Practice Of Forensic Anthropology Research Articles

Towards an integrative approach to the biological profile

One of the most important tasks in forensic anthropology is the construction of the biological profile, classically defined as a set of four basic biological descriptors: biological sex, age-at-death, ancestry, and stature. Yet, our empirical and technological abilities in reconstructing the life experiences and health from skeletal remains far exceed these four parameters and forensic anthropology could benefit from further descriptors in the search for an identity. In this paper, we propose the inclusion of two other investigations to forensic anthropology practice to implement the already known biological profile: the interpretation of bone disease and lesions, and forensic toxicology on unconventional biological matrices. These analyses can provide information regarding health, habits, and disease burden, and by implementing them in our practice of forensic anthropology, they have the potential to improve the biological profile. We also propose a new term that can include not only the classical biological profile but also further descriptors, namely, the “biocultural profile”.

The Importance of Anatomical Knowledge for the Practice of Forensic Anthropology

In the Forensic Anthropology practice, one of the objectives is to determine the biological profile of unidentified individuals, that is, to estimate height, age, sex, and ancestry from human remains [

The Missing and the Marginalized: A Biocultural Approach to Forensic Anthropology at the US/Mexico Border

Violence and trauma are nestled in human rights violations worldwide. Since the 1980s, several international and domestic organizations have formed to conduct investigations following instances of political unrest and sociocultural violence. These inhumane events are evidenced by structural violence, an invisible trauma that exacerbates societal discrepancies within a population and can manifest harm to marginalized groups. Structural violence can be observed in both living individuals and through the treatment of human remains. Individuals who are missing or remain unidentified from violent outbreaks are often from marginalized groups. Therefore, a biocultural approach is necessary as it emphasizes the interplay between biology, environment, and culture. Recent work on human rights violations in the Americas has focused on fatalities due to increased migration at the US/Mexico border. Multiple organizations from the United States and other countries have developed strategies to assist in the recovery, identification, and repatriation of migrants. We aim to highlight the biocultural approach in these humanitarian actions, especially the practice of forensic anthropology, with structural violence and humanitarian identification efforts related to the missing and unidentified persons found along the US/Mexico border.

A violent structure. Southern perspective on the practice of forensic anthropology as a public service

Global South perspective rarely reaches the academic vanguard. While they represent over 80% of the world population, the voices from less developed regions often are ignored in academic debate. This fact produces an important disequilibrium in relation to the dissemination of knowledge, sharing of expe­riences and exchange of thoughts and, consequently, undermines and hinders the development of scientific disciplines. Forensic anthropology is no exception in this trend. The present article brings up the subject of the context of forensic anthropology in Brazil to demon­strate the interconnection of the professional situation of this discipline, its structural and bureaucratic limitations and their effect on the perpetuation of human rights violation. Various aspects of daily practice of forensic anthropology in a context devoid of basic resources generate a setting that affects both the vic­tims and their families. Despite an outstanding performance and dedication of professionals, structural limitations often substantially affect the effectiveness of their service. The present article discusses these aspects in a conceptual framework of the relation between the practice of forensic anthropology and human rights violation. In this research, Brazil serves as a case-study, an intensively studied subject that brings interpretations that can be applied in a broader context. The article aims at opening a broader, international debate that would increase the visibility of the relationship between the practice of forensic anthropology and the structure generating and/or maintaining violence in a specific economic and legislative context especially present in the countries of the so-called global South.

La antropología forense como antropología aplicada frente a la violencia social : una reflexión en torno al trabajo y la práctica interdisciplinar

This article reflects on the organization, possibilities, and practical requirements for the development of interdisciplinary work under the new contexts of intervention of forensic anthropology. As an applied anthropology, reflection on the social contexts in which forensic anthropology is practiced is of particular importance. The reciprocal influences of science and society, which cross the forms and practical uses of anthropology, acquire multiple dimensions and considerations in the case of forensic anthropology and its fields of activity. These influences have a clear projection and social impact in judicial processes, in the clarification of criminal investigations or contributing to the defense of human rights in contexts of conflict and political violence. An analysis and review of the scientific practices and techniques of forensic anthropology is presented in relation to all these considerations. It is argued that the obvious applied function of this discipline should not lead to mistaking the social commitment to provide reliable data and evidence in its contribution to legal work with ideological positions or specific political interests, which may bias or compromise the rigor of its scientific work. Such considerations on epistemological and ethical issues in the practice of forensic anthropology are particularly relevant when studying and intervening in contexts of political violence and civil conflicts, which are surrounded by strong ideological and political debates. The review of the role of the forensic anthropologist in these contexts highlights the need for an attitude of epistemological vigilance and reflexivity with respect to his or her practices (and the contexts of these). Positions of neutrality and objectivity must therefore be guaranteed in anthropological work, and these must be based on an attitude of vigilance, self-criticism, and reflection, of particular importance in relation to socially sensitive issues and with problematic extensions in the field of ideas and politics.

