Forensic Anthropology PDF

Forensic Anthropology  Introduction to Forensic Anthropology Forensic Anthropology the study of human remains in solving criminal cases Osteology Study of bones and the human skeleton In forensics, anthropologists are used to help identify characteristics from skeletal re...

Forensic Anthropology  Introduction to Forensic Anthropology Forensic Anthropology the study of human remains in solving criminal cases Osteology Study of bones and the human skeleton In forensics, anthropologists are used to help identify characteristics from skeletal remains to narrow down the possibilities, especially before familial DNA matches In addition, forensic anthropologists assist in these types of crimes: War crimes and genocides Mass graves Plane crashes  History of Anthropology Thomas Todd created the first large collection of human Thomas Todd skeletons in 1912 His various studies on skeletons contributed to aging skeletons: Teeth eruption Skull sutures Pubic Symphysis In 1939, Wilton Krogman published the guide on Wilton Krogman identifying human bones and the skeleton He also reached out to the FBI on using anthropologists to identify human remains By the 1950’s & 1960’s, anthropology has professionalized  Case Study: USAir Flight 427 On September 8, 1994, USAir Flight 427 crashed while approaching the runway of Pittsburg International Airport There were 132 people abroad and all died During the investigation, the cause of the crash was determined to be a faulty rudder The plane stalled and the pilots were unable to recover The crash site was declared a biohazard, with as many as 6,000 body parts from the impact There was confusion on the passenger list Forensic anthropologists had to sift through the remains to identify the passengers  Human Skeleton Human Skeleton Internal framework of bone within the human body At birth, a child is born with about 300 bones but as an adult, some bones fuse together so an adult has 206 bones The human skeleton is broken into two parts: Axial Skeleton Spine or vertebral column Rib cage Skull Appendicular Skeleton Shoulder girdle with arm and hand bones Pelvic girdle with leg and toes bones  Human v. Animal Bones One of the first major steps when identifying human remains is to make sure that the remains are in fact human Some of the noticeable differences: Humans have chins Minimal nasal projection U-shaped mandible (jawbone) Large incisor teeth, small canines Separate radius and ulna bones in arm Femur is longest bone in body Foot is long and narrow  What Bones Tells Us Osteobiography The story of a person’s life as told by their bones Bones gives clues on a person’s life- their height, weight, gender, age, and overall health For example, nutritional deficiencies reveal themselves in a person’s teeth, their bone density, and even in arthritis In addition, a person will have slightly longer bones on their dominant hand side People who play sports will have specific wear and tear on certain joints and bones For example, equestrians commonly have spinal injuries due to chronic concussion to their spine from balancing on a horse  Determining Gender The easiest method to determining gender of a skeleton is the pelvis Women give birth to children so therefore they need a wider pelvis bone to allow children to come through their pelvis In addition, hormones are released in the 4th month of pregnancy allow tendons to soften and stretch during childbirth, which are visible as scars As a general rule, males have larger skeletons compared to females, with more bumps to allow for larger muscle attachment This is not true of all males and females Male Female Sub Pubic Angle  Specific Differences Males v. Females There are several key differences between male and female bones, mainly the skull and pelvis: The male skull is generally larger and bumpier The male skull has larger brow ridges while the female has a more vertical forehead The male skull has a squarer chin (at 90°) while a female has a more obtuse angle of the jaw The subpubic angle on a female pelvis is greater than 90° for females (due to childbirth) and less than 90° for males Note: these are generalizations and may not apply to every person  Case Study: Babes in the Woods On January 14, 1953, the remains of two male children were found in Stanley Park, Vancouver, Canada The boys were laid out in a straight line, toes touching, and covered by a woman’s raincoat A hatchet was found on scene, and it was matched to the tool marks in the skull for both children The medical examiner wrongly identified one of the as a female and it led to several false leads over the years In 1998, DNA testing proved both were males and brothers In 2022, they were identified as Derek and David D’Alton Their mother told family