An Update on the Hazards and Risks of Forensic Anthropology, Part I: Human Remains

2015 ◽  
Vol 61 ◽  
pp. S5-S13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindsey G. Roberts ◽  
Gretchen R. Dabbs ◽  
Jessica R. Spencer
Keyword(s):  
Forensic Anthropology ◽  
Human Remains

scholarly journals Identifying Blunt Force Traumatic Injury on Thermally Altered Remains: A Pilot Study Using Sus scrofa

Biology ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 87
Author(s):  
Kamryn Keys ◽  
Ann H. Ross
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Forensic Anthropology ◽  
Sus Scrofa ◽  
Traumatic Injury ◽  
Human Remains ◽  
Fire Damage ◽  
Fire Exposure ◽  
Blunt Force ◽  
Blunt Force Trauma ◽  
Anthropological Literature

In forensic scenarios involving homicide, human remains are often exposed to fire as a means of disposal and/or obscuring identity. Burning human remains can result in the concealment of traumatic injury, the creation of artifacts resembling injury, or the destruction of preexisting trauma. Since fire exposure can greatly influence trauma preservation, methods to differentiate trauma signatures from burning artifacts are necessary to conduct forensic analyses. Specifically, in the field of forensic anthropology, criteria to distinguish trauma from fire signatures on bone is inconsistent and sparse. This study aims to supplement current forensic anthropological literature by identifying criteria found to be the most diagnostic of fire damage or blunt force trauma. Using the skulls of 11 adult pigs (Sus scrofa), blunt force trauma was manually produced using a crowbar and flat-faced hammer. Three specimens received no impacts and were utilized as controls. All skulls were relocated to an outdoor, open-air fire where they were burned until a calcined state was achieved across all samples. Results from this experiment found that blunt force trauma signatures remained after burning and were identifiable in all samples where reassociation of fragments was possible. This study concludes that distinct patterns attributed to thermal fractures and blunt force fractures are identifiable, allowing for diagnostic criteria to be narrowed down for future analyses.

Skeletal Indicators of Shark Feeding on Human Remains: Evidence from Florida Forensic Anthropology Cases

2017 ◽  
Vol 62 (6) ◽  
pp. 1647-1654 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michala K. Stock ◽  
Allysha P. Winburn ◽  
George H. Burgess
Keyword(s):  
Forensic Anthropology ◽  
Human Remains

Stature determination from different body dimensions: a systematic review appraisal

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
pp. 19-24
Author(s):  
Pabitra Paul ◽  
◽  
Ashish Mukhopadhyay ◽  
Subir Biswas ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Forensic Anthropology ◽  
Human Remains ◽  
Forensic Sciences ◽  
Biological Anthropology ◽  
Time Since Death ◽  
Body Parts ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
Human Skeletal Remains ◽  
Skeletal Analysis

Forensic anthropology is a special sub-field of biological anthropology (the study of human remains) that involves applying skeletal analysis and techniques in archaeology and forensic sciences to solving identity cases. Generally speaking forensic anthropology is the examination of human skeletal remains for law enforcement agencies to help with the recovery of human remains, determine the identity of unidentified human remains, interpret trauma, and estimate time since death. Through the established methods, a forensic anthropologist can aid law enforcement in establishing a profile of the unidentified remains. The profile includes sex, age, ancestry, height, length of time since death, and sometimes the evaluation of trauma observed on bones. In many cases after identity of an individual is made, the forensic anthropologist is called to testify in court regarding the identity of the remains and/or the trauma or wounds present on the remains. In the era of uncertainty of life and uplifment of criminal activities, there should be an enriched stock of scientific weapons for investigation and identification. In this context, the present review analysis initiated for the prediction of stature of an individual from different body parts that could enhance the procedures of identification as well as investigation.

Hands-on training on exhumation – an approach to train forensic medicine residents in South Asia

2021 ◽  
pp. 002581722110567
Author(s):  
Alok Atreya ◽  
Ritesh G Menezes ◽  
Apurba Acharya
Keyword(s):  
South Asia ◽  
Forensic Medicine ◽  
Forensic Anthropology ◽  
Human Remains ◽  
Practical Training ◽  
Theoretical Knowledge ◽  
Hands On

Forensic anthropology utilises the knowledge gained from the examination of human remains. It is a requirement for forensic medicine residents to have knowledge of forensic anthropology and exhumation. Most of the forensic medicine residents in the Indian sub-continent graduate only with a theoretical knowledge and without a proper practical training of the process involved. We demonstrate how hands-on training would be beneficial.

scholarly journals Estimation of stature from the vertebral column in physical and forensic anthropology

2013 ◽  
Vol 86 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Milani ◽  
G.L. Panattoni
Keyword(s):  
Forensic Anthropology ◽  
Critical Analysis ◽  
Vertebral Column ◽  
Human Remains ◽  
Personal Identification ◽  
Mathematical Methods

Stature is one of the most important parameters in personal identification for physical and forensic anthropologists. Stature can be extimated from decomposed and fully or partially akeletonized human remains. Many Authors developed anatomical methods based on measurements of the whole skeleton or mathematical methods based on measurements of single bones, from which they obtained regression formulae for calculating the stature. In this review, we focused on the vertebral column and compared the corresponding regression formulae according to population, sex and age by a critical analysis of the literature.

scholarly journals POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION OF HUMAN REMAINS BY SKULL-PHOTO COMPARISON IN URUGUAY: A REVIEW. Identificación positive de restos humanos por la comparación cráneo-foto en Uruguay: Una revisión

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-59
Author(s):  
Horacio E Solla
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Analysis ◽  
Legal System ◽  
Forensic Anthropology ◽  
Human Remains ◽  
Medical Examiner ◽  
Time Of Death ◽  
Deceased Person ◽  
Positive Identification ◽  
El Sistema ◽  
Para Determinar

