Contribution of Forensic Archaeology to Homicide Investigations

• NCJ Number: 225081
• Journal: Homicide Studies Volume: 12 Issue: 4 Dated: November 2008 Pages: 399-413
• Author(s): John J. Schultz; Tosha L. Dupras
• Date Published: November 2008
• Length: 15 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

After discussing the differences between forensic anthropology and forensic archaeology, this article summarizes the contributions that forensic archaeology can make during the search for and processing of crime scenes that involve human remains.

Abstract

Forensic anthropology is the application of physical anthropological methods to the analysis of skeletal material in forensic contexts. Forensic anthropologists are physical anthropologists who specialize in human osteology (study of the skeleton). Forensic archaeology, on the other hand, is “the application of archaeological theories, recordation, and recovery methods to the processing of crime scenes” (Crist, 2001). Proper archaeological methods are essential when reconstructing events at a crime scene, because reliable inferences about human behavior based on physical evidence is the expertise of forensic archaeologists. Archaeological documentation methodologies are used at a crime scene in order to locate evidence and record its horizontal and/or vertical position in relationship to a set of spatial coordinates. These methods ensure that proper reconstruction and interpretation of events can be determined after the crime scene has been destroyed and changed as a result of processing evidence. The absence of a forensic archaeologist at a crime scene that involves human skeletal remains can result in the destruction of valuable evidence by inexperienced personnel. Forensic archaeologists differ from traditional archaeologists in being more flexible in their search and excavation approaches, as they must be able to adapt their field methods to each crime scene. Forensic archaeologists bring skills that can assist in the search for human remains, including knowledge of noninvasive search techniques that minimize damage to the scene and maximize the identification and preservation of evidence possibly related to behaviors at the scene at the time of the crime. 2 tables, 3 figures, and 51 references