Exam Flashcards
What is Forensic Science?
the application of a broad spectrum of science to answer questions relevant to the legal system. It involves the gathering, identification and interpretation of pieces of evidence that may be used in a criminal or civil lawsuit.
Forensis
Latin- before the forum
Forensic Science vs. CSI
CSI involves the on-site investigation of the physical scene of a crime
CSIs are usually civilians or police officers that have been trained for duty in crime scene units to document and record the crime scene and collect evidence
forensic specialists may be called in to assist under special circumstances
Forensic scientists generally perform their analyses in a controlled lab environment
Forensic Science Specialties
Pathology and Biology Odontology Physical Anthropology Criminalists Engineering Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Digital and Multimedia Sciences Jurisprudence Questions Documents Toxicology General
Anthropology
Forensic Anthropology is the application of physical anthropology to the legal process: the identification of skeletal, badly decomposed or otherwise unidentified human remains
Pathology
Forensic Pathologists are MDs trained in forensic pathology who work to determine the cause and manner of death
Cause of Death
Injury or disease that begins the train of events that ultimately leads to death, mechanism, and manner of death
Pneumonia
Gunshot wound
Drowning
Manner of Death
Natural- due to acute illness or chronic disease
Accident- non-natural death due to unintentional lethal event or action
Homicide- any death due to the action of another
Suicide- due to self-inflicted injury with intent to die
Undetermined- used when there is not enough information about the circumstances surrounding the death
Odontology
Deals with the handling, examination, and interpretation fo dental evidence
Most commonly involves the identification of individuals from dental records
Forensic Odontology uses dental records, including radiographs to compare antemortem and postmortem records to make an identification
Criminalistics
The forensic science of analyzing and interpreting evidence using the natural sciences
Criminalists analyze the physical evidence generated by crime scenes
Criminalists tend to specialize in one area of forensic analysis
They use physical evidence to create a link between the suspect and the victim
Serology
The analysis of body fluid evidence that includes bloodstains, semen stains, and saliva
DNA typing is possible with a sample of body fluid such as blood, saliva, or semen
Trace Evidence
The analysis of hairs, fibers, paint, glass, wood, and soil that are present at a crime scene
Helps to establish a relationship between the suspect and the victim
Ballistics
Criminalists can determine the kid of bullet used and whether it was fired from the gun used to commit the crime
Toolmark Analysis
Includes an object suspected of containing the impression of another object that served as a tool in the commission of a crime
Impression Evidence
The evaluation of impressions made by shoes, tires, depressions in soft soils, and all other forms of tracks and impressions
Drug Identification and Toxicology
The study of poisons and identification of drugs
Engineering
Forensic Engineers investigate the specific sequence of events in a case and search for reasons why a specific item failed to work as expected
Work with law enforcement to a variety of cases including: fire investigations, traffic accidents, patent disputes, wrongful injury claims
Behavioral Forensic Science: Forensic Psychiatrists and Psychologists
Both involve the interaction of mental health and the legal system. Both roles assess defendants to determine their competency to stand trial; aid family service workers in custody trials; and work with attorneys, defendants, and patients in the prison system. Both can diagnose and treat mental disorders. Both offer career paths for those with undergraduate and graduate degrees.
Forensic Psychiatrists
MD
Focuses on the biology of the brain as it applies to the CJS. The work of forensic psychiatry tends toward a heavy focus on science and forensic psychiatrists diagnose and treat mental disorders in the context of the CJS. Their work involves assessing clients, providing diagnoses, and prescribing medication.
Focuses on the medical aspects of mental health
Forensic Psychologists
Ph. D., Psy. D., or Ed. D
Examines how mental health conditions and disorders apply to the CJS. This involves determining trial competency for defendants, prosecutors, and witnesses; assessing the risk of inmates under consideration for release; and even aiding in jury selection. Psychologists are required to be licensed by the state but are not MDs and are not allowed to prescribe medication.
Focuses on social and behavioral elements of mental health care and how they affect the CJS
Computer (Digital) Forensics
The use of analytical and investigative techniques to identify, collect, examine and reserve evidence/information which is magnetically stored or encoded.
Combines elements of law and computer science to collect and analyze data from computer systems, networks, wireless communications, and storage devices in a way that is admissible as evidence in a court of law.
Entomology
Forensic Entomology is the use of insects and their arthropod relatives that inhabit decomposing remains to aid in legal investigations.