members that CPS took them away  Determining Height The height of a person can be calculated by using the length of certain long bones femur tibia humerus radius For example, the formula for the height of a person of unknown race/ethnicity and gender is: Measure the length of the femur Multiple it by 2.71 Add 45.86 The total is ± 4.41 cm of the total height of the person  Determining Age The age of a person can be estimated by examining certain bones and their maturity Ages can be more accurately estimated at younger ages Adults can be estimated within ranges of 10 years There are four different bones or processes to analyze: Teeth Skull suture marks Growth plates Pubic Symphysis Ridges seen as a young adult smooth over by old age See picture to the right  Aging of Teeth Tooth Baby Teeth Baby Teeth Adult Eruption Eruption Fall Out Central incisor 7-12 months 6-8 years 6-8 years Lateral incisor 9-13 months 7-8 years 7-8 years Canine 16-22 months 10-12 years 10-12 years First Premolar - - 9-11 years Second Premolar - - 10-12 years First Molar 13-19 months 9-11 years ~6 years Second Molar 25-33 months 10-12 years ~12 years Third Molar - - 17-21 years  Aging of Suture Marks Babies are born with soft skulls, which fuse as the skull gradually hardens as an adult The fuse marks on the skull are called suture marks There are three different areas of suture marks on the skull: Coronal Suture Closes about age 50 Sagittal Suture Closes about age 32 Lambdoidal Suture Begins closing about age 21 Completely closed about age 30  Aging Due to Growth Plates In addition to the skull, other bones fuse together at various times in a person’s life and can be used to estimate age At age 4-6 The humerus bone head fuses in the arm At age 16-18 The femur head fuses to the shaft in the leg At age 18-20 The humerus bone fuses to the shaft in the arm At age 18-24 The clavicle and sternum fuse in the shoulder At age 25-30 The sacrum completely fuses in the pelvis  Case Study: Romanovs Tsar Nicholas and his wife, Tsarina Alexandra, abdicated the Russian throne in March 1917 They were held prisoner in a house in Siberia The Tsar, Tsarina, and their 5 children, plus 4 servants, were shot and killed on July 16, 1918 The Bolsheviks took their bodies to the Koptyaki forest, where they were mutilated with grenades to prevent identification One son and daughter were separately buried In 1979, Alexander Avdonin found their burial site and British anthropologists helped determine which bones belonged to which person DNA results helped confirm their identities in the 1990’s  Race & Anthropology Determination of race from skeletal remains has lessening evidentiary value due to the movement, and intermarriage, of people around the globe Traditionally, anthropologists classified people by 3 races: Caucasian European Hispanic Middle Eastern African African Aboriginal Melanesian Asian East Asian Native American Polynesian  Determining Race Traditionally, anthropologists have used the skull to determine race from skeletal remains: Caucasian Longer, narrower nose Oval eye orbits Triangular mouth palate African Wider nose Square eye orbits Rectangular palate Asian Rounder nose Round eye orbits Oval mouth palate Note: these are generalizations and may not apply to every person  Facial Reconstruction Facial reconstruction is vital to forensic anthropology in that family and friends are more likely to identify skeletal remains if a reconstruction has been done People cannot identify each other based on skulls alone Anthropologists can reconstruct a face based on standard tissue depths of muscle on skull They attach clay onto the skull and add features to make a face Currently, we have computer programs which allow for greater changes in hair styles and facial features  Case Study: Singer Island Jane Doe On June 16, 1974, skeletal remains were found on Singer Island, North Palm Beach, Florida The person appeared to have been tied to a tree There were bullet holes in a sweater nearby The bones were scattered and gnawed on due to animal activity Anthropologists determined her approximate height, weight and gender as well as dentists recorded her dental chart She was christened Singer Island Jane Doe In 2021, she was identified as 15-year-old Susan Poole, who had gone missing in 1972 before Christmas  Career Spotlight: Forensic Anthropologist A Forensic Anthropologist is a scientist who identifies human remains and cause of death of skeletal remains An expert knowledge of human anatomy is required Job Duties: Calculate height and age from bones Determine gender and ethnicity Calculate post-mortem time interval Determine cause of death (if possible) Educational Requirements: Masters Degree in Forensic Anthropology is preferred The average salary is $62,000 per year