The professional practice of forensic anthropology: Contemporary developments and cross‐disciplinary applications

ABSTRACTThe modern practice of forensic anthropology is focused on the quantification of skeletal variation based upon a qualitative prowess developed according to theory and method in the parent discipline of biological anthropology. Such morphological variances allow estimates of biological attributes, for example, age, sex, population affinity, stature, pathology of disease processes—among others, that collectively may resolve the identification of unknown forensic human remains. The latter is a basic human right under International Humanitarian Law (IHL), and International Human Rights Law (IHRL) afforded to descendants who go missing in armed conflicts and other violence‐base situations. The specific traditional methods applied by the forensic anthropologist are well established in the published literature and routinely supported by global research that guides graduate programs designed to train the next generation of practitioners. Important in that cornerstone literature and graduate training regimen are aspects of our practice that are increasingly cross‐disciplinary, especially those grounded in the molecular, chemical, and histological sciences. These upper‐tier endeavors supplement and many times, validate, the traditional approaches as dictated by case context. This review focuses on evolving cross‐disciplinary developments and novel research trends in the analysis of human remains that involve the specific expertise of the forensic anthropologist.This article is categorized under: Forensic Anthropology > Age Assessment Forensic Anthropology > Anthropology in Mass Disaster & War Crime Contexts

Determination of Age using Traditional Techniques Such as Hand MRI, Face Recognition, Versus Building Neural Networks and Image Processing Techniques

, , , , Technological advancement in forensic imaging have tremendous flow on benefits to the professional practice of forensic anthropology, not only in respect of case-work analyses, but also in facilitating empirical research that has validated and improved existing, and introduced novels, methods. The detail contribution include the spatial features of a dental x-ray image in a dental featured database. Determining the additional information it solves the model by Lagrange multiplier. Functional neural networks developed progressively with age. In dentistry, clinical radiographs reverberate the intensity loss of an X-ray when being transmitted through the mandibular objects. Dental examination is one of the most important parameter that help us to identify the age of an individual. Teeth are known to aid in personal identification as well as in addition to the age determination as they are highly durable to resist the effect of reaction by chemical and other environmental factors.

Surviving a transfixing gunshot wound to the head 70 years ago

Surviving a gunshot wound to the head is a rare event, particularly in the past when medical treatment was much less advanced than it is today. Moreover, the finding of such a case as an identified specimen within a museum collection is even more uncommon. This led us to report on this unique case in this paper as it poses a challenge to forensic anthropology and provides a unique educational oppourtunity. The skull from the Collection at the Cranium Museum in the Department of Morphology and Genetic at the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP) dates back to 1946. For trauma registration the bone location, severity, trauma aetiology, trauma classification, description, callus formation, periosteal reaction, degree and success of repair, and an estimate of the time elapsed since the trauma, were all assessed. To explore the case radiologically a CT scan of the skull was performed. Considering the survival of the patient and the morphology of the wound it is likely that the injury was caused by a small calibre, low-velocity gunshot. The bullet path shows an almost vertical direction on the right side of the individual’s splanchno and neurocranium. The path of the projectile is consistent with a suicide attempt, although the possibility of a homicide simulating a suicide cannot be discarded. This case highlights how informative such cases can be to the practice of forensic anthropology.

History, research and practice of forensic anthropology in Thailand

Forensic anthropology is an increasingly developing discipline born about a century ago in the United States with the objective to contribute the knowledge of bone biology and physical anthropology to the emerging needs of the court of law. The development of research in biological and forensic anthropology has made rapid progress worldwide in the past few years, however, in most countries – with the exception of the United States – forensic anthropology work is still considered within the duties of the forensic pathologist. This paper attempts to summarise the history and development of forensic anthropology in Thailand by providing information on past and current research and practice that can help forensic practitioners to apply existing methods in forensic cases and mass disasters. It is hoped that the lessons learned from the tsunami catastrophe and the emerging need for positive identification in medicolegal settings will lead to rapid advances in education, training and professional engagement of anthropologists from the forensic departments and the law enforcement agencies in Thailand.

