Statistics on the Unidentified Dead

Nearly 13,500 unidentified human decedents presently on record; total number affected by variation in record keeping practices

Medical Examiner and Cororner (ME/C) offices reported a total of 13,486 unidentified human decedents currently on record, with the largest jurisdictions (those serving 250,000 or more) accounting for 87% of all cases. Overall, an estimated 23% of ME/C offices reported one or more unidentified decedents on record (not shown in table). Both jurisdiction size and record keeping practices of offices affected the number of unidentified human decedents on record.

An estimated half (49%) of ME/C offices in 2004 had a policy for retaining records on unidentified human decedents, such as x-rays, fingerprints, or DNA. ME/C offices serving larger jurisdictions were more likely to have such a policy. More than 90% of those serving 250,000 or more persons had a policy to retain records of unidentified human decedents. In comparison, 29% of ME/C offices serving jurisdictions of less than 2,500 persons reported such a policy.

A forthcoming BJS report will compare the information on unidentified human decedents obtained in the BJS census with data available in theFederal Bureau of Investigation's National Crime Information Center. The report will also explore different methods for generating national estimates of the total number of unidentified human decedents. Understanding the number and distribution of unidentified human decedents is critical to improving national databases, particularly regarding missing persons investigations.

4,400 unidentified human decedents reported in an average year; 1,000 remained unidentified after 1 year

Medical examiners and coroners are occasionally faced with a human decedent that cannot be identified. ME/C offices estimated that a total of about 4,400 unidentified human decedents were reported in an average year (figure 4). Ninety percent of these estimated annual unidentified decedents were reported by offices serving jurisdictions of 250,000 or more persons (not shown in figure).

After one year an estimated 1,000 (or 23%) remained unidentified and became "cold cases." Seventy percent of these estimated annual cold cases were reported by offices serving jurisdictions of 250,000 or more persons (not shown in figure).

ME/C offices reported that a total of about 600 cold cases underwent final disposition (such as burial, cremation, or other means of disposition) in 2004. Seventy-one percent of these cases were reported by offices serving jurisdictions of 250,000 or more persons (not shown in figure).

Content on the page was taken from Medical Examiners and Coroners' Offices, 2004, published by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, Office of Justice Programs.