The Third and Final Phase of NamUs
www.NamUs.govNamUs has three phases, two of which are complete. Phase three is in progress.
Phase 1 (July-September 2007) - "COMPLETE"
"Complete creation of the national database of unidentified decedent records, which will allow searches based on characteristics such as demographics, anthropologic analysis, dental information, and distinct body features."
www.IdentifyUs.org
"Begin functional and technical design of the national online missing persons database."
Phase II (October 2007-September 2008) - "COMPLETE"
"Develop a national online missing persons database to enhance reporting, investigating, and solving missing persons cases."
www.FindTheMissing.org
Phase III (2009) - "In Process"
"Release fully searchable NamUs system, which will search cases in the missing persons database against cases in the unidentified decedents database in an effort to identify unidentified human remains and solve missing persons cases."
This means that officials using NamUs will have a stream of possible matches showing as pending in their control panel / dashboard. It is very much a process of elimination at that point. Based on exclusions already known to the official, many can be quickly marked as such.
"In 2009, the two databases will be linked. Families, law enforcement agencies, medical examiners and coroners, victim advocates, and the general public will be able to search for matches between missing persons and unidentified decedent records."
The "linking" between the missing and the unidentified databases has began. Manual searches were already possible and have been moving forward. But now the system itself is becoming capable of generating possible matches based on information contained in the dual databases of the NamUs System.
It is vital that cases listed include all known information. A lack of specific information can produce numerous and maybe unlikely possible matches that have to be eliminated manually. But this also sparks the search for more detailed information which in turn enhances the accuracy of the system.
Comments
NamUs Cross-Referencing Capability
In July 2009, new capabilities were added to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), providing investigators with automatic cross-referencing between the missing persons and unidentified persons cases within the system.
The upgraded system searches records in the missing persons database against those in the unidentified decedents database and provide side-by-side comparisons. Cases with similarities are automatically presented to the investigator as potential matches, reducing research time and giving the investigator the opportunity to eliminate those that do not qualify. If there are cases that present a close match, the investigator will engage forensic services to conduct further identification testing - dental records and/or DNA - to determine a definite match.
By bringing together and comparing the two searchable databases - unidentified decedents database and missing persons - NamUs believes that
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