NCJ Number
192529
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 49 Issue: 11 Dated: November 2001 Pages: 43-47
Date Published
November 2001
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This description of the role and techniques of forensic anthropology emphasizes how it uses understanding of the people and cultural variations of the world to extract and analyze evidence associated with a potential crime.
Abstract
Forensic anthropology uses techniques developed during decades of research by physical anthropologists and archaeologists. Forensic anthropologists are important team members who assist in many aspects of an investigation and prosecution, from locating the crime scene to testifying in court. The use of proper archaeological techniques at the crime scene helps maximize the quantity and quality of information recovered. Forensic anthropologists can determine whether or not human ones are forensically significant and attempt to reconstruct the life and death of the individual. Further analysis through dental comparisons or DNA analysis can aid positive identification. Forensic anthropologists work on a variety of crime scenes form the individual body to identifying victims of war crimes to analyzing the many deaths associated with a mass disaster. Forensic anthropologists’ expertise in archaeology and osteology is paramount in many criminal cases and the contributions of forensic anthropology are receiving increasing recognition. Photographs