ANT 211
Fundamentals of Forensic Anthropology
Role of the Forensic Anthropologist in the Forensic Sciences
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B. Forensic Anthropologists:
3. Assist in establishing identity
| age | stages of growth and development and degenerative changes can be gleaned from bones and teeth |
| sex | morphology of certain bones differs between females and males |
| ancestry | bone morphology of populations of people from various geographic locations worldwide spans a continuum |
| stature | long bone measurements (limb bones correlate with height) |
| trauma | healed or healing injuries may lead to past medical records, which could aid in identification |
| other | handedness, occupational markers on bones may be detected (i.e. exagerrated use of one limb or joint over others in the body, as in a baseball pitcher or tennis player) |
4. Assist in determining manner of death
Manner of death and cause of death are often used interchangeably in our everyday language, but they really are different and must be distinguished.
The manner of death may be broadly characterized as accidental, homicidal, and suicidal. Forensic anthropologists can help with determining the manner of death. Only the Medical Examiner may determine both the cause and the manner of death. The cause is something medical, which can occur in a variety of ways (manner). Here are some examples of the difference:
| Cause of death (ME only) | Manner of death (ME and Forensic Anthropologist) |
| asphyxiation (blockage of the airway) | choking (accidental) strangulation (homicidal) drowning, hanging (suicidal) |
| exsanguination (loss of blood, "bleeding out") | dismemberment stabbing incised wounds gunshot (all of these may be accidental, suicidal, or homicidal) |
| multiple fractures or contusions (broken bones or bruises) | vehicular accident beating--blunt trauma fall (all of these may be accidental, suicidal, or homicidal) |
Recall that this is an introductory topic, exposing you to the big picture of what the forensic anthropologist does, and how it differs from what law enforcment officials and ME's do.
Much of the information presented here will be elaborated upon in separate topics throughout the semester, where we can explore each of these one at a time. Yet, know that the true work of the forensic anthropologist doesn't occur in any set order. Often, many different things are examined simultaneously. And, because each case is unique, different parts of the body may be focused upon, and different techniques and methods may be used as some are more appropriate than others in certain circumstances.
The End