The impact of training and experience on the recovery of evidence in outdoor forensic scenes: implications for human remains recovery

The present study involves a multivariate assessment of the success of evidence recovery by searchers from various backgrounds and skill levels. Volunteers representing four experience levels (civilian volunteers, first year forensic anthropology graduate students, second year forensic anthropology graduate students, and first responders) conducted line searches of mock crime scenes, flagging items of forensic significance with pin flags. The groups were then briefly trained in human skeletal remains recovery, and implemented this training through a second set of mock scene searches. Recovery rates were compared across pre- and post-training trials and across searcher groups in order to determine the influence of searcher training and experience on search success. The results of this study reveal not only the percentage of evidence that was recovered by search teams, but exhibits the degree to which experience and training played a role in evidence recovery

Professional Ethics: Forensic Anthropology and Human Rights Work

Human rights forensic anthropology does not have an ethical code developed specifically for this field. Currently, forensic anthropologists look to ethical codes in different fields. These codes may offer differing opinions. They do not address the specific work and issues forensic anthropologists may encounter in the field. An analysis of existing ethical codes in anthropology and forensic science was done to show which areas of the code were applicable to human rights forensic anthropology. Areas that these codes needed to address were also demonstrated. It was found that there was an emphasis on honesty and responsibility. Professionals had responsibilities to their subjects, to the profession, to their students, to the public and to publishing. On a whole these codes did not address expert testimony, publishing on a sensitive subject or the treatment of human remains. A code was developed by drawing from existing ethical codes in related fields. The Proposed Code of Ethics and Conduct attempts to reconcile differences in the ethical codes reviewed. The Proposed Code addressed not only professional responsibilities but also the unique aspects of human rights forensic anthropology. The mission of this Proposed Code is to encourage discussion within the field of human rights forensic anthropology. Through discourse in the field, ethical guidelines can be further developed and adopted by human rights forensic anthropologists

Professional Ethics: Forensic Anthropology and Human Rights Work

Human rights forensic anthropology does not have an ethical code developed specifically for this field. Currently, forensic anthropologists look to ethical codes in different fields. These codes may offer differing opinions. They do not address the specific work and issues forensic anthropologists may encounter in the field. An analysis of existing ethical codes in anthropology and forensic science was done to show which areas of the code were applicable to human rights forensic anthropology. Areas that these codes needed to address were also demonstrated. It was found that there was an emphasis on honesty and responsibility. Professionals had responsibilities to their subjects, to the profession, to their students, to the public and to publishing. On a whole these codes did not address expert testimony, publishing on a sensitive subject or the treatment of human remains. A code was developed by drawing from existing ethical codes in related fields. The Proposed Code of Ethics and Conduct attempts to reconcile differences in the ethical codes reviewed. The Proposed Code addressed not only professional responsibilities but also the unique aspects of human rights forensic anthropology. The mission of this Proposed Code is to encourage discussion within the field of human rights forensic anthropology. Through discourse in the field, ethical guidelines can be further developed and adopted by human rights forensic anthropologists

The Limitations and Future of Isotope Analysis in Forensic Anthropology

This research paper will discuss the applications of isotope analysis in forensic anthropology, focusing on the limitations of this technique and its potential future uses. Isotope analysis is based on the principle that isotope ratios vary across geographic regions and that humans incorporate those unique isotope ratios into their bodies when they eat and drink. Forensic anthropology uses isotope analysis to determine a decedent’s approximate region of origin or residence. It is especially in cases where the remains are partially or highly decomposed, and when other avenues of investigation have been exhausted. In its current form, the applications of isotope analysis to forensic anthropology are limited in their precision and can be affected by numerous confounding factors. Understanding these limitations is a crucial step toward this technique being generally accepted as evidence in criminal courts. Due to the novelty of its application, there is also a lack of reference data, standard operating procedures, and funding for future research. For isotope analysis in forensic anthropology to reach its potential, these limitations and oversights must be addressed by the forensic anthropology community

A global survey of the attitudes and perspectives of cognitive bias in forensic anthropology

It is now well established that decision making can be susceptible to cognitive bias in a broad range of fields, with forensic science being no exception. Previously published research has revealed a bias blind spot in forensic science where examiners do not recognise bias within their own domain. A survey of 101 forensic anthropology practitioners (n = 52) and students (n = 38) was undertaken to assess their level of awareness of cognitive bias and investigate their attitudes towards cognitive bias within forensic anthropology. The results revealed that the forensic anthropology community (∼90%) had a high level of awareness of cognitive bias. Overall ∼89% expressed concerns about cognitive bias in the broad discipline of forensic science, their own domain of forensic anthropology, and in the evaluative judgments they made in reconstruction activities, identifying a significant reduction in the bias blind spot. However, more than half of the participants believed that bias can be reduced by sheer force of will, and there was a lack of consensus about implementing blinding procedures or context management. These findings highlight the need to investigate empirically the feasibility of proposed mitigating strategies within the workflow of forensic anthropologists and their capabilities for increasing the transparency in decision making

The Potential Conflict between Forensic Ethnic Identification and Societal Interpretation in America

