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BC Coroners Service Enhanced Identification GIS Model Randy Dalit GIS Analyst

Background

BC Coroners Service

!  Investigates all unnatural, sudden and unexpected, unexplained or unattended deaths

!  The Coroner determines: the identity of the deceased; how, when, where and by what means the deceased died

!  The death is then classified as natural, accidental, suicide, homicide or undetermined

!  In 2011, the BC Coroners Service investigated 7828 deaths

BC Coroners Service

!  How many suicides were there in 2011? A. <100 B. 101-200 C. 201-500 D. 501-600 E. >600

BC Coroners Service Question

BC Coroners Service Question

!  D is correct! !  In 2011, there were 530 suicide deaths in

BC

BC Coroners Service Question

!  In 2011, the BC Coroners Service investigated 7828 deaths: !  5419 Natural Deaths !  1594 Accidental Deaths !  530 Suicide Deaths !  167 Undetermined Deaths !  115 Homicide Deaths

BC Coroners Service

!  The IDRU provides support and expertise in identification, disaster response, and business continuity planning.

!  Actively investigates all historical unidentified human remains cases, dating as far back as the 1960’s.

!  There are currently 186 active unidentified human remains cases that remain unresolved

Identification and Disaster Response Unit

Identification and Disaster Response Unit

IDRU  Manager  

Iden-fica-on  Specialist  

GIS  Analyst   Data  Analyst  

!  In 2010, the IDRU investigated 102 unidentified human remain (UHR) cases: !  73 Archaeological or Non-Human !  25 Identified !  4 Remained unidentified

!  Since 1950, 186 unidentified human remains cases are still unresolved

IDRU Case Breakdown

BCCS Milestones

!  A relational database management system that integrates 4 provincial databases into a centralized GIS database:

Enhanced Identification-GIS Model

DNA DB Dental DB MPUB DB

Identification-GIS-DB

FME

Arch DB

1. Databases:

2. Conversion:

3. Outputs:

Technology Breakdown

1.  FME pulls information from 4 different provincial databases into a centralized database

2.  FME generates two master outputs: !  ESRI Geodatabase !  Google Earth KML

3.  Enables spatial and tabular queries for case comparisons

How does the ID-GIS Model work?

!  Generates leads on unsolved cases !  Provides instant exclusions on potential matches

using case descriptors !  Tracks previously excluded cases !  Enables one-to-many comparisons between

missing person (MP) cases and unidentified human remains (UHR) cases

Advantages

Key Descriptors

Key Descriptors Iden-fica-on  

   Spa-al:  GPS,  address,  etc.  

   Temporal:  LSA  date,  found  date,  etc.  

   Circumstan-al:  Radiographs,  clothing,  etc.  

   Racial  Affinity:  Caucasoid,  Mongoloid,  etc.  

   Biological:  Height,  weight,  age,  etc.  

   Gene-c:  Y-­‐STR,  mtDNA,  nDNA,  etc.  

“Hikers will travel up to 18.3 km in a temperate mountainous area” – Koester

Example #1 – Missing Hiker

“Scavengers transport remains up to 3.2 km in forested areas” - Haglund

Example #2 – Found Cranium

The IDRU manages an identified partial human remains inventory in the ID-GIS database, which is used to compare against newly found unidentified human remains.

Example #3 – Found Mandible

Source: BCCS, 2013

Source: BCCS, 2013

Source: BCCS, 2013

Source: BCCS, 2013

!  Between 2007-2012, 10 feet have washed up in BC’s shores. How many have been identified? A. 1 B. 2-4 C. 5-7 D. 8-9 E. 10

BC Coroners Service Question

BC Coroners Service Question

!  D is correct! !  To date, 8 of the 10 feet have been

positively identified to 6 missing person’s !  One individual still remains unidentified…

BC Coroners Service Question

Source: BCCS, 2013

Source: BCCS, 2013

www.CanadasMissing.ca

!  The IDRU’s unidentified human remains inventory has decreased at a steady 6% rate since January 1, 2013

!  The BCCS currently has 186 human remains cases

UHR Cases since FME Implementation

UHR Cases since FME Implementation

Sources

1.  Haglund, W. D. & Reay, D. T. (1993). Problems of Recovering Partial Human Remains at Different Times and Locations. Journal of Forensic Sciences. 38, 69-80.

2.  Koester, R. J. (2008). Lost Person Behavior. dbS Productions. 3.  BC Coroners Service Annual Report (2010). Ministry of

Justice. Web. 14 Jan. 2013. <http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/coroners/reports/docs/annualreport2010.pdf>

4.  Ministry of Justice (2014). BC Coroners Service website. Web. 7 July, 2014. <http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/coroners/>

Thank You! Questions?

!  For more information: !  Randy Dalit !  Geographic Information Systems Analyst !  Identification and Disaster Response Unit !  BC Coroners Service !  Web: pssg.gov.bc.ca/coroners !  Email: Randy.Dalit@gov.bc.ca