Most commonly employed in the estimation of the minimum post-mortem interval.
The body could not have been dead for less time than it would have taken insects to arrive at the corpse and develop.
What is Evidence?
“Anything that furnishes or tends to furnish proof; it can support OR reject the theory of the crime”
Must be relevant and reliable to be admitted into proceedings in a court of law
Relevance
Tendency of a given item of evidence to prove or disprove one of the legal elements of the case
Reliable
Consistently good in quality of performance; able to be trusted
Admissibility of Trial Information
Relies upon: prerequisite of sold supportive foundation for any offer of evidence; foundation consists of sufficiently supportive information presented to a judge that has potential to be true and aid a jury in a reasonable determination of whether it is indeed true.
Determined by the trial court’s application of the rules of evidence: evidentiary rules are exclusionary in nature- they serve to filter out information presented by either side that may be irrelevant to the factual and legal issues at hand or violate long-standing prohibitions such as those against the admissibility of hearsay or substantially prejudicial information.
Frye v. United States (1923)
Regarding the question of admissibility of polygraph tests as evidence
The court held that expert testimony must be based on scientific methods that are sufficiently established and accepted in the field in which it belongs
Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals (1993)
Two minor children and their parents alleged their suit against Merrell Dow that the children’s serious birth defects had been caused by the mother’s prenatal ingestion of Bendectin, a prescription drug marketed by Merrell Dow.
The District Court granted the defendant summary judgement based on a well-credentialed expert’s affidavit concluding, upon reviewing the extensive published scientific literature on the subject, the maternal use of Bendectin has not been shown to be a risk factor for human birth defects.
The case was appealed and affirmed in the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, based on the Federal Rules of Evidence.
The Daubert decision affirmed the role of the judge as gatekeeper in the admissibility of scientific evidence.
Daubert Case: In addition to the “general acceptance” criterion, in order to ensure that the evidence introduced is relevant and reliable, courts also examine the following questions:
Is the theory or technique invoked testable and has it been tested?
Has it been published in a peer-reviewed forum?
What is the known or potential error rate for a technique?
Forensic Evidence
Concerned with the linkage of persons, scenes and objects
Identification, collection and testing of crime scene evidence are the focus of forensic scientists
The goal is often to physically link the suspect to the crime scene, thereby providing inferential evidence of his/her commission or association with the crime
Forensic science data can be accepted as evidence of material fact once it survives the screening function
The Locard Exchange Principle
Whenever two objects come in contact, a mutual exchange of matter will take place between them
Circumstantial by Nature
Evidence in which an inference is required to connect it to a conclusion of fact
Direct Evidence
Evidence established without need for further inference
i.e. eyewitness testimony of shooting
Class and Individual Characteristics
Forensic evidence arrives in court in one of two basic forms: Class characteristics that do, inferentially, associate a particular individual with commission of a crime
Class characteristics have a high chance of belonging to some other item or person
With individual characteristics, the odds of the feature being repeated in the population is negligible
Four crime scenes are found within one crime scene
Physical scene left by perpetrator
Crime scene material collected and transported by crime scene personnel
Crime scene material tested by laboratory and results of such tests
Crime scene information allowed into evidence by court
What is Forensic Science?
The application of science to those criminal and civil laws that are enforced by police agencies in a CJS; uses scientific method
Locard’s Principles- CSI
When 2 or more items come in contact with an object or other person, a cross-transfer, or exchange of information will occur
For a CSI, this transfer becomes evidence
Locard strongly believed that every criminal can be connected to a crime, sometimes even by dust particles carried from the crime scene
First step of crime scene: Search
Purpose to obtain evidence
Any method of a search can be used, depending on the size, location, and complexity of the search
Systematic and thorough
Grid Search
People overlap line searches to form a grid
Quadrant/Zone Search
Most used method
For houses/buildings- break individual rooms into smaller sections
Strip/Line Search
Second most used method
In streets
People side-by-side and in a line, everyone takes a step and looks around before next step
Spiral Search
Used the least
More room for error especially when in wilderness
Scene Processing
Though every crime scene is different and techniques or application may vary, the process is the same
Scene Safety/Perimeter
Responsibility falls on the first responder
Protection of evidence
Prevents officers and others from aimlessly wandering and trampling evidence
Everyone is responsible for their own movements
Protective measures are decided on a case-by-case basis
When in doubt, go big
When is a crime scene destroyed?
