Variability of palmprint ridge density in a North Indian population and its use in inference of sex in forensic examinations

Publication date: Available online 22 September 2014 Source:HOMO - Journal of Comparative Human Biology Author(s): Kewal Krishan , Tanuj Kanchan , Ruchika Sharma , Annu Pathania Fingerprints and palmprints are unique to an individual, and these biometric characters are used in the identification of individuals. In the recent past, ridge density (ridge count in a defined area) has been explored for its applicability in inference of sex from the fingerprints and palmprints recovered at the crime scene. The present research aims to study the variability of palmprint ridge density in a North Indian population, and its significance in inference of sex in forensic examinations. The sample consisted of 157 healthy young adults (110 females and 47 males) from Shimla city in North India. Bilateral palmprints were taken from all the participants following standard methods. The palmprints were manually analyzed in four defined areas of each palmprint that included the central prominent part of the thenar eminence (P1), the mount distal to the axial triradius on the hypothenar region (P2), the mount proximal to the triradius of the second digit (P3) and the mount proximal to the triradius of the fifth digit (P4). The ridge density was calculated diagonally using a square measuring 5mm×5mm. The sex differences in palmprint ridge densities were statistically analyzed for each of the designated areas using statistical considerations. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve an...
Source: HOMO Journal of Comparative Human Biology - Category: Biology Source Type: research