Department of Forensic Medicine, CHU Montpellier, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
Department of Radiology, CHU Montpellier, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
Int J Legal Med. 2022 May;136(3):853-859. doi: 10.1007/s00414-022-02813-1. Epub 2022 Mar 12.
As many other European countries, France has to deal with a growing number of migrants including some who contend age minority entitling them to benefits and privileges reserved for children within the context of legal proceedings. In case of doubtful minority, medical examinations may be carried out to assess skeletal and dental age. Our objective was to analyse the age assessments regarding individuals of doubtful minority assertion at the Medico-legal Institute of the University Hospital of Montpellier since 2018.
Expert reports of forensic age assessments performed during the 2018-2021 period were reviewed. Demographic data and results from medical and radiological investigations based on AGFAD recommendations were recorded in each case. When available, conclusions of judicial investigations about the individuals' actual age were collected.
A total of 265 reports were compiled. Age assessments predominantly concerned males (97.7%) and the main reported country of origin was sub-Saharan Africa (80.4%). The mean reported age was 16.3 ± 0.8 years. The individual's stated age was compatible with the age assessment in 31 cases (11.7%), while expert reports concluded that the age of majority had been reached in 131 cases (49.4%). In cases of discrepancies, the average difference between the stated and the assessed lowest possible age (= assessed minimum age) was 2.7 ± 2.3 years and 6.9 ± 3.8 years between the stated and the most probable age. Age assessments could be compared with actual ages determined by court proceedings in 27 cases, with established ages being systematically higher than the assessed minimum ages (mean difference = 4.4 ± 4.0 years). The difference between actual and stated ages ranged from 1.8 up to 18.9 years (mean difference = 6.4 ± 4.0 years). The used protocol never led to any age overestimation in this population.
Our study reinforces the relevance of AGFAD recommendations for forensic age assessment and calls for the harmonization of practices based on this methodology in the European countries.
与许多其他欧洲国家一样，法国也面临着越来越多的移民问题，包括一些声称未成年的移民，他们有权在法律程序中享受为儿童保留的福利和特权。在未成年身份有争议的情况下，可能需要进行医学检查以评估骨骼和牙齿年龄。我们的目的是分析 2018 年以来蒙彼利埃大学附属医院法医研究所对身份有争议的未成年个体进行的年龄评估。
回顾了 2018-2021 年期间进行的法医年龄评估的专家报告。记录了每个案例的人口统计学数据以及根据 AGFAD 建议进行的医学和放射学检查结果。在有可用信息的情况下，还收集了关于个体实际年龄的司法调查结论。
共汇编了 265 份报告。年龄评估主要涉及男性（97.7%），主要原籍国为撒哈拉以南非洲（80.4%）。报告的平均年龄为 16.3±0.8 岁。在 31 例（11.7%）中，个体自述年龄与年龄评估相符，而在 131 例（49.4%）中，专家报告认为已达到成年年龄。在存在差异的情况下，自述年龄与评估的最低可能年龄（=评估最小年龄）之间的平均差异为 2.7±2.3 岁，自述年龄与最可能年龄之间的差异为 6.9±3.8 岁。可以将年龄评估与法院程序确定的实际年龄进行比较的情况有 27 例，确定的年龄始终高于评估的最小年龄（平均差异=4.4±4.0 岁）。实际年龄与自述年龄之间的差异范围为 1.8 至 18.9 岁（平均差异=6.4±4.0 岁）。该方法在该人群中从未导致任何年龄高估。
我们的研究加强了 AGFAD 建议在法医年龄评估中的相关性，并呼吁根据该方法在欧洲国家统一实践。