The second the crime is committed: destroyed by the victim, offender, bystanders offering assistance, witnesses
Crime Scene Log Individual
One person who prevents people from coming in and out of the crime scene, especially those who aren’t supposed to be there
Secure and Isolate the Crime Scene
Two perimeters provide three areas of access
This keeps support police out of the actual scene and others at a safe distance
Hot Zone
Center of crime/where victim is
Inner Scene Perimeter
Keep distance between everyone on scene to avoid destruction of evidence
Outer Scene Perimeter
Where everyone else can be
Scene Sketch
Creates a mental picture of the scene for those not present
Depicts the overall layout of the scene
Make a simple line drawing of the crime scene on whatever paper you have: needs a North arrow and include where evidence is
Measurements can be placed on the sketch: i.e. how far away is the gun from the body?
Sketch (by hand) is turned into diagram (via computer)
Document Through Photographs
A picture is worth a thousand words
Takes the jury inside the scene
Photos are going to help you remember where you picked stuff up
Show the relationship of the scene to its surroundings
General to specific
Types of Pictures
Far
Medium
Close
Fingerprint Analysis
The two underlying premises of fingerprint ID are uniqueness and persistence (permanence)
No 2 people have exactly the same fingerprints, even identical twins with identical DNA
A person’s fingerprints remain essentially unchanged throughout their lifetime, though they do grow
Only first 2 of 3 levels of detail needed for comparison
Pattern Type
First level of detail
Arch
Loop
Whirl
Minutia or Ridge Characteristics
Second level of detail
Galton details: ridge endings, bifurcations, etc.
Ridge Characteristics
Third level of detail
Pore shapes
Ridge flow
Wipes
Putting blood from hand on wall
Swipes
Blood already on wall is smeared by hand
Cast Off
Blood pattern consistent with weapon hitting body, perpetrator’s arm being brought up then down to hit again
Arterial Spurting
Projected blood from injury to major artery
High Velocity
Blood coming out in mist
i.e. gunshot wound, especially to the head
Shooting Reconstruction
Uses lasers to demonstrate bullet path, captured on camera
Wooden dowels used if too many bullet holes for lasers
Blue Star
Replacement chemical for luminal
Used to locate blood that cannot be seen
State of Utah
Utilizes Medical Examiner
Mechanism of Death
The biochemical or physiologic abnormality resulting in death
Arrythmias of the heart, shock, or bleeding
Cardiac arrest
Respiratory arrest
Exsanguination
Shock
Gunshot wound to head: cause v. mechanism of death
Cause= gunshot wound Mechanism= specific injuries to the brain
Decomposition
The reduction of the body of a formerly living organism into simpler forms of matter
The process begins immediately after cardio-pulmonary arrest
May distort features of true perimortem injuries
May mimic antemortem diseases or perimortem trauma
May obliterate markers of identity: necessary to notice which stage of decomposition the individual is in
Decomposition is highly variable and dependent on
Temperature Climate Humidity Location Season Size of decedent Clothing Coverings Burial Cause of death Injuries Other factors
Fresh Stage
Autolysis Algor Mortis Livor Mortis Rigor Mortis Flies
Putrefaction and Bloat Stage
Putrefaction
Bloat
Insect and carnivore activity
Active Decay Stage
Black Putrefaction Stronger odor Maggot activity at its peak Increase release of fluids Slippage of skin
Advanced Decay Stage
Odor and insect activity decrease
Body begins to dry out
Dry/Skeletonization Stage
Skeletonization
Autolysis
“Self-digestion”
Begins minutes after death
The cells of the body are deprived of oxygen, causing carbon dioxide to build up in the blood
The pH level decreases and wastes accumulate, which poisons the cells
Enzymes are released from the intracellular lysomal sacs
They begin to dissolve the cells from the inside out, causing them to rupture
Bacteria and other microorganisms thrive on these unprotected organic components of the body
Algor Mortis
Cooling of the body
Reduction of body temperature after death
When a person is alive, the body maintains homeostasis and regulates a constant temperature
After death, the body can no longer maintain its heat and it begins to cool down, reaching ambient temperature: variable with conditions
Livor Mortis
Gravity causes the accumulation of blood in the small vessels of the dependent areas of the body
Begins 20-30 minutes after death
Visible 1-2 hours after death
8-12 hours after death, the blood leaks out of the vessels into the soft tissue and becomes “fixed”: saturated in surrounding tissues- no blanching
Rigor Mortis
Stiffening of the body due to the disappearance of adeenotriphosphate (ATP)
