A guide to classify tattoo motives in Mexico as a tool to identify unknown bodies.
Body modification
Classification
DVI
Identification
Identifier
Tattoo
Journal
International journal of legal medicine
ISSN: 1437-1596
Titre abrégé: Int J Legal Med
Pays: Germany
ID NLM: 9101456
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Jul 2022
Jul 2022
Historique:
received:
26
12
2021
accepted:
10
03
2022
pubmed:
6
4
2022
medline:
9
6
2022
entrez:
5
4
2022
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
In Mexico, the number of unidentified bodies has been steadily rising for years. By now, more than 50,000 bodies are considered unidentified. Forensic laboratories that could perform comparative molecular genetic investigation are often overburdened and examinations can take months. Therefore, pragmatic approaches that can help to identify more unknown bodies must be sought. The increased use of distinctive physical features might be one, and the high rate of tattooed people in Mexico points towards a great potential of tattoos as a tool for identification. The prerequisite for a comparison of antemortem (missing persons) and postmortem (unknown bodies) data is an objective description of the particularities, e.g., of the tattoos. The aim of this study was to establish an objective classification for tattoo motives, taking into consideration local preferences. In the database of the medicolegal services of the Instituto Jaliscience de Ciencias Forenses (IJCF) in Guadalajara, postmortem data of 1000 tattooed bodies from 2019 were evaluated. According to sex and age, the tattooed body localization and the tattoo motives were categorized. The 1000 tattooed deceased showed tattoos on 2342 body localizations. The motives were grouped and linked to the following 11 keywords (with decreasing frequency): letters/numbers, human, symbol (other), plant, symbol (religious), animal, object, fantasy/demon/comic, tribal/ornament/geometry, other, unrecognizable. Using the proposed classification, tattoo motives can be described objectively and classified in a practical way. If used for antemortem (missing persons) and postmortem (unknown bodies) documentation, motives can be searched and compared efficiently-helping to identify unknown bodies.
Identifiants
pubmed: 35378600
doi: 10.1007/s00414-022-02814-0
pii: 10.1007/s00414-022-02814-0
pmc: PMC9170629
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
1105-1111Subventions
Organisme : Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst
ID : 57594060
Commentaires et corrections
Type : ErratumIn
Type : ErratumIn
Informations de copyright
© 2022. The Author(s).
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