Forensic age assessments of alleged unaccompanied minors at the Medicolegal Institute of Montpellier: a 4-year retrospective study.

Szczegóły
Abstrakt

Tytuł:: Forensic age assessments of alleged unaccompanied minors at the Medicolegal Institute of Montpellier: a 4-year retrospective study.
Autorzy:: Lossois M; Department of Forensic Medicine, CHU Montpellier, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
Cyteval C; Department of Radiology, CHU Montpellier, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
Baccino E; Department of Forensic Medicine, CHU Montpellier, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
Peyron PA; Department of Forensic Medicine, CHU Montpellier, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France. .
Źródło:: International journal of legal medicine [Int J Legal Med] 2022 May; Vol. 136 (3), pp. 853-859. Date of Electronic Publication: 2022 Mar 12.
Typ publikacji:: Journal Article
Język:: English
Imprint Name(s):: Original Publication: Heidelberg, FRG : Springer International, c1990-
MeSH Terms:: Age Determination by Teeth*/methods
Transients and Migrants*
Adolescent ; Age Determination by Skeleton/methods ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Minors ; Retrospective Studies
References:: Eurostat asylum statistics. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/migr_asyappctza/default/table?lang=en . Accessed 12 Nov 2021.
European Migration Network (2021) Annual reports on migration and asylum 2020. https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/networks/european-migration-network-emn/emn-publications/annual-reports-migration-and-asylum_en . Accessed 12 Nov 2021.
Hagen M, Schmidt S, Schulz R et al (2020) Forensic age assessment of living adolescents and young adults at the Institute of Legal Medicine, Münster, from 2009 to 2018. Int J Legal Med 134:745–751. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-019-02239-2. (PMID: 10.1007/s00414-019-02239-231907616)
Schmeling A, Grundmann C, Fuhrmann A et al (2008) Criteria for age estimation in living individuals. Int J Legal Med 122:457–460. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-008-0254-2. (PMID: 10.1007/s00414-008-0254-218548266)
Ministère de la Justice, Ministère des Solidarités et de la Santé, Ministère de l’Intérieur, Ministère de la Cohésion des territoires et des Relations avec les collectivités territoriales (2019) Guide de bonnes pratiques en matière d’évaluation de la minorité et de l’isolement des personnes se déclarant comme mineur(e)s et privées temporairement ou définitivement de la protection de leur famille. https://solidarites-sante.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/guide-de-bonnes-pratiques-en-matiere-d-evaluation-de-la_minorite-et-de-l-isolement.pdf . Accessed 12 Nov 2021.
Légifrance. Code civil - Article 388. https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/article_lc/LEGIARTI000032207650/ . Accessed 13 Jan 2022.
Schmeling A, Reisinger W, Geserick G, Olze A (2006) Age estimation of unaccompanied minors. Part I. General considerations. Forensic Sci Int 159(Suppl 1):S61-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2006.02.017. (PMID: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2006.02.01716529895)
Schmeling A, Dettmeyer R, Rudolf E et al (2016) Forensic age estimation. Dtsch Arzteblatt Int 113:44–50. https://doi.org/10.3238/arztebl.2016.0044. (PMID: 10.3238/arztebl.2016.0044)
Greulich WW, Pyle SI (1959) Radiographic atlas of skeletal development of the hand and wrist, 2nd edn. Stanford University Press, California.
Demirjian A, Goldstein H, Tanner JM (1973) A new system of dental age assessment. Hum Biol 45:211–227. (PMID: 4714564)
Schmeling A, Schulz R, Reisinger W et al (2004) Studies on the time frame for ossification of the medial clavicular epiphyseal cartilage in conventional radiography. Int J Legal Med 118(1):5–8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-003-0404-5. (PMID: 10.1007/s00414-003-0404-514534796)
Kellinghaus M, Schulz R, Vieth V et al (2010) Forensic age estimation in living subjects based on the ossification status of the medial clavicular epiphysis as revealed by thin-slice multidetector computed tomography. Int J Legal Med 124:149–154. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-009-0398-8. (PMID: 10.1007/s00414-009-0398-820013127)
Kellinghaus M, Schulz R, Vieth V et al (2010) Enhanced possibilities to make statements on the ossification status of the medial clavicular epiphysis using an amplified staging scheme in evaluating thin-slice CT scans. Int J Legal Med 124:321–325. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-010-0448-2. (PMID: 10.1007/s00414-010-0448-220354711)
Chaumoitre K, Saliba-Serre B, Adalian P et al (2017) Forensic use of the Greulich and Pyle atlas: prediction intervals and relevance. Eur Radiol 27:1032–1043. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-016-4466-4. (PMID: 10.1007/s00330-016-4466-427357132)
Tisè M, Mazzarini L, Fabrizzi G et al (2011) Applicability of Greulich and Pyle method for age assessment in forensic practice on an Italian sample. Int J Legal Med 125:411–416. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-010-0541-6. (PMID: 10.1007/s00414-010-0541-621221985)
Olze A, Solheim T, Schulz R et al (2010) Assessment of the radiographic visibility of the periodontal ligament in the lower third molars for the purpose of forensic age estimation in living individuals. Int J Legal Med 124:445–448. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-010-0488-7. (PMID: 10.1007/s00414-010-0488-720623296)
Olze A, van Niekerk P, Schulz R et al (2012) The influence of impaction on the rate of third molar mineralisation in male black Africans. Int J Legal Med 126:869–874. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-012-0753-z. (PMID: 10.1007/s00414-012-0753-z22885908)
Olze A, Schmeling A, Taniguchi M et al (2004) Forensic age estimation in living subjects: the ethnic factor in wisdom tooth mineralization. Int J Legal Med 118:170–173. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-004-0434-7. (PMID: 10.1007/s00414-004-0434-714767777)
Olze A, van Niekerk P, Schmidt S et al (2006) Studies on the progress of third-molar mineralisation in a Black African population. Homo 57:209–217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jchb.2004.08.003. (PMID: 10.1016/j.jchb.2004.08.00316764878)
Wittschieber D, Schulz R, Vieth V et al (2014) The value of sub-stages and thin slices for the assessment of the medial clavicular epiphysis: a prospective multi-center CT study. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 10:163–169. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-013-9511-x. (PMID: 10.1007/s12024-013-9511-x24277267)
Cummaudo M, De Angelis D, Magli F et al (2021) Age estimation in the living: a scoping review of population data for skeletal and dental methods. Forensic Sci Int 320:110689. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.110689. (PMID: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.11068933561788)
Medlé statistics. https://medle.fabrique.social.gouv.fr/ . Accessed 13 Jan 2022.
Plessy A (2021) Estimation de l’âge biologique chez le sujet vivant dans les unités médico-judiciaires : les attentes de la justice face aux limites de la science. Dissertation, Aix-Marseille University.
Ministère de la Justice. Mineurs non accompagnés. http://www.justice.gouv.fr/justice-des-mineurs-10042/mineurs-non-accompagnes-12824/ . Accessed 13 Jan 2022.
Direction de la protection judiciaire de la jeunesse, Ministère de la Justice. Mission Mineurs Non accompagnés. Rapport annuel d’activité 2020. http://www.justice.gouv.fr/art_pix/rapport_activite_MNA_2020.pdf . Accessed 13 Jan 2022.
Rudolf E, Kramer J, Gebauer A et al (2015) Standardized medical age assessment of refugees with questionable minority claim-a summary of 591 case studies. Int J Legal Med 129:595–602. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-014-1122-x. (PMID: 10.1007/s00414-014-1122-x25410091)
Garamendi PM, Landa MI, Ballesteros J, Solano MA (2005) Reliability of the methods applied to assess age minority in living subjects around 18 years old. A survey on a Moroccan origin population. Forensic Sci Int 154:3–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2004.08.018. (PMID: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2004.08.01816182943)
Schmeling A, Olze A, Reisinger W et al (2003) Statistical analysis and verification of forensic age estimation of living persons in the Institute of Legal Medicine of the Berlin University Hospital Charité. Leg Med 5(Suppl 1):S367-371. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1344-6223(02)00134-7. (PMID: 10.1016/s1344-6223(02)00134-7)
Schulz R, Mühler M, Reisinger W et al (2008) Radiographic staging of ossification of the medial clavicular epiphysis. Int J Legal Med 122:55–58. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-007-0210-6. (PMID: 10.1007/s00414-007-0210-617940787)
Nuzzolese E, Solarino B, Liuzzi C, Di Vella G (2011) Assessing chronological age of unaccompanied minors in southern Italy. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 32:202–207. https://doi.org/10.1097/PAF.0b013e318221bc73. (PMID: 10.1097/PAF.0b013e318221bc7321725225)
Larsen ST, Arge S, Lynnerup N (2015) The Danish approach to forensic age estimation in the living: how, how many and what’s new? A review of cases performed in 2012. Ann Hum Biol 42:342–347. https://doi.org/10.3109/03014460.2015.1044469. (PMID: 10.3109/03014460.2015.104446926286458)
Mostad P, Tamsen F (2019) Error rates for unvalidated medical age assessment procedures. Int J Legal Med 133:613–623. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-018-1916-3. (PMID: 10.1007/s00414-018-1916-330219926)
Contributed Indexing:: Keywords: AGFAD recommendations; Age assessment; Age of majority; Forensic medicine; Unaccompanied minors
Entry Date(s):: Date Created: 20220312 Date Completed: 20220414 Latest Revision: 20220717
Update Code:: 20240105
PubMed Central ID:: PMC8917363
DOI:: 10.1007/s00414-022-02813-1
PMID:: 35278098
: Czasopismo naukowe