Forensic anthropology is the application of the history, structure, and development of mankind in a forensic setting and serves as a bridge between societal and anthropological views on race. Forensic anthropology is a relatively new field and yet it, like all sciences, is impacted by the works of those who came before. While forensic anthropology is aided by the classification groups created in the past, it is hindered by the mantel of racism that covers any study into human differences. This study was intended to determine how the general educated public, as portrayed by members of Western Oregon University, viewed forensic anthropological terminology and to establish whether or not this opinion was influenced by age, position at WOU, or ethnicity. Age appeared to be the most significant factor when studying a participant’s reaction to and understanding of the selected forensic anthropological terminology. Although a wide variety of participant definitions was given for each term, relatively few respondents connected the terms with the scientific use: racial classifications based on biological accumulation of traits seen in the skeleton. The wide variety of definitions indicates that the field of forensic anthropology in general, and at Western Oregon University specifically, has not satisfactorily educated the general public as to the use, and reason behind the use, of the terms Mongoloid, Negroid, and Caucasoid in their appropriate scientific setting. However, the forensic anthropology program at WOU has begun only recently. As the program expands and more members of the campus community, particularly students, understand the terms Mongoloid, Negroid, and Caucasoid in their proper forensic anthropological setting, perhaps we will see a trend towards unity in definitions in the coming years

Development of a GIS database of incomplete forensic anthropology cases in southeastern Michigan

With many forensic anthropology cases of human skeletal remains, the skeletons may be incomplete for a variety of reasons, such as: animal scavenging, acid bone diagenesis, fluvial transport, among other factors. There are many studies that address these taphonomic factors; however, prior research fails to examine different methods in tracking incomplete forensic anthropology cases. This study investigates different geographic information system (GIS) methods applied to the forensic sciences to determine the best software to track forensic anthropology cases using a spatial mapping system to record and track 15 incomplete cases from Southeastern Michigan. The final ArcGIS tool developed here notes the case number, bones missing, location (including latitude and longitude coordinates), photographs, measurements from the contralateral bone from the recovered side, along with other pertinent details in order to facilitate fast information retrieval for the Forensic Anthropologist concerning incomplete skeletal cases

What Can Anthropologists Do?: Applied Anthropology in a Conflict-Ridden World

This work examines the role of anthropology in conflict, post-conflict studies, and conflict resolution. Present research has asserted that Anthropology as a discipline must move forward with greater involvement in domestic and international conflict resolution, but no scholar nor activist has taken that leap. All anthropological research in conflict has pertained to forensic anthropology, expert witness testimony, and post-conflict ethnographic research— all completed after conflict has already ended. Many anthropologists have recommended involvement in actual conflict resolution, and many have advocated for further Ethnographic Peace Research. However, the role of anthropology continues to be questioned by the discipline itself as well as governmental agencies and other academic disciplines. Despite these objections, the agreement by the majority of anthropologists in conflict studies is that Anthropologists have the skills necessary to participate and aid in conflict resolution

The Power of Contextual Effects in Forensic Anthropology: A Study of Biasability in the Visual Interpretations of Trauma Analysis on Skeletal Remains.(Proceedings of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. February 2013. Volume XIX.)

The potential for contextual information to bias assessments in the forensic sciences has been demonstrated, focusing on the DNA, ballistics, and friction ridge analysis disciplines. This has been discussed in the National Academy of Sciences Report, Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward. However, in many forensic disciplines, such as anthropology, the presence of bias, its impact on objectivity, and how to mitigate its effects is still not fully assessed or appreciated. Effects that may impact the judgment and decision-making of forensic anthropologists need to be measured. No studies have been performed within the discipline assessing possible biasing effects within visual analysis. Biasability potential within forensic anthropology was examined by constructing an experiment that analyzed the effects of external manipulations on judgment and decision-making in visual trauma assessment. This research demonstrates that bias can be detected in the field of forensic anthropology, highlighting the importance of recognizing issues that may influence interpretation during investigation and analysis, as well as the need for further research on how to mitigate these effects

Determining ‘Age at Death’ for Forensic Purposes using Human Bone by a Laboratory-based Analytical Method

Determination of age-at-death (AAD) is an important and frequent requirement in contemporary forensic science and in the reconstruction of past populations and societies from their remains. Its estimation is relatively straightforward and accurate (±3 years) for immature skeletons by using morphological features and reference tables within the context of forensic anthropology. However, after skeletal maturity (>35 yrs) estimates become inaccurate, particularly in the legal context. In line with the general migration of all the forensic sciences from reliance upon empirical criteria to those which are more evidence-based, AAD determination should rely more-and-more upon more quantitative methods. We explore here whether well-known changes in the biomechanical properties of bone and the properties of bone matrix, which have been seen to change with age even after skeletal maturity in a traceable manner, can be used to provide a reliable estimate of AAD. This method charts a combination of physical characteristics some of which are measured at a macroscopic level (wet & dry apparent density, porosity, organic/mineral/water fractions, collagen thermal degradation properties, ash content) and others at the microscopic level (Ca/P ratios, osteonal and matrix microhardness, image analysis of sections). This method produced successful age estimates on a cohort of 12 donors of age 53–85 yr (7 male, 5 female), where the age of the individual could be approximated within less than ±1 yr. This represents a vastly improved level of accuracy than currently extant age estimation techniques. It also presents: (1) a greater level of reliability and objectivity as the results are not dependent on the experience and expertise of the observer, as is so often the case in forensic skeletal age estimation methods; (2) it is purely laboratory-based analytical technique which can be carried out by someone with technical skills and not the specialised forensic anthropology experience; (3) it can be applied worldwide following stringent laboratory protocols. As such, this technique contributes significantly to improving age estimation and therefore identification methods for forensic and other purposes