Forensics of Hair Analysis

Hair Forensics
One of the most common is hair evidence.
helpful in demonstrating physical contact with a
suspect
Until recently, the comparison microscope was
considered the only reliable tool for the
identification and comparison of the microscopic
characteristics found in hair
Today, nuclear and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)
testing can provide additional information that
can influence the value of microscopic
examinations

Basic Hair Structure

Hair Facts
A hair grows from the
papilla and with the
exception of that
point of generation is
made up of dead,
cornified cells
It consists of a shaft
that projects above
the skin, and a root
that is imbedded in
the skin

Hair
Its basic components are keratin (a
protein), melanin (a pigment), and trace
quantities of metallic elements.
These elements are deposited in the hair
during its growth and/or absorbed by the
hair from an external environment.
After a period of growth, the hair remains
in the follicle in a resting stage to
eventually be sloughed from the body.

Hair Cuticle

The cuticle is a
translucent outer layer
of the hair shaft
consisting of scales
that cover the shaft.
Cuticular scales
always point from the
proximal or root end of
the hair to the distal or
tip end of the hair.

Cuticle
There are three
basic scale
structures that
make up the cuticle
coronal (crownlike), spinous
(petal-like), and
imbricate
(flattened).
Combinations and
variations of these
types are possible.

Bat Hair and Mink Hair

Human Hair
The imbricate or
flattened scales
type consists of
overlapping
scales with
narrow margins.
They are
commonly found
in human hairs
and many
animal hairs.

Medulla
The medulla is
a central core
of cells that
may be present
in the hair.
Human

Animal
Deer

Medulla
The medulla, when present in human hairs, is generally
less than one-third the overall diameter of the hair shaft.
The medulla in animal hairs is normally continuous and
structured and generally occupies an area of greater
than one-third the overall diameter of the hair shaft.

There are many more characteristics of hair that are too

numerous to discuss for the purpose of this lab

Animal Versus Human Hairs

Human hairs are generally consistent in color and
pigmentation throughout the length of the hair shaft,
whereas animal hairs may exhibit radical color changes
in a short distance, called banding.
The pigmentation of human hairs is evenly distributed, or
slightly more dense toward the cuticle, whereas the
pigmentation of animal hairs is more centrally distributed,
although more dense toward the medulla.

Hair Forensics

Hairs found on a knife or club may support a murder and/or assault

weapon claim.
A questioned hair specimen can be compared microscopically with
hairs from a known individual, side-by-side.
Human hairs can be classified by racial origin such as Caucasian
(European origin), African-American (African origin), and Mongoloid
(Asian origin).
In some instances, the racial characteristics exhibited are not
clearly defined, indicating the hair may be of mixed-racial origin.

Hair Forensics
The region of the body where a hair originated
can be determined with considerable accuracy
by its gross appearance and microscopic
characteristics.
The length and color can be determined.
It can also be determined whether the hair was
forcibly removed, damaged by burning or
crushing, or artificially treated by dyeing or
bleaching.

Hair Forensics: DNA

Often it is not possible to extract DNA fully,
or there is not enough tissue present to
conduct an examination.
Hairs with large roots and tissue are
promising sources of nuclear DNA.
However, DNA examinations destroy
hairs, eliminating the possibility of further
microscopic examination.

Hair Forensics: Collection

Hairs can be recovered from items using a number of
different techniques.
Some of the methods used to collect hairs from clothing
and bedding items are scraping, shaking, taping, and
picking.
Debris from large carpeted surfaces might be vacuumed
into a filtered canister.
If the specific location of a hair on a clothing item is
important, it might be necessary to pick off the hair or
tape the item and record where the hair was removed.

Hair Forensics: Which Hairs?

Head hairs and pubic hairs exhibit a greater
range of microscopic characteristics than other
human hairs; therefore, head and pubic hairs
are routinely forensically compared.
Twenty-five randomly selected head hairs are
generally considered adequate to represent the
range of hair characteristics of that individual.
It is recommended that the same number of
hairs be collected from the pubic region.

Forensic Identification
Human hairs can generally be identified by
racial origin, body area, and other
comparison characteristics.
Racial indicators apply primarily to head
hairs.


Caucasian
AfricanAmerican
Mongoloid

Where is this hair from?

Certain
features of
individual
hairs identify
the region of
the body
where it
originated.

Pubic Hair

Where is this Hair from?

Limb

Where is this hair from?

Beard

There are also certain

characteristics for

Underarm hair
Chest hair
Eyebrow
General body hair

Things to consider when viewing

hair
Length: Length is considered, although hairs
may have been cut between the time of
deposition of the questioned specimen and the
collection of a known sample. In addition, there
may be a significant difference in the lengths of
the shortest and longest hairs on an individual's
head.
Tip: The tip can be cut, broken, split, abraded
(rounded), or finely pointed as illustrated by An
individual's grooming, hygiene, health, and
nutrition can affect these features.

 GlassCut or
Broken
Hair Tip
Cut Hair
Tip
Worn
Razor-Cut
Tip

Dyed hairs possess an unnatural

cast or color. In addition, the cuticle
will take on the color of the dye

 Scissor Cut

Razor Cut
Broken Hair
Burned Hair

What is this?

LICE