humanitarian, legal, and financial, and for the appropriate disposal of human remains according to the culture and beliefs of the deceased and their relatives. Accurate identification is essential to avoid the distress that incorrect identification causes to families already traumatized by the death of a loved one. Establishing identity demands a multidisciplinary team approach involving investigating agencies, forensic pathologists, forensic odontologists, DNA experts, fingerprint specialists and anthropologists. Occasionally, the military is also involved.
The approach to identification is governed by the number of fatalities involved, the location of the incident, the condition of the remains, and experiential knowledge of which methods will give the best results for a particular situation. The forensic sciences are all closely regulated with regard to accepted techniques, reliability, reproducibility and validity. Current methods involve comparing post-mortem victim findings with known antemortem information; this provides a reliable and scientific basis for identification of human remains. Progress in technology, tools, techniques, training and research will ensure the future advancement of identification procedures.