Full Text Finder

Background: As many other European countries, France has to deal with a growing number of migrants including some who contend age minority entitling them to benefits and privileges reserved for children within the context of legal proceedings. In case of doubtful minority, medical examinations may be carried out to assess skeletal and dental age. Our objective was to analyse the age assessments regarding individuals of doubtful minority assertion at the Medico-legal Institute of the University Hospital of Montpellier since 2018.
Methods: Expert reports of forensic age assessments performed during the 2018-2021 period were reviewed. Demographic data and results from medical and radiological investigations based on AGFAD recommendations were recorded in each case. When available, conclusions of judicial investigations about the individuals' actual age were collected.
Results: A total of 265 reports were compiled. Age assessments predominantly concerned males (97.7%) and the main reported country of origin was sub-Saharan Africa (80.4%). The mean reported age was 16.3 ± 0.8 years. The individual's stated age was compatible with the age assessment in 31 cases (11.7%), while expert reports concluded that the age of majority had been reached in 131 cases (49.4%). In cases of discrepancies, the average difference between the stated and the assessed lowest possible age (= assessed minimum age) was 2.7 ± 2.3 years and 6.9 ± 3.8 years between the stated and the most probable age. Age assessments could be compared with actual ages determined by court proceedings in 27 cases, with established ages being systematically higher than the assessed minimum ages (mean difference = 4.4 ± 4.0 years). The difference between actual and stated ages ranged from 1.8 up to 18.9 years (mean difference = 6.4 ± 4.0 years). The used protocol never led to any age overestimation in this population.
Conclusion: Our study reinforces the relevance of AGFAD recommendations for forensic age assessment and calls for the harmonization of practices based on this methodology in the European countries.
(© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Informacja