Usually present 2-4 hours after death
Full development present 10-12 hours after death
Usually disappears 24-48 hours after death with continued decomposition
Seen in the small muscles of the body and moves to the larger muscles: jaw, fingers, arms, legs
Goes away in smaller muscles then larger
Putrefaction
The cecum is an anatomical pouch located at the head of the large intestine
It is ground zero for microorganisms that naturally live in the body: bacteria, fungi, protozoa
When the body is alive, the immune system keeps these microorganisms in check
After death, the microorganisms break through the intestinal wall, spill into the abdomen, and drift into the circulatory system
A flush of green over the lower abdomen can usually be seen first
Optimal environmental temperature for putrefaction is 70-90 F
Putrefaction is delayed when the temperature is below 50 F or above 90 F
Bloat
Microorganisms produce gases as they slowly break down the unprotected organic components of the body These gases (Hydrogen, Methane, Ammonia, Sulfur Dioxide...) cause all the body tissues to inflate These gases increase the internal pressure, which force fluids from the mouth and nose (purge) These gases also draw fluids into blisters that loosen and lift the skin (skin blisters) The blisters will eventually drain, and the loose skin will slip off (skin slippage)
Active Decay
This stage is recognizable by a great loss in mass due largely to feedings by maggots and other insects
Maggot activity is at its peak- lay eggs in open wounds if available, lay in mouth/nose/eyes if no wounds available, will not lay eggs around genital/rectal area unless there is trauma
Parts of flesh may be black (black putrefaction) and corpse gives off an even stronger odor
As gases escape and the body leaks decomposition fluids, the body may collapse- increased release of fluids, marbling, and skin slippage
The end of this stage is marked by dispersal of maggots from the body
Exposure of internal organs
Degloving
Often times the skin covering the hands will slip off at the scene
Important to locate this because fingerprints can still be obtained from it
Mummification
Occurs in environments with low humidity and dry heat
These tissues will be dehydrated and desiccated
The end result of tissues that have survived the active decay process
Will remain mummified and not go through remaining stages
Adipocere
Also known as saponification
In warm, moist environments a specific chemical reaction occurs during decomposition
In the presence of bacterial enzymes, fats will react with water and hydrogen to produce a yellowish-white, greasy, wax-like substance
Happens in active or advanced decay
Will remain like this and not go through remaining stages
Advanced Decay
Odor and insect activity decrease- maggot shave mostly migrated
Most of flesh is gone- corpse can still be comprised of skin, organs, hair and bone
The body begins to dry out
Body may form a wax layer known as adipocere
Dry/Skeletonization
Final stage
Only bones and teeth are present- sometimes hair and dried (mummified) skin
Diagenesis
Diagenesis
A natural process that serves to alter the proportion of organic (collagen) and inorganic (hydroxyapatite, calcium, magnesium,) components of bone exposed to environmental conditions
Forensic Entomology
The application of the study of insects and their arthropod relatives to legal proceedings, especially death investigations
Relationships Between Corpse and Insects
Species that feed directly on a corpse
Species that eat the other insects that are feeding on the corpse
Species that feed on both the corpse and other insects
Species that use the corpse as a habitat
Entomological Evidence
Helps determine how long the person has been dead (postmortem interval PMI)
Can help determine where and what time of ear the death took place
Helps determine areas of trauma on the body
Helps determine possible drugs/chemicals in the body
Methods to determine PMI
Insect succession
Rate of development
Insect Succession
The idea that as each group of organisms feeds on a body, it changes the body, which then makes it attractive to another group of organisms
Hide Beetle- among the last insects attracted to a corpse and are usually found with dry remains
Rate of Development
When the body is found, the stage of development for the insects found on the body can help investigators determine how long a person has been deceased
Temperature is the most important factor for this method
Role of temperature on Blow Fly development- optimal temperature range for development is 75-80 F, above that temperature: faster development and decreased survival, below that temperature: slower development and hibernation (little to no development) if below 50 F
Secondary Screwworm Fly
Most abundant in southeast US and is not cold tolerant
