Matching Tips and tricks.

Hi. Most of you don't know me from Adam, but I've been doing Does and un-ID'ed for a few years now and I thought i would pass along some of the things that I have learned.
If anyone else has something that I don't know, please feel free to add to it.
I see some confusion sometimes and I really thought this might help.

1. I have learned with hair color doesn't mean much in the Everglades region. There are enzymes in the Everglades that can cause brunette hair to turn blond.
So if you have a potential match near the Glades and the only thing off is the hair color, it might be worth trying it anyway.

2. The two hardest things to recreate properly in a reconsrtuction of a Doe are the tip of the nose and lips. So if those are the only things off, but the rest of the facial structure seems to fit, I would give it a shot.

3. I have found that weight doesn't always mean that much. You have to remember that a person that was not eating well at home may have gained weight while on the street and that if someone was eating well at home they may have dropped weight while they were out on the street. (As applied to runaways.)

4. If someone had a fracture as a young child and it has been more than 5 years, that fracture may have healed so completely that it may not be noticeable in the x-rays.

5. When calling in a match, most of the time, the officer in charge of the case will be helpful. I have found that it is more helpful to call the jurisdiction with the Doe first. There are fewer Does than there are missing. In general, LE gets fewer tips on Does than on missing persons, so there is less chance of the officer in charge being burned out.

6. When you do call in a match, organize your notes first. The officer that you speak with is going to want to know what makes you believe that these two people are one and the same. It makes you sound more credible if you have all of your notes in order before you call. Also have any numbers, like the agency number, NCIC number, ME case number readily available. Be prepared to leave a message, most of the time you do not reach the person you need immediately. Usually they will call you back. It may take them a few days. I usually wait a week and if I haven't gotten a response, I call them again. Make sure that you also have the contact information for any other officers. So, if you are calling the agency that has the missing person, make sure you have the name and number of the officer that has the Missing Persons case.

Thanks Not My Kids! I myself am new to this and appreciate any help I can get.

This is a snip from a post that Christine2448 posted on one of the early Maricopa Jane Doe threads (post No. 211 from who is this unidentified young girl? jumped/thrown from vehicle in AZ, 1999).
I liked what she said, and therefore saved it. The discussion focused on a possible match, and this is what Christine suggested for contacting LE:

"I suggest that whoever is going to make the call

Prints this thread out and compose an email with all questions, possible matches listed here, links to anything pertinent, then use this email as your guide for phone call.... Then I'd call

[insert contact information for law enforcement agency]

explaining that you are a volunteer case investigator for an online crime board. You are interested in talking to the lead investigator for case # blah blah blah...once you get the investigator to talk to you explain that you and a group of volunteer investigators have been discussing this case and you'd like to #1 submit information (there are several possible matches in this thread, have all that together and ready to give info) and see what they'd be willing to answer for you/discuss with you? Many questions given here may lead to more clues or things they have not thought of! Then also ask for their email telling them you will send them everything discussed via phone by email, have this email prepared ahead of time with all questions, pictures, possible matches, and a link to this thread. Invite them to join our discussion."