La contribución de las alteraciones patológicas a la interpretación en antropología forense

La patología juega un rol principal en varios aspectos relacionados con la interpretación dentro de la antropología forense. Se presentan aquí diversas observaciones sobre los efectos de las condiciones patológicas y las formas cómo éstas pueden ser usadas para facilitar el proceso de identificación. Es justamente en el contexto de la definición más amplia de patología, como “algo anormal”, que se forma en gran medida la base de la lógica, de la metodología y de la práctica de la antropología forense. De hecho, las condiciones que no son frecuentes o que no se comparten con muchas otras personas son las que pueden ser utilizadas para llegar a la identificación positiva. Los esfuerzos durante el rescate y la evaluación de la evidencia de actividad criminal (foul play), así como la estimación del sexo, la edad al momento de la muerte, la filiación poblacional, la estatura en vida, el tiempo transcurrido desde el momento de la muerte y otros componentes importantes, dependen del reconocimiento de los patrones normales y los anormales. Las múltiples contribuciones de la patología a la práctica de la antropología forense son documentadas aquí a través de casos aplicados.

Contributions of pathological alterations to forensic anthropology interpretation

Pathology plays a key role in various aspects of interpretation within forensic anthropology. These contributions include observations of the effects of pathological conditions and using them to facilitate identification efforts. In the context of the broader definition of pathology as “something abnormal” it forms the foundation of much of the logic, methodology and practice of forensic anthropology. In fact, only unusual conditions not shared by many others can be utilized for positive identification. Recovery efforts and evaluation of the evidence of foul play, as well as the estimation sex, age at death, ancestry, living stature, time since death and other important components depend upon recognition of normal and abnormal patterns. The multifaceted contributions of pathology to the practice of forensic anthropology are firmly documented in casework applications

PRACTICING FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY: A HUMAN RIGHTS APPROACH TO THE GLOBAL PROBLEM OF MISSING AND UNIDENTIFIED PERSONS

The problem of missing, endangered, and unidentified persons is increasingly approached through a human rights model with successful outcomes. Contexts vary from international investigations into war crimes, genocide, and extrajudicial killings to American “cold cases.” In all these examples, anthropologists play critical roles, such as searching for clandestine graves, crime scene recovery, human identification, interviewing witnesses, repatriation, public education, and testifying in court. To successfully identify unknown persons, key questions about human variation and biology are essential. For example, can ancestry be reliably estimated? What are the ramifications of estimating the biological profile of an unknown person without appropriate references samples? Does the variation occur because of inherent genetic variation or environmental conditions? Given the potential variation that exists, what are the implications of using standard calibrations across populations in criminal trials? Moreover, forensic anthropologists today work in diverse cultural and legal environments. How do the roles of forensic anthropologists differ in diverse legal settings? The current practice of forensic anthropology ranges from field to laboratory to courtroom and has evolved as a discipline from what it was almost a century ago. The purpose of this volume is to explore the ways in which forensic anthropology intersects with current human rights and humanitarian justice initiatives. The 11 papers in this series include a range of emerging new tools and approaches to human identification and the investigation of long‐term missing and unidentified persons.

Evidentiary Standards for Forensic Anthropology*

As issues of professional standards and error rates continue to be addressed in the courts, forensic anthropologists should be proactive by developing and adhering to professional standards of best practice. There has been recent increased awareness and interest in critically assessing some of the techniques used by forensic anthropologists, but issues such as validation, error rates, and professional standards have seldom been addressed. Here we explore the legal impetus for this trend and identify areas where we can improve regarding these issues. We also discuss the recent formation of a Scientific Working Group for Forensic Anthropology (SWGANTH), which was created with the purposes of encouraging discourse among anthropologists and developing and disseminating consensus guidelines for the practice of forensic anthropology. We believe it is possible and advisable for anthropologists to seek and espouse research and methodological techniques that meet higher standards to ensure quality and consistency in our field.

New perspectives in forensic anthropology

A critical review of the conceptual and practical evolution of forensic anthropology during the last two decades serves to identify two key external factors and four tightly inter-related internal methodological advances that have significantly affected the discipline. These key developments have not only altered the current practice of forensic anthropology, but also its goals, objectives, scope, and definition. The development of DNA analysis techniques served to undermine the classic role of forensic anthropology as a field almost exclusively focused on victim identification. The introduction of the Daubert criteria in the courtroom presentation of scientific testimony accompanied the development of new human comparative samples and tools for data analysis and sharing, resulting in a vastly enhanced role for quantitative methods in human skeletal analysis. Additionally, new questions asked of forensic anthropologists, beyond identity, required sound scientific bases and expanded the scope of the field. This environment favored the incipient development of the interrelated fields of forensic taphonomy, forensic archaeology, and forensic trauma analysis, fields concerned with the reconstruction of events surrounding death. Far from representing the mere addition of new methodological techniques, these disciplines (especially, forensic taphonomy) provide forensic anthropology with a new conceptual framework, which is broader, deeper, and more solidly entrenched in the natural sciences. It is argued that this new framework represents a true paradigm shift, as it modifies not only the way in which classic forensic anthropological questions are answered, but also the goals and tasks of forensic anthropologists, and their perception of what can be considered a legitimate question or problem to be answered within the field.