The past, present and future state of missing persons investigations in Australia

Autopsy doesn't always tell all: The importance of exhuming skeletal remains of cemetery unidentified decedents

The process of personal identification differs according to the state of preservation of the corpse, becoming more complicated when dealing with remains altered by taphonomic variables. Since 2015, the staff of the Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology and Odontology (LABANOF) of the University of Milan has been engaged in recovering the skeletons of 36 unknown people from the cemeteries of the city of Milan, to redraw their biological profiles and give them back the possibility of being identified. Of the 36 starting skeletons, 7 have been identified and therefore are not the object of this study, 25 individuals were previously subjected to an autopsy examination and 4 skeletons were studied for the first time in the present work. The post-mortem data of all the individuals who had previously undergone autopsy and had not yet been identified (n = 25) have been retrieved from the archives of the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Milan and allowed for a comparison with those obtained from the new anthropological study of each exhumed skeleton. The authors aim to present the three most interesting cases to better highlight the results that emerged from the comparison. The autopsy information alone lacked important details. In all cases, the anthropological examination proved to be capable of detailing the biological profile of the unknowns even after a long period of inhumation (even more than 20 years). The limitations of instrumental investigations in achieving the goal single-handedly and the importance of recovering the unknown skeletons from cemeteries for identification purposes are discussed.

Understanding the burden of unidentified bodies: a systematic review

While human identification is a crucial aspect of medico-legal investigations, many individuals remain unidentified each year across the world. The burden of unidentified bodies is often referred to when motivating for improved methods of identification, and anatomical teaching, yet the actual burden is somewhat unclear. A systematic literature review was undertaken to identify articles that empirically investigate the number of unidentified bodies experienced. Despite the large number of articles returned, an alarmingly low number (24 articles) provided specific and empirical details on the number of unidentified bodies, demographics and trends thereof. It is possible that this lack of data is due to the variable definition of 'unidentified' bodies and the use of alternative terminology such as 'homelessness' or 'unclaimed' bodies. Nevertheless, the 24 articles provided data for 15 forensic facilities across ten countries of both developed and developing statuses. On average, developing countries experienced more than double (9.56%) the number of unidentified bodies when compared to developed nations (4.40%). While facilities were mandated under different legislations and infrastructures available varied greatly, the most common issue faced is the lack of standardised procedures for forensic human identification. Further to this, the need for investigative databases was highlighted. Through addressing the standardisation of identification procedures and terminology, alongside the appropriate utilisation of existing infrastructure and database creation, the number of unidentified bodies could be significantly reduced globally.

Corrigendum: Dreading Yet Hoping: Traumatic Loss Impacted by Reference DNA Sample Collection for Families of Missing People

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.866269.].

Twenty-five years of unidentified bodies: an account from Milano, Italy

The identification of decedents has always been a central issue in forensic pathology, for ethical, criminal, and administrative reasons, but today, it needs more attention due to issues related not only to migration but also to the weakening of family ties. This article presents a descriptive study discussing the Italian regulatory situation developed in the last decade to face the many identification issues, with all its improvements and flaws. Hence, data gathered in 25 years of at the Institute of Legal Medicine of Milan and the epidemiology of unidentified decedents are illustrated. Briefly, from 1995 to 2019, the number of unidentified human remains with no identity or requesting verification of identity amounts to 726, i.e., 3% circa of all autopsies performed at the Institute, with an average of 29 individuals per year. In total, 528 (72.7%) individuals were successfully identified, 100 (13.8%) remained without an identity, and 98 (13.5%) individuals remained with suspected yet unconfirmed identities. Percentages for each identification technique are displayed, with insight into the role of forensic anthropology and odontology compared to genetics, and into the misuse of non-scientific methods allowed by Public Prosecutors. All the data is compared, as much as possible, with the very few recent studies concerning the problem worldwide. Finally, the article aims to show the Italian experience in dealing with unidentified bodies, in order to provide food for thought for other countries toward a discussion regarding a global issue which is sometimes taken for granted and underestimated.