Forensic anthropology

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Forensic anthropologists can help identify skeletonized human remains, such as these found lying in scrub in Western Australia, circa 1900-1910.

Forensic anthropology is the application of the science of physical anthropology and human osteology (the study of the human skeleton) in a legal setting, most often in criminal cases where the victim's remains are more or less skeletonized. A forensic anthropologist can also assist in the identification of deceased individuals whose remains are decomposed, burned, mutilated or otherwise unrecognizable. The adjective "forensic" refers to the application of this subfield of science to a court of law.

There are few people who identify themselves as forensic anthropologists, and in the United States and Canada, there are less than 100 Anthropologists certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology. Furthermore, there are only about 40 who are currently active in the field.^[1] Most diplomates (a Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Anthropology, entitled to use the initials DABFA after their name) work in the academic field and consult on casework as it arises.

Forensic anthropology is a subdiscipline within the subfield of physical anthropology. Anthropology typically comprises three subfields: cultural anthropology, archaeology, and physical (aka biological) anthropology. Some people still include linguistics as a fourth subfield, but more commonly this area is being absorbed by the other three. It is currently one of the fields that is in high demand.

Other subdisciplines in physical anthropology include genetics, human growth and development, primatology (study of primates), paleoanthropology (primate and human evolution), human osteology (study of the skeleton), paleodemography (vital statistics of past populations), skeletal biology, nutrition, dental anthropology, and human adaptation and variation (to different climates, altitudes, etc.), among others.

Forensic anthropology is an "applied" area. It borrows methods and techniques developed from the academic disciplines of physical anthropology and applies them to cases of forensic (legal) importance.

Methods and techniques to assess age, sex, stature, ancestry, and analyze trauma and disease are generally developed to help anthropologists understand different populations living all over the world at different times throughout history. When these methods are applied to unknown modern human remains, with the aim of establishing identity or manner of death, this is the forensic application of osteology. Forensic anthropologists frequently work in conjunction with forensic pathologists, odontologists, and homicide investigators to identify a decedent, discover evidence of trauma, and/or the postmortem interval. Forensic anthropologists do not determine cause of death of victims but their opinions may be taken into consideration by the medical examiner with the proper legal authority to do so. The testimony of the anthropologist as an expert witness to the court relies on the training and scientific expertise of the anthropologist. Expert witnesses are subject to Daubert guidelines.

A forensic anthropologist may be called in when human remains are found during anthropological or archaeological excavation, or when badly decomposed, burned, or skeletonized remains are found by law enforcement or members of the public. The identification of skeletal, badly decomposed, or otherwise unidentified human remains is important for both legal and humanitarian reasons. The anthropologist can assess metric and nonmetric characteristics of the bones to determine the minimum number of individuals, sex, stature, age at death, time since death, ancestry and race, health, and unique identifying characteristics such as healed breaks or surgical scars. Sometimes the forensic anthropologist must determine whether the remains found are actually human. Occasionally, positive identification can be established from such remains, but often only an exclusionary identity can be drawn. However, the primary responsibility of a forensic anthropologist is to provide law enforcement with a biological profile of the deceased (age, sex, ancestry, stature, and individualizing characteristics) to help narrow down the possible identity of the decedent.

In skeletal trauma analysis, some forensic anthropologists can accurately determine whether sharp force, blunt force, or ballistic injury occurred before death (antemortem), near the time of death (perimortem), or after death (postmortem). By examining the marks left on bone, particularly skilled forensic anthropologists may be able to determine general class characteristics of the weapon used. Even cremated remains can provide a surprising amount of information about the deceased individual.

One vital tool in the assessment of metric skeltal characteristics is the Fordisc program.

[edit] In the United States

Physical anthropology is one of the divisions of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Two of the most important research collections of human skeletal remains in the U.S. are the Hamann-Todd Collection, now housed in the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and the Terry Collection, now housed in the Smithsonian Institution. These collections are an important historic basis for the statistical analysis necessary to make estimates and predictions from found remains. More modern collections include the William M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.

[edit] Notable forensic anthropologists

• Thomas Dwight (1843 - 1919)
• Ales Hrdlicka (1869 - 1943)
• Earnest Hooton (1887 - 1954)
• Mildred Trotter (1899 - 1991)
• T. Dale Stewart (1901 - 1997)
• Wilton M. Krogman (1903 - 1987)
• Ellis R. Kerley (1924 - 1998)
• J. Lawrence Angel (1932 - 1988)
• William R. Maples (1937 - 1997)
  
• Jerome B Bailen (University of the Philippines)
• William M. Bass (University of Tennessee, Emeritus) DABFA
• Sue Black (University of Dundee, UK)
• Sheilagh T. Brooks (University of Las Vegas, Emeritus) DABFA
• Jane E. Buikstra (Arizona State University) DABFA
• Karen Ramey Burns (University of Georgia)
• Emily Craig (author, State Forensic Anthropologist for Kentucky) DABFA
• Dennis C. Dirkmaat (Mercyhurst College) DABFA
• William Haglund (Physicians for Human Rights)
• Lee Meadows Jantz (University of Tennessee)
• Richard L. Jantz (University of Tennessee)
• Clea Koff (author)
• Kewal Krishan (University of Punjab, India)
• Jerry Melbye (Texas State University, San Marcos) DABFA
• Turhon A. Murad (California State University, Chico) DABFA
• Stephen Ousley (Smithsonian Institution)
• Kathy Reichs (author, University of North Carolina) DABFA
• William C. Rodriguez (Armed Forces Institute of Pathology) DABFA
• Clyde Snow (Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team) DABFA
• Marcella Sorg (University of Maine) DABFA
• Judy M. Suchey (Los Angeles Coroner's Office) DABFA
• Steven Symes (Mercyhurst College) DABFA
• Douglas H. Ubelaker (Smithsonian Institution, George Washington University) DABFA
• Jean-Noel Vignal (Centre Technique de la Gendarmerie Nationale)

[edit] Cited references

[edit] See also

• Physical Anthropology
• Bioarchaeology
• Forensic archaeology
• Fordisc
• Forensic pathology
• Forensic odontology
• Forensics
• Forensic facial reconstruction

[edit] External links

• American Board of Forensic Anthropology
• American Academy of Forensic Sciences
• The Why Files: Bodies and Bones
• Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team
• Guatemalan Forensic Anthropology Team
• Maples Center for Forensic Medicine at the University of Florida
• American Anthropological Association Statement on "Race"
• Web resources/online community for Forensic Anthropology
• Forensic Anthropology-An Emerging Discipline