Holarctic Blow Fly
Most abundant in Canada and northwest US, including Alaska
Most common insects found on a body
Blowflies
Fresh flies
Myiasis
Rotting flesh on a living person (i.e. bed sores) where flies lay their eggs
Medical grade maggots may be used to heal wounds that are not healing
Maggots only eat dead flesh- remove rotting flesh to help wound heal
Coroner
“The principal qualification for the job is the ability to win an election” -Russell Fisher
Appointed or elected to their position
Assign cause and manner of death
No medical training required
Not required to consult a physician
May or may not order an autopsy
May or may not agree with autopsy findings
Forensic Pathologist
ME Must be a physician with training Medical school- 4 years Pathology residency- 4 years Forensic pathology fellowship- 1 year Certified by American Board of Pathology in Anatomic Pathology and Forensic Pathology First class of certified Forensic Pathologists in 1959 Determine cause and manner of death Investigation Autopsy/exam Laboratory results (i.e. toxicology, cultures) Microscopic evaluation of organs/tissues
Utah Medical Examiners Office
10 forensic pathologists 8 autopsy technicians 8 morgue technicians 9 full time investigators ~ 90 part-time investigators/vendors 2 suicide epidemiologists 7 ancillary staff
Types of Cases
Deaths by violence- suicide, homicide, accident
Death from poisoning or drug overdose
Suspicious or unusual deaths
Deaths that occur while in custody
Deaths that may constitute a threat to public health
Deaths that occur while on the job
Death when in apparent good health
Natural deaths when there is no physician to sign the death certificate
Sudden unexpected infant deaths
Stages of Death
Pallor Mortis Algor Mortis Rigor Mortis Livor Mortis Putrefaction and Decomposition Skeletonization and Fossilization
Timing of Death
Only reliable way to estimate time of death is knowing when a person was last seen alive
Other clues include newspapers, mail, receipts, phone calls
Death occurred sometime between when they were last seen alive and when they were found dead
Drug Cases
Ingest, smoke, huff, snort, inject
Mechanism of death depend on effect of the drugs
Stimulants
Boost alertness, mood
Methamphetamine
Cocaine
Causes hypertension, strokes, seizures, hyperthermia
Opioids/Suppressants
Create relaxation, euphoria Heroin Morphine Oxycodone Hydrocodone Fentanyl Usually causes sedation and respiratory suppression
Inhalants
Mostly depressants or dissociative effects- result in euphoric rushes, hallucinations
Nitrous oxide
Dust off/canned air (difluoroethane)
Spray paint (toluene)
Propane/butane
Usually lethal because they cause injury to the heart
Types of Drugs
Stimulants Opioids/suppressants Inhalants Hallucinogens Dissociatives Cannabinoids
Range of Fire Classificiations
Contact or close contact
Intermediate range
Indeterminate range
Contact or Close Contact
Muzzle touches or is within 1 inch
Hard contact- muzzle mark
May see soot
Intermediate Range
1 inch to 2-3 feet for most handguns
Small abrasions- stippling
Indeterminate Range
3 feet to ??? Entrance defect Marginal abrasion No soot No stippling
Sharp Force
Incision
Stab wounds
Incision
Length of injury on the surface is greater than the depth of the injury
Stab wounds
Depth of injury is greater than the length of the injury on the surface
May go far enough to leave hilt mark
Piece of blade may be seen in x-ray if it comes off when in contact with wound
Blunt Force
Blows
Falls
Collisions
Characteristics- contusions, lacerations: wound from tearing body tissue when hit by an object, may see tissue bridges
Instant Pattern Recognition
Cherry Red Lividity
Lightening
Coining
Cupping
Cherry Red Lividity
Hypothermia
Carbon monoxide poisoning
Cyanide poisoning
Lightening
Lichtenberg figures
Coining
Traditional Chinese medicine
Rid body of negative energies
Pressures strokes with hard object until bruises appear
Cupping
Traditional Chinese medicine
Place glass cups over certain points on the skin using suction
Reasons for Establishing Identity
Understandable reason of closure for the family
Settlement of insurance claims
Settlement of the individual’s estate
Social security benefits
Allowance of surviving spouse to remarry
Establishment of a corpus delicti in criminal matters
Burial of remains in keeping with religious beliefs
Positive ID
Fingerprints Dental DNA Anthro Radiographs
Presumptive DNA
ID on body
Visual
Facial reconstruction
Circumstantial ID
Some matches for positive techniques
Categories and Terminology for Identification: DNA and Odontology
Positive identification
Possible identification
Insufficient evidence
Exclusion
Facial Reconstruction
Develop a face from the skull for release to news media to aid in positive ID
Clay sculpting
Drawing soft tissue
Computer imaