DVI (Disaster Victim Identification)
Definition
The systematic multi-agency process for identifying victims of mass-casualty events, governed by the INTERPOL DVI Guide 2018 revision. Organises work into five phases: scene, post-mortem, ante-mortem, reconciliation, and debrief.
- Primary identifiers
- DNA, fingerprints, dental records
- Governing standard
- INTERPOL DVI Guide
- Nature of process
- Multi-agency, multi-disciplinary coordination
Common questions
What is DVI and when is it used?+
DVI (Disaster Victim Identification) is a coordinated multi-agency process used to identify all fatalities after a mass-casualty event. It applies to large-scale disasters like natural catastrophes, transportation accidents, or mass casualty incidents where multiple victims need systematic identification.
What are the main methods used to identify disaster victims?+
DVI relies on three primary identifiers: fingerprints, dental records, and DNA analysis. These are matched against records collected from family members and from before-death medical or identification records.
How is DVI work organized?+
The INTERPOL DVI framework structures the process into distinct phases: scene recovery, post-mortem examination (including fingerprinting and dental assessment), collection of ante-mortem data from next of kin, reconciliation of matches, and final debrief. This phased approach ensures systematic coverage of all victims.
Related terms
- ABFO
- American Board of Forensic Odontology: the specialty certification body in the United States that examines and certifies forensic odontologists as Diplomates, and...
- AM/PM Data
- Ante-mortem data (records from life: dental charts, medical records, DNA reference samples) and post-mortem data (findings from the body after death). Identification...
- Ante-Mortem (AM) Record
- Dental records, radiographs, photographs, and clinical notes compiled from the victim's own dentist or medical history before death. The reference set that...
- Ante-Mortem Record
- Any dental document created during a person's lifetime: clinical charts, radiographs (periapical, panoramic, bitewing), photographs, study models, and treatment notes. These are...
- Biological Profile
- The four-part osteological description of an unidentified individual: sex, age range, population affinity (ancestry), and estimated stature. The profile constrains the pool...
- Bite-Mark Analysis
- A pattern-comparison discipline in which a forensic odontologist attempts to link a bite wound on a victim to the dentition of a...
- Body Part Number (BPN)
- A unique alphanumeric identifier assigned to every human-tissue fragment at the point of discovery, cross-referenced to its spatial coordinates and the personal...
- Bonaparte
- NFI kinship-matching software used in the MH17 DVI operation and subsequent Dutch-led mass-casualty responses; handles pedigrees across multiple national reference-sample databases.
- Calcification Temperature Threshold
- The temperature at which dental enamel begins to structurally degrade. Enamel sustains fires up to approximately 200°C with minimal change; above 600-800°C...
- Commingled Remains
- Skeletal material from more than one individual mixed together, as commonly recovered from mass graves, transportation disasters, or fire scenes. Sorting commingled...
- Dental Age Estimation
- Methods that use the stage of tooth formation, eruption, wear, or regressive tissue changes to estimate a person's chronological age when documentary...
- Direct Reference Match
- A DVI DNA comparison between a post-mortem profile and a reference profile derived from a personal effect (toothbrush, razor, stored sample) known...
Explained in these topics
- Dental Identification in Mass Disasters and DVIThe systematic, multi-disciplinary process of identifying fatalities from mass casualty events using fingerprints, dental comparison, DNA, and visual/circumsta...
- Disaster Victim Identification: Archaeological ContributionThe organised multi-agency process of recovering, documenting, and identifying victims of a mass-casualty event, structured around the Interpol DVI Guide and d...
- Disaster Victim Identification: INTERPOL Process and CaseworkThe systematic multi-agency process for identifying victims of mass-casualty events, governed by the INTERPOL DVI Guide 2018 revision. Organises work into five...
- DVI from the Osteology Angle: MNI, MNE and the Commingled-Remains ProblemThe INTERPOL-structured four-phase process for identifying victims of mass-fatality events using postmortem fingerprints, dental records, DNA, and biological p...
- History of Forensic Odontology and Landmark CasesThe multi-agency, multi-disciplinary process for identifying all fatalities after a mass-casualty event, structured around Interpol protocols that recognise de...
- Introduction and Scope of Forensic OdontologyThe coordinated multi-agency process of identifying all fatalities after a mass-casualty event, using primary identifiers: DNA, fingerprints, and dental record...