Learning from Our Casework: The Forensic Anthropology Database for Assessing Methods Accuracy

• NCJ Number: 309809
• Author(s): Cris Hughes
• Date Published: 2024
• Length: 42 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2018-DU-BX-0213
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)

Annotation

This paper provides information about the development of the Forensic Anthropology Database for Assessing Methods Accuracy (FADAMA).

Abstract

This study addressed the persistent lack of adequate measures for assessing accuracy and reliability of forensic anthropology methods applied to forensic casework through the introduction of the Forensic Anthropology Database for Assessing Methods Accuracy (FADAMA). Specifically, the authors 1) completed the development of the Forensic Anthropology Database for Assessing Methods Accuracy (FADAMA), a virtual database tool for tracking forensic anthropological method use, outcome, and accuracy in the actual casework context and 2) conducted research to establish accuracy rates for forensic anthropology case work and the methods used. Researchers adopted the practice of systematic documentation of methods-based case assessments compared with positively identified case data. FADAMA was created in order to address this need in forensic anthropology. FADAMA is an online, practitioner-accessible, repository for data from identified forensic anthropology cases. FADAMA data can be accessed and studied for inferring method accuracies through comparisons of methods-derived assessment of the biological profile as concluded on the forensic anthropology case report. FADAMA was established to create a forensic anthropological community-wide collective resource for case data to be used for forensic anthropological method tracking and assessment. FADAMA development and beta testing was completed from 2012 to 2017, and was formally released for general data submission and research use in 2017 with over 200 cases submitted during this early phase. Case data submitted per case included: 1) documented decedent data, including their sex, stature, age, and race, and 2) the methods-based forensic anthropology estimations of the biological profile.