El artículo presenta una revisión a través de un estudio cuantitativo de los casos antropológico-forenses ocurridos en Uruguay desde 1950 a 2013 inclusive. Los casos antropológico-forenses han crecido rápida-mente en Uruguay, desde un caso registrado en 1950 hasta 91 casos en 2013. Antes de 1992 cuando se realizaba un hallazgo de restos humanos eran examinados por el médico forense que no contaba con experiencia en éste tipo de casos ni en las técnicas antropológicas forenses. Por lo tanto, en la mayoría de los casos los restos humanos no eran identificados. Como necesidad para resolver ese problema en 1992 se creó el Laboratorio de Antropología Forense en la Morgue Judicial de Montevideo. El artículo estudia un total de 1391 casos antropológico-forenses analizados en la Morgue Judicial desde 1950 hasta 2013 inclusive. El estudio se divide en dos partes: la primera representa 225 casos ocurridos desde 1950 hasta 1991 y la segunda parte representa 1166 casos ocurridos desde 1992 hasta 2013. En cada caso los restos fueron analizados para determinar posible causa de la muerte, sexo, estatura y edad al momento de la muerte. También se analizaron los casos en que se llegó a obtener una identificación positiva. El propósito de este artículo es describir el rol de la antropología Forense en el sistema judicial uruguayo y cómo las técnicas de comparaciones cráneo-fotográficas han sido utilizadas con gran éxito para identificar restos humanos en Uruguay.    The article presents a review by a quantitative analysis of the forensic anthropology cases that occurred in Uruguay from 1950 to 2013. Forensic anthropology cases have rapidly increased in Uruguay over the years, from only one case in 1950 to 91 cases in 2013. Before 1992, when human remains were found, they were analyzed by the local medical examiner with lacked experience in these types of cases and in anthropological techniques. Therefore, in the majority of cases, human remains were not identified. By the need to solve these cases in 1992, the Forensic Anthropology Laboratory at the Morgue Judicial of Montevideo was created. This article studied a total of 1391 forensic anthropology cases that were undertaken at the Judicial Morgue of Montevideo between 1950 and 2013. The study is divided into two parts: the first part represents 225 cases occurring from 1950 to 1991, and the second one represents 1166 cases occurring from 1992 to 2013. In each case the remains were analyzed to determine the deceased person sex, stature and age at the time of death. Whether a positive identification was made as a result of forensic anthropology investigation was also analyzed. The purpose of this paper is to describe the place of forensic anthropology in the Uruguayan medico-legal system and to show how skull-photograph comparison techniques were successfully used to identify human remains in Uruguay.

scholarly journals The Implications of Thermogenic Modification for Anthropological Recovery of Burned Bone

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meaghan Efford
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Forensic Anthropology ◽  
Human Remains ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Medical Professionals ◽  
Burn Trauma ◽  
Scholarly Literature ◽  
Burned Bone

<p class="p1">Burn trauma is prevalent in both archaeological and forensic records. It causes thermogenic modifications that have implications for the discipline of anthropology. Anthropologists and medical professionals are frequently the experts called to address burn trauma cases, often in the role of forensic anthropologists. This project seeks to discuss the processes of burn trauma and the resulting changes, as well as how the professionals in the fields of archaeology, anthropology, and medicine are discussing the recovery and analysis of burned human remains. An experiment is used to demonstrate these changes and compare them to those documented by experts in the field. A literature review discusses the processes of burn trauma and the resulting thermogenic modifications that are seen in the scholarly literature on the topic. The author makes recommendations for future research, namely the inclusion of weight in the recorded factors during experimentation and continued research into the recovery of burned remains. The author argues that the bioarchaeological approach of forensic anthropology benefits from the combined experience of archaeologists, biological anthropologists, and medical experts who have a background in osteology and biomechanics.</p>

scholarly journals SISA RANGKA TENTARA JEPANG DARI PERANG DUN lA II Dl BIAK (The Japan Soldier Bones Remains from World War II in Biak Island)

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Toetik Koesbardiati ◽  
Delta Bayu Murti
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
Forensic Anthropology ◽  
Human Remains ◽  
World War ◽  
Identification Methods ◽  
Pathological Conditions ◽  
Japanese Soldier ◽  
West Papua ◽  
Local Residents ◽  
Papua Barat

Repatriation of the skeletal remains of Japanese soldiers who died during World War II in Indonesia has been conducted since 2009. In 2013 repatriation activities carried out in Biak, West Papua. The purpose of repatriation in 2013 is to identify the human remains that assumed as Japanese soldier. Identification methods follow the protocol of forensic anthropology. The results indicate the identification of mixing between the Japanese soldiers with local residents. Furthermore, we found also subadult human remains. Individualization analysis showed pathological conditions of bone, that also assumed suffered infectious disease (yaws or syphilis). AbstrakRepatriasi sisa rangka tentara Jepang yang tawas selama Perang Dunia II di Indonesia telah dilakukan sejak tahun 2009. Di tahun 2013 kegiatan repatriasi dilakukan di Biak, Papua Barat. Tujuan repatriasi tahun 2013 ini adalah mengidentifikasi temuan sisa-sisa rangka yang diduga sebagai tentara Jepang. Metoda identifikasi sisa rangka mengikuti protokol ke~a dalam antropologi forensik. Hasil identifikasi mengindikasikan tercampumya sisa rangka tentara Jepang dengan penduduk lokal dan adanya sisa rangka anak-anak. Analisis individualisasi menunjukkan kondisi patologis tulang, yang diduga efek dari infeksi penyakit yaws atau sifilis.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document