A Comparative Approach between Multiplication Factor & Linear Regression Model in Predicting Stature from Dimensions of Hand

Forensic anthropology occupies an important place and a branch which was earlier a part of physical anthropology, has now not only achieved differentiation, but has emerged as a distinct discipline. It achieves its orientation and subject matter from forensic science. [1-3]. “Forensic science' may be defined as “scientific discipline which is directed to the recognition, identification, individualization and evaluation of the physical evidence by the application of principles and methods of natural sciences for the purpose of administration of criminal justice”. Thus, forensic anthropology is the use of anthropology to gather and examine scientific evidence. Evidence can be defined as any object or statement by a witness that has bearing in a court of law. Evidence can take two forms: testimonial and physical (real) evidence. Testimonial evidence is evidence given in the form of statements made under oath, usually in response to questioning. Physical evidence is any type of evidence having an objective existence, that is, anything with size, shape, and dimension. Just like blood spatter or a discarded weapon at a crime scene, a lesion on a humerus that was used to determine the identity of an individual or a cut mark on a rib suggestive of the circumstances of death constitute “evidence”. Examination of unknown evidences, mutilated & skeletal remains to determine the identity of the individual to whom the evidence belongs becomes the main stay in forensic science, criminal proceedings and in the court of law. The prediction of stature is one of the important parameter along with age, sex when rendering biological profile of an individual and anthropometry provides the base line to reconstruct stature in forensic examination of unknown mutilated skeletal remains. [46].Various studies on prediction of stature were conducted in the recent past from measurements of various dimensions of human body. [7-14].