Forensic tool for sex prediction- hand dimensions

BACKGROUND: Determination of sex from mutilated body fragments can perform vital role for identification of departed soul. Forensic authority pacts with human identification from the hand measurements which is of prodigious assessment during tragedies, terror attacks and in criminality. OBJECTIVE: Present study explored the analytical role of the anthropometric measurements of hand dimensions, find demarking points for male and female, check percentage exactitude of sex determination in Western Indian population. METHODS: The study was piloted on a sample of 504 individuals. All the measurements were taken by standard procedure. Discriminant analysis and demarking points were created for all hand measurements. RESULTS: Males have a significantly higher values of all measurements than females. The left-hand length measurement unveiled a noteworthy sexual dimorphism index (110.80). The higher value of the demarking point labelled as males. The best sexually dimorphic hand dimensions showed the utmost precision left hand length (95% in the male), followed by right hand length (76.1%). CONCLUSION: All hand measurements like length, breadth and index are displaying sexual dimorphism, hence they can be used for determination of sex when isolated hand is found.