This document provides an overview of forensic anthropology. It discusses that forensic anthropologists use anthropological knowledge to assist law enforcement by identifying skeletal remains and determining characteristics like age, gender, and evidence of trauma. They work by examining bones, teeth, and taking measurements. While they don't typically conduct autopsies or DNA tests, they do assist with remains collection, clean bones, and examine trauma and pathology. The goal is to establish a biological profile to aid in identification or determining cause and manner of death. They use tools like palpation in their analysis.

1. FORENSIC
ANTHROPOLOGY
SPRING 2011
Prof. Nathan Whitley-Grassi

2. What do Forensic Anthropologists
do?
 Use anthropological knowledge to assist the
process of law.
 This often involves assisting law enforcement in
identifying skeletal remains.
 Identify specific characteristics that can be used to
identify human remains.
 Age and stature
 Time since death
 Gender
 Evidence of Trauma or Pathology
 Distinguishing traits

3. How does Forensic Anthropology
Work?
 Osteology
 Bones
 Odontology
 Teeth
 Morphometrics
 Measurements

4. Forensic Anthropology in the
Media

5. Forensic Anthropology in the
Media
Anthropologists do not Anthropologists do usually do
usually do the following: the following
 Run DNA tests  Assist with collection
of human remains
 Analyze blood
 Cleans bones
spatter
 Analyzes skeletal
 Conduct autopsies material
 Analyze ballistics  Examines trauma and
 Collect trace pathology to bone
evidence  Testifies in court

6. Tools of the Forensic
Anthropologist

7. Tools of the Forensic
Anthropologist
 Palpate
 Toexamine or
explore by touching
(an organ or area of
the body), usually as
a diagnostic aid

8. Introduction:
 The problem of the unidentified
 Violence and Forensic Anthropology
 Identification

9. Education Requirements:
 Requires a post graduate degree in
physical, biological or forensic anthropology.
 Many have additional training in human
biology, anatomy, medicine, nursing or
dentistry.
 On the Job training!
 Constant personal research
 Preferred: PhD.

11. Objectives of an
Anthropological Investigation:
 Identification
 Determination or cause and manner of death
 Estimation of time since death
 Collection of physical evidence
 Anthropologist – Physical/Biological
 Focus on skeletonized remains
 Anthropologist – Archeologist
 Recovery of evidence

12. Forensic Anthropology
CHE 113
12
Goal: Biological Profile
Includes:
1. General Description
2. Sex of decedent
3. Age of decedent
4. Ancestry of decedent
5. Stature of decedent
6. Assessment of trauma
(ante-, peri-, post mortem)
7. Pathologies noted

13. Osteology: study of skeletal
remainsach bone studied INDIVIDUALLY
CHE 113
13 E
206 Skeletal Bones (total)

14. Personal Identification:
 Are they Human?
 One or more than one individual?
 Description? (sex, age, stature, race,
handedness)
 Unique traits? (abnormaity, prostheses,
remodeling)
 Who is it? Or at least Who ISN’T it?

15. Circumstances of Death:
 When did it occur?
 Where did it occur? (Here or moved)
 Was the grave disturbed?
 Buried more than once?
 Cause of death?
 (gun shot, stabbing, asphyxia)
 Manner of death?
 (Suicide, homicide, accident, natural)

16. Cause v. Manner of Death:
Cause of Death Manner of Death
 Medical  Legal determination
determination  Based on:
 Evidence and
 Simple description Opinion!!!!
of cause 1. Natural
 Could include 2. Accidental
underlying causes 3. Suicidal
4. Homicide
5. Undetermined

17. Stages of an Investigation:
 Collection of verbal evidence
 Collection of physical evidence
 Analysis of evidence
 In the US Anthropologists are typically
confined to the last two.
 In some other countries they may engage in all
aspects of the investigation.

18. Ethical issues in Forensic
Anthropology
Your Promise to me!

19. Questions?
Next Week:
Osteiology and Intro to Forensics
Chapters 2 in Burns