Abstract
AbstractThe search for missing persons is a complex process that involves the comparison of data from two entities: unidentified persons (UP), who may be alive or deceased, and missing persons (MP), whose whereabouts are unknown. Although existing tools support DNA-based kinship analyses for the search, they typically do not integrate or statistically evaluate diverse lines of evidence collected throughout the investigative process. Examples of alternative lines of evidence are pigmentation traits, biological sex, and age, among others. The packageMispitoolsfills this gap by providing comprehensive statistical methods adapted to a holistic investigation workflow.Mispitoolssystematically assesses the data from each investigative stage, computing the statistical weight of various types of evidence through a likelihood ratio (LR) approach. It also provides models for combining obtained LRs. Furthermore,Mispitoolsoffers customized visualizations and a user-friendly interface, broadening its applicability among forensic practitioners and genealogical researchers.
Publisher
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
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