Week 1: Forensic ANthropology

Fuck this shit

American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS)

the professional organization with which most forensic anthropologists are affiliated in the United States. The AAFS is comprised of 11 sections and publishes the Journal of Forensic Sciences.

American Association of Physical Anthropologists (AAPA)

the leading professional organization for physical anthropologists consisting of paleoanthropologists, primatologists, and forensic anthropologists. The AAPA publishes the American Journal of Physical Anthropology and the Yearbook of Physical Anthropology.

American Board of Forensic Anthropology (ABFA)

a nonprofit organization that provides a program of certification in forensic anthropology. Diplomates must demonstrate an ongoing record of practice and research in the field of forensic anthropology and engage in continuing education.

Anthropology

the discipline that studies all aspects of what it means to be human (culture, language, history and origins, and biology).

Biological profile

the four primary components of a person’s physical identity (phenotype) that forensic anthropologists ascertain from the skeleton

American Research Facility

Bass founded this research facility with the purpose to study decomposition of bodies in different varying environments.

Four-field approach

the study of the four subfields of anthropology in order to gain a more holistic understanding of humans and our ancestors (cultural anthropology, biological anthropology, linguistic anthropology, and archaeology).

International Association of Forensic Sciences (IAFS)

the only worldwide association of academics and practicing professionals from various forensic science disciplines. The IAFS holds meetings every three years.

National Commission on Forensic Science

a commission created by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) upon the recommendation of the NAS report (2009). The commission seeks to promote scientific validity, reduce fragmentation, and improve federal coordination of forensic science.

Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA)

An Act enacted in 1990 that requires federal agencies and institutions that receive federal funding to return Native American remains and cultural items to lineal descendants and culturally affiliated Indian tribes. NAGPRA also establishes processes for the excavation or discovery of Native American cultural items and makes it a crime to traffic in Native American human remains without the right of possession.

Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC)

the overarching committee that consists of five scientific area committees (SACs). The OSAC coordinates development of standards and guidelines to improve quality and consistency of work in the forensic science community.

Scientific Working Group for Forensic Anthropology (SWGANTH)

a scientific working group consisting of a number of committees that recommend and disseminate guidelines for best practice, quality assurance, and quality control in forensic anthropology.

Forensic Anthropology

“the application of the science of physical or biological anthropology to the legal process,”

What are the major three modern skeletal collections

Hamann-Todd Collection, W. Montague Cobb Human Skeletal Collection, Terry Collection

Thomas Dwight (1843-1911)

considered the father of Forensic Anthropology and considered the first practioner of FA

Harris H. Wilder

Dealth with personal identification focusing on fingerprints and facial reconstruction using skulls.

Ales hrdlcka

Considered the founding father of Physical Anthropology. He founded both American Journal of Physical Anthro and the American association of physical anthropology

Earnest Hooton

Focused on human variation with respect to human origgins and adaptation

T wingate Todd

focused on skeletal aging methods and growth and development. Developed an collection with Hanmann that had skeletal remains for skeletal biology research.

William Bass Cobb

First AA to earn a PhD in anthropology and has a collection called Human Skeletal Collection.

Robert J Terry

Has the most extensive collection with proper identification including sex, age, death, date, and skin/ hair samples.

Three main historic periods and the history of forensic anthropology

Formative Peroiod (early 1800s – 1938), Consolidation period (1939-1971), Modern period (1972 -present)

What principles do Forensic anthropologist used to develop biological profile?

forensic anthropologists apply the principles of forensic taphonomy and bone weathering to determine what happened to the remains in a given depositional environment. Forensic taphonomy includes animnal activity and bone weathering from environmental factors like the sun, soil, plants, humidity.

Archaelogy subfields

CRM, Landscape Archeo, Forensic archaeology, Historic preserevbation

Sociocultural subfield

Human Rights, Meidcal Anthropology, Urban Anthropology, Economic Anthropology

Linguistic anthropology subfield

Discorse analysis, Second language acquisition, forensic linguistics, translation

Physical/biological anthropology

Forensic Anthropology, Evolutionary Medicne, Nutrtional anthropology, Primate Conservation

Scientific Donation

The pre-registered donor paperwork request information about donors such as birth date, sex, height, weight, number of children, medical history, etc for the purpose of research

What events would you see FA work?

Undocumented immigrants escaping, Civilian and combatant victims of armed conflict, Groups victimized by criminal gangs and repressive governments

What do FA do on scenes?

Identification and recovery of missing people, Provide approximate number of individuals at a scence and their biological profile, post-mortem interval, inventory of remains present

What are the three steps of remain identification?

Identified and returned, Unidentified kept curated for extended period but not used for training, Final disposal varies in regions and countries with the UK remains will be buried in an unknown single or communal graves or kept in mortuaries.

Digital imaging benefits

Can cause ethical regions because they may be considered public records, some religious groups may prefer this method may be concerned about the public record issues.

What is digital imaging?

Digital imaging is the process of taking pictures and creating 3D modeling to store information about remains