Missing People Website

Forensic artwork for unidentified people

Image enhancement has various forms and uses. In the majority of cases enhanced images enable publicity of a case, thereby helping to find a missing person or establish a person's identity. In unidentified cases the requirement is usually to 'sanitise' a post mortem photo to make it appropriate for use in publicity. If photographs require manipulation either computer software or manual drawing techniques are used.

Post mortem composites

Where a post mortem photo of an individual is available but not suitable for use in publicity, a sanitised image can be produced by removing swelling, bruising and facial injuries, restoring a hairstyle, adding clothing etc.

Fig 1: The post mortem composite on the left aided investigation into the man's identity. The photo on the right is of the identified man prior to his death.

Fig 2: A post mortem composite of a man who had remained unidentified for several months was published in local newspapers. He was recognised immediately and his identity was confirmed.

Facial Reconstruction

Facial Reconstruction can be used in cases of unidentified human remains where there is not enough soft tissue remaining for image enhancement techniques. Either a 2D drawing can be produced or a 3D clay model can be constructed.

A 2D drawing is created by working from photographs of the clean skull with tissue depth markers placed at specific anatomical points. The same tissue depth markers are used in 3D reconstructions where the face is built up, in clay, from the skull outwards. Various anatomical features of the skull indicate the proportions and details of corresponding facial features. If other details, such as hair length, are known these can be illustrated in the final reconstruction.

Although generally considered more of a last resort technique for identification, facial reconstruction has proven to be a very successful tool in generating new publicity and thus more information regarding a person's identity.

2D Facial reconstruction

Fig 1: 2D Facial Reconstruction: An incomplete 2D facial reconstruction illustrating how the skull dictates the shape of the face.

Fig 2: Case study: A 2D facial reconstruction and the man it was determined to be, who had disappeared 14 years earlier.

3D Facial reconstruction

Fig 3: 3D Facial Reconstruction: Tissue depth markers are placed at specific anatomical positions - the shape of the skull provides the foundations for the facial shape; the facial muscles are created in clay to build up the face; facial features complete the final reconstruction and the resultant image is used in publicity.

Fig 4: Case study: An unknown man found in the mountains of Scotland was identified after the facial reconstruction done by Missing People was shown on Crimewatch. Had it not been for the publicity generated by the reconstruction it is unlikely the man would have ever been identified.