FAQs
What is a forensic anthropologist?
A forensic anthropologist is one who has an expert knowledge of the human skeleton as well as archaeological methods used in the recovery of human remains and applies this knowledge in medicolegal investigations. A forensic anthropologist also provides medical examiners, coroners, and attorneys with information regarding the decedent’s identification and circumstances leading to their death.
What are the primary functions of a forensic anthropologist?
- Locating and recovering human remains from clandestine graves, surface scatters, or indoor scenes
- Identifying human bones from non-human bones
- Determining if the skeletal remains represent more than one individual
- Performing skeletal analyses of the decedent’s sex, age, ancestry, and stature
- Assisting coroners and medical examiners in the personal identification of fresh, mummified, decomposed, burned, or skeletal human remains
- Comparing antemortem radiographs with postmortem radiographs to assist in personal identification
- Identification of sharp force, blunt force, and projectile trauma observed on the remains
- Differentiating between perimortem (around the time of death) and postmortem (after death) changes to bone
- Estimating time since death
- Working with attorneys in preparation for trial
When should an attorney request the services of a forensic anthropologist?
Although attorneys frequently call upon forensic pathologists in court cases involving homicides, far less frequently do they use the services of a forensic anthropologist. While soft tissue examination is typically the responsibility of the pathologist, anthropologists examine bones or cartilage. Due to decomposition or other factors that degrade soft tissue, evidence of trauma that was once present on soft tissue is often absent, requiring a forensic examination of the bones and cartilage. Consequently, often much of the autopsy report may be derived solely from the forensic anthropology report. Forensic anthropologists are trained in the recovery of human remains and can often find errors in recovery methods made by crime scene investigators. Forensic anthropologists also review autopsy reports to check for accuracy and locate possible errors.
Should law enforcement or a forensic anthropologist make the human remains recovery at the scene?
Forensic anthropologists should recover the remains at the scene whenever possible. Although much can be gathered from the skeletal remains in the lab, more can be learned from observing the remains at the scene. In addition, the anthropologist employs archaeological methods that maximize recovery of both skeletal elements and evidence.
What conclusions can the forensic anthropologist draw when the remains are incomplete?
It depends on what bones are present. If the skull is present, often the biological sex, approximate age at death, and ancestry of the individual can be estimated. Likewise, the pelvis also can be useful in the determination of biological sex and age at death. Long bones such as the femur are useful to estimate living stature. The more complete the remains are, the greater the amount of information the anthropologist can obtain about the individual. Even with a minimum of skeletal elements, an incised wound on a rib or blunt force trauma to the head may change the manner of death from undetermined to homicide, even absent identification of the individual.