Paper short abstract:

Demands for age estimation in the living have increased in recent decades as larger numbers of people cross borders. This paper examines the accuracy and reliability of methods commonly used for age estimation in the living when they are applied to a modern population.

Paper long abstract:

There is an increasing requirement to undertake age estimation of the living for forensic purposes and the assessment of skeletal age remains one of the key methods available to those undertaking age estimations. The number of age estimations being undertaken for the court, for those who have been accused of a crime or who have fallen victim to a crime is an area where the demand has risen greatly. Each forensic age estimation has personal implications for the individual as well as financial and ultimately political implications for society at large. The results of the age estimation can mean the difference between access to age appropriate resources including education, accommodation and pensions. For some it may mean the difference between deportation to country of origin or the chance to remain in the UK. Skeletal age estimation relies on techniques which have been appropriated from medical methodologies and which were developed on historical populations. This creates potential conflict with the Law Commission Report as well as introducing methodological error in their application. This presentation examines the accuracy of these methods when applied to age estimation of a modern population and questions whether their use should continue in relation to these populations and the needs of the court.