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FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY A Very Brief Overview

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1 FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY A Very Brief Overview
CHE 113 FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY A Very Brief Overview Tonight I will talk about FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY. We will discuss what it is, and what forensic anthropologists do, as well as what kind of background a forensic anthropologist has, in general.

2 Forensic Anthropology Brief Overview
Defined as “the field of study that deals with the analysis of human skeletal remains resulting from unexplained deaths.” Often done in a legal context An applied science Five subdisciplines: 1. Biological, or physical anthropology 2. Archaeology 3. Cultural anthropology 4. Linguistics 5. Applied anthropology Here is the definition of FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY. This is work that has a legal application oftentimes (although in military cases it does not usually). It is an applied science, since it is putting to use techniques and methods used by physical/biological anthropologists in a “real world” context.

3 Forensic Anthropology
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

4 Osteology: study of skeletal remains
Each bone studied INDIVIDUALLY 206 Skeletal Bones (total) Forensic anthropologists are applied biological anthropologists that use their skills in OSTEOLOGY regularly. Osteology is the study of skeletal remains. Each bone is studied individually as you can see in this example here of the human skull.

5 Osteology: study of skeletal remains
Each bone studied INDIVIDUALLY Forensic anthropologists are applied biological anthropologists that use their skills in OSTEOLOGY regularly. Osteology is the study of skeletal remains. Each bone is studied individually as you can see in this example here of the human skull.

6 Osteology Human bone –vs- Animal bone Macroscopic differences
Radiology Observation Measurement Microscopic differences Knowing your osteology helps because you can be faced with cases where you have to first sort out if the bone of interest is indeed HUMAN or NOT. You can use macroscopic techniques (comparative collections, manuals, your memory) and microscopic techniques (structure differences – lamellae).

7 Osteology

8 Osteology

9 Macroscopic differences
Example here of macroscopic differences between a baboon femur and a human femur (thigh bone). Baboon femur Human femur

10 Microscopic differences
human Spongy bone mouse

11 Osteology Radiographs
X-rays are also frequently used by forensic anthropologists – for ID purposes as well as sorting out commingled remains, or determining if any material contains bone or bony material.

12 Information from skeletal remains Sex of decedent
The SEX of the individual can often be addressed via the use of the skeleton. Must have SKULL or HIP BONE to be certain though. Skull Hip bone Femur

13 Information from skeletal remains Sex of decedent
The SEX of the individual can often be addressed via the use of the skeleton. Must have SKULL or HIP BONE to be certain though.

14 Information from skeletal remains Sex of decedent
MALE OR FEMALE SKELETON? (a) IS FEMALE and (b) IS MALE The SEX of the individual can often be addressed via the use of the skeleton. Must have SKULL or HIP BONE to be certain though. Handout

15 Information from skeletal remains Sex of decedent
Male MALE OR FEMALE SKELETON? (a) IS FEMALE and (b) IS MALE The SEX of the individual can often be addressed via the use of the skeleton. Must have SKULL or HIP BONE to be certain though. Female

16 Information from skeletal remains Sex of decedent
The SEX of the individual can often be addressed via the use of the skeleton. Must have SKULL or HIP BONE to be certain though.

17 What can we learn from skeletons? Age at Death
Hip bone most useful for adults Estimate given as a range (30 – 35 yrs old) Teeth: Erupted or Not? Epiphyses: fused or unfused? What can we learn from the skeleton? LOTS! Biological profile is the GOAL. One part of the biol profile -- AGE Auricular surface Pubic symphysis

18 Age at Death Long Bone Development

19 Age at Death http://medlib.med.utah.edu/kw/osteo/forensics/sasta.html
What can we learn from the skeleton? LOTS! Biological profile is the GOAL. One part of the biol profile -- AGE

20 Age at Death http://medlib.med.utah.edu/kw/osteo/forensics/sasta.html
What can we learn from the skeleton? LOTS! Biological profile is the GOAL. One part of the biol profile -- AGE

21 Odontology – Forensic Dentistry
Teeth also studied Deciduous –vs- Permanent Teeth are also important and recovered oftentimes – often a forensic odontologist will work with these to make identifications. But many forensic anthros are well-versed in dental remains!

22 Forensic Dentistry At the scene of the crime, odontologists collect the skull or remaining teeth, which are taken back to the forensic laboratory for the postmortem dental investigation. X-rays are taken and if the jaw is completely intact and the dental records used to compare are recent, the job of proving a match is a relatively simple one. Dentists mark on a chart the position of missing teeth, crowns, bridges, fillings, caps, root canals and various other treatments during a patient's routine check-up. The task of identifying a victim is made more difficult when the dentist records and x-rays are out of date or when the skull is severely damaged and has parts missing.

23

24 Age at Death http://medlib.med.utah.edu/kw/osteo/forensics/sasta.html
What can we learn from the skeleton? LOTS! Biological profile is the GOAL. One part of the biol profile -- AGE

25 Use of Forensic Dentistry
Forensic odontologists or in other words, forensic dentists, have the job of examining dental evidence that is left behind after a crime has been committed. Teeth are an excellent source of identification, as they hard wearing and durable. With the ability to survive fires that destroy evidence, burn human bones to ashes and melt copper and glass, teeth are able to withstand criminal's attempts to hide the crimes they've committed and the evidence held within the crime scene and dental analysis provides a cost efficient alternative to solving a crime.

26 Ted Bundy’s Teeth

27

28 Epiphyses - A part of bone separated from the main body of the bone by a layer of cartilage and subsequently uniting with the bone through further ossification Epiphyseal fusion can answer questions about age. Unfused = juvenile Fused = adult

29 Spine

30 More info from skeletal remains
ANCESTRY of decedent Difficult determination to make Facial bones most important Nasal aperture ANCESTRY – must have the skull to discuss this. This is the most difficult thing to determine from the skeleton. Teeth Interorbital space Mandible

31 Stature estimate Measure long bone(s) available
Plug in value to formula Range established for stature of decedent 5’ 2” – 5’ 5”

32 Other information TRAUMA and PATHOLOGIES
Ante- mortem Post-mortem Peri-mortem Trauma and pathologies – additionally important. Esp to ME and police – they often like to know the cause of death – bones can sometimes tell you this. Gunshot

33 Trauma

34 Individual Identification
Person identified when it was found that the amalgam used in her dental restorations was of a type found only in specific areas on the Eastern Coast of the United States. Habitual activity can wear away the protective, cartilagenous lining which reduces friction in joints. The humerus in this photograph were in contact for many years prior to this individual's death. The surfaces are smooth and shiny, indicating that the joint capsule and cartilage had worn away, allowing bone on bone contact in the cavity.

35 Individual Identification
Dental implants, braces, and other types of dental work are often recovered with a body and are extremely useful in identification because they are so unique to the individual and are well detailed in antemortem radiographs and medical records. Healed fracture on the sternal end of a midthoracic rib. The area within the red brackets is the site of injury. Note the more porous appearance of the bone in this area - this is woven bone.

36 Case Study From Prof. Ann Bunch SUNY Oswego
Another context where forensic anthros work as consultants – mass disasters. September 1999 Tourist Aircraft Crash on the Big Island of Hawaii

37 Big Island Aircraft Crash
Piper Aircraft with 9 passengers, 1 pilot

38 Big Island Aircraft Crash
Aircraft’s path prior to crash & location of crash

39 Big Island Aircraft Crash
NTSB determination of cause = pilot error

40 Big Island Aircraft Crash

41 Big Island Aircraft Crash

42 Big Island Aircraft Crash
Document remains present

43 Big Island Aircraft Crash
X-ray all remains/ Possible remains

44 Big Island Aircraft Crash

45 Big Island Aircraft Crash
Personal effects and identification

46 Big Island Aircraft Crash
Identification “by exclusion” Osteoarthritis

47 Big Island Aircraft Crash

48 Big Island Aircraft Crash
Sorting out commingling

49 Other Types of Evidence
Wreckage fragments Wreckage in situ

50 Race Determination Activity

51

52 Human male european

53 Mongoloid

54 A – Female Mongoloid (Mexico), B – Female Mongoloid (Yucatan Peninsula)

55 African American Male

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