Stature and sex estimation using anthropometry of feet and footprints in a Western Australian population

[Truncated abstract] Anthropometry is an invaluable tool in forensic anthropology for developing population specific standards for the biological profiling of unidentified deceased and living individuals. Whilst the technique of osteometry is most commonly associated with forensic practice, standards are now being developed from modern living populations, overcoming some of the limitations of relying upon documented skeletal collections. Stature estimation is often considered one of the more straightforward aspects of biological profiling and is useful for reducing the parameters of identity. An estimation of sex can assist the identification process even further by decreasing the pool of potential matches and by determining subsequent methods for assessing other attributes of the biological profile, including the estimation of stature. However, these estimation standards are most accurate when applied to the population from which they were initially derived. In medico-legal investigations, feet and footprints can be useful for extrapolating living height as there is a body of literature that has identified a strong positive relationship between foot size and stature. In disaster victim identification scenarios, feet are often preserved due to the protection afforded by footwear and footprints are common trace evidence recovered from crime scenes. The study aimed to develop stature estimation models for a contemporary Western Australian population from measurements of the feet and footprints. As sex estimation is such a quintessential component of the biological profile it was expedient to also assess sexual dimorphism and determine whether it was possible to develop accurate sex estimation models from the obtained anthropometric data.