Unidentified Wiki
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Everyone is welcome to add images to the wiki, but must acknowledge some guidelines before doing so. All images on this site must have a copyright license and categories included on their description pages.

To upload an image, please use this link instead of clicking the icon on the main page that does not allow license selection or addition of categories.

As of 2021, users who repeatedly disregard these requirements will be subjected to temporary blocks if they have already been reminded of the policy.

Naming

All images should be uploaded with an understandable title that gives some context as to which case it relates to. Acceptable image names include:

  • The name/nickname of the subject, whether they are unidentified, formerly unidentified, or missing.
  • Case numbers, such as:
    • NamUs (ex. UP1253)
    • NCMEC (ex. NCMU1104365c1)
    • Doe Network (ex. 91UFTX)
    • Investigative agency (ex. ML-1983-4567)

Licensing

To abide by copyright laws, be sure to include the copyright information for the images. Please copy and paste the appropriate license (included below) into the description portion of the upload form.

  • {{CopyUnk}} if you do not know if the image is copyrighted.
  • {{PD}} if the image is under the public domain (copyright free). Images created by police departments in California and Florida are under this license.
  • {{Fairuse}} if the image is known to be copyrighted (such as the work by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and Parabon NanoLabs)
  • {{Permission}} if the image is copyrighted but is permitted for use by the author. Artists such as Natalie Murray and Hew Morrison have graciously granted permission for their files to be used but require credit for their images.
  • {{Self}} if the image has been uploaded to the website by the author or photographer themselves.
  • {{From Wikimedia}} if the image was originally uploaded on Wikipedia or another Wikimedia project.

Be sure not to upload images that are prohibited to be used without permission, out of respect for the author.

Categories

Please categorize the images you upload. Below is a list of categories and examples.

Artwork-related

  • Sketches - a forensic drawing created with traditional media.
  • Composites - a reconstruction created from a compiled images of facial features. A composite can also refer to a drawing of a subject given by a witness.
  • 3D reconstructions - a reconstruction that is 3 dimensional, often created with clay.
  • Digital 3D reconstructions - a 3D reconstruction created using digital methods.
  • Digital reconstructions - a reconstruction that has been created using digital methods.
  • Postmortem-derivative reconstructions - a reconstruction that relies heavily on the original post-mortem image.
  • Death masks - a plaster cast taken of a decedent's face.
  • Reconstructions by artist (click link for list of specific artists/organizations)

Person-related

  • Age progression
  • Suspects
  • Unidentified photograph subjects
  • USBP images
  • Identified

Clothing/accessories

  • Clothing
  • Reconstructed clothing
  • Shoes
  • Belts
  • Pants
  • Shorts
  • Jackets
  • Undergarments
  • Hats
  • Dresses
  • Socks
  • Belts
  • Belt buckles
  • Labels
  • Jewelry
  • Rings
  • Earrings
  • Bracelets
  • Necklaces
  • Pendants
  • Watches
  • Personal items
  • Reconstructed personal items
  • Blankets
  • Suitcases

Miscellaneous

  • Postmortem images
  • Censored postmortem images
  • Tattoos
  • Reconstructed tattoos
  • Crime scenes
  • Scenes
  • Skulls
  • Teeth
  • Documents

Important policies

General

  • It is recommended uploaded images are the highest quality/size possible.
  • White space is to be cropped out.
  • If need be, some images should crop out backgrounds/additional subjects for a focus on the article's topic.
  • File names for the images must be specific to a case, including the name or case number.
    • Files with generic names, such as "Image.jpg" will be renamed.
  • Please refrain from adding images unrelated to the relevant topics this wiki.


Images of companions, family suspects and perpetrators

For confidentiality and to focus awareness on an individual's case, it is best to avoid adding images of those responsible, suspected or involved in an individual's death.

Out of respect for the privacy of other individuals who may be pictured alongside an identified subject, their faces should either be blurred or cropped out.

Postmortem images

Postmortem photographs should not be posted directly to a page. If you choose to include a postmortem image, please use the following wikitext: [[File:PM.jpg|link=File:NAME OF POSTMORTEM IMAGE HERE.jpg|thumb|CAPTION HERE]].
Images that are graphic (depicting open eyes, bloodied or pained expressions) should not be uploaded without censorship or retouching. If uploading a censored or retouched image, be sure to include in the image description that the file was retouched and a link to the original, if applicable.

Images of significantly decomposed bodies (excluding skeletons) are strictly prohibited.

After an individual has been identified, facial postmortem images will be removed from the website.

User-created reconstructions

At this time, users are asked to refrain from creating their own reconstructions and age progressions. Resulting from criticism by other users and discussion pages on other websites, it is best to protect ourselves from unkind comments, as well as valuing accurately representing the decedents and missing persons on the site. There are also potential legal consequences for creating an image without permission from law enforcement agencies.

Some exceptions have been made for certain user-created artwork. These works were kept for their adequate quality and/or usage on other media platforms.

Recolored reconstructions

In the past, we have added color to black and white renderings as a way to "complete" an image. At this time, users should not recolor a black and white rendering for skeletal remains, unless DNA phenotyping has been performed to estimate the individual's complexion, eye color and additional details.

Black and white reconstructions are purposely created in this fashion, as the artist does not know characteristics without DNA phenotyping on skeletal remains (or perhaps a black and white postmortem image). This is done to prevent an incorrect representation of an individual, as some features could appear to be probable, yet the person in question could very well have different colors of complexion, eyes and hair.

Some agencies have listed colorized renderings on NamUs and other forms of media. This serves as an exception.

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