The Supreme Court, while denying the plea of juvenility preferred by a convict in a murder case, observed that to determine age, the ossification test stands last in the order of priorities.
About Ossification Test:
Ossification is the process of bone formation that occurs in humans from infancy until the end of adolescence. During this time, various bones in the body undergo calcification or hardening, as minerals such as calcium and phosphorus are deposited in the bone matrix.
As a person ages, the rate of bone formation slows down, and eventually, the bones become more brittle and prone to fracture.
Due to the predictable nature of this process, scientists have been able to develop methods for estimating a person's age based on the degree of bone ossification in specific bones.
One such method is the ossification test, also known as the epiphyseal fusion test.
This test involves examining x-rays of certain bones in the body, specifically the clavicle, sternum, and pelvis, to determine the degree of ossification.
Based on the degree of ossification, the professional can estimate the person's age within a certain range.
Drawbacks:
It only provides an individual’s ‘estimated’ age rather than their actual age.
Even when testing several joints, the test allows a buffer of at least six months on either side. It occasionally displays a four-year fluctuation.
Additionally, factors such as disease, injury, and malnutritioncan all affect the degree of bone ossification, making it more difficult to accurately estimate a person's age.
Dear Student,
You have still not entered your mailing address. Please enter the address where all the study materials will be sent to you. (If applicable).
