The use of material culture to establish the ethnic identity of victims in genocide investigations: a validation study from the American Southwest*.

Publisher: Blackwell Pub Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 0375370 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1556-4029 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00221198 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Forensic Sci Subsets: MEDLINE

Publication: 2006- : Malden, MA : Blackwell Pub.
Original Publication: [Chicago, Ill.] : Callaghan and Co., 1956-

Crime Victims* ; Culture* ; Hispanic or Latino* ; Homicide* ; White People*; Forensic Anthropology/*methods; Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Distribution ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Clothing ; Female ; Humans ; Jewelry ; Language ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Religion ; Sex Distribution ; Southwestern United States ; Young Adult

Successful prosecution of genocide requires that the victims constitute one of four protected groups: national, religious, ethnic, or racial. Establishing victim identity in prior trials has relied on positive identification of decedents, been largely presumptive, or was based on untested methodology. This report details a validation study of one untested method: the use of material culture in establishing ethnic identity. Classes of clothing and personal effects were scored on 3,430 individuals of known Hispanic or White ancestry from autopsy records in New Mexico. Significant differences were seen in evidence of language, nationality, and religious affiliation between the two groups, as well as clothing types and currency. Predictive models used to estimate ethnic identity in random, blind subsets produced an overall accuracy of 81.5% and estimates of 61-98% in specific subsets. Results suggest material culture, when present, can provide reliable evidence of ethnic affinity in genocide investigations.

Date Created: 20080722 Date Completed: 20090303 Latest Revision: 20221207

20240628

10.1111/j.1556-4029.2008.00825.x

18637976