Friction ridge analysis in disaster victim identification (DVI): Brazilian case studies

Abstract

Depending on the magnitude and nature of a disaster, identifying the victims can be a complex task that requires coordinated work by disaster victim identification (DVI) teams based on pre-established protocols. Thus, the analysis of fingerprints has been presented as a method to establish, when possible, the identity of the victims during the DVI process. This study discusses the importance of this primary method of identification and the results obtained in four different disasters in which Brazilian DVI teams were involved: the Air France Flight AF447 plane crash in the Atlantic Ocean, floods and mudslides in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the LaMia Flight 2933 plane crash in Colombia, and the tailings dam collapse in Brumadinho, Brazil. Here, we also report the use of the automatic fingerprint capture and identification system, called Alethia, developed by the Federal Police of Brazil and used in the victim identification process in the two latter events mentioned above. KEY POINTS• This article presents four different disasters that occurred in Brazil and overseas and involved Brazilian DVI teams in the identification process, focusing on fingerprint identification (Air France Flight AF447, floods and mudslides in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, LaMia Flight 2933, and the Brumadinho tailings dam collapse). • This article also describes the evolution of the DVI process in Brazil, including a description of the technology currently used by Brazilian fingerprint experts (Alethia). • This article reports how the Alethia System was used in the disasters and how it optimized the human identification process when compared to traditional methods.

Challenges in Implementing DVI Best Practice Guidelines Due to the Brumadinho Disaster

“…Since it was the biggest humanitarian disaster and work accident in the country's history and posed challenges in the management and identification of multiple victims, all efforts were made to efficiently identify the victims and minimize the mourning of families and friends. In the first weeks, friction ridge analysis was mostly used for identification [3]. Fingerprints were subsequently collected using the Alethia System.…”

An Autopsy based unaided Eye Study of Lambdoid Suture of Skull– the Science of Forensic Estimation of Age

“…The science of Forensic Medicine is given the prime responsibility to constitute the individuality of the unknown in face of mass disasters or any single individual with not known idenity. 1 The identity is required in each and every discipline irrespective of its nature being civil or criminal case. This identity then than paves the ways to probe the investigations in a specific direction and hence resolving the questions of intricate nature.…”

Possibilities of driver and passenger identification as a result of a comprehensive analysis of injuries inside the interior of a class J car in a head-on collision

“…не бути, проте з ряду причин питання розташування потерпілих в салоні автомобіля виступає одним із ключових[4,5]. З іншого боку, якщо внаслідок ДТП поряд із смертельними наслідками є ті, що вижили, питання розташування водія та пасажира стає ще актуальнішим[6]. Слід відзначити навіть наявність упередження, що існує серед судово-медичних експертів -водій той, хто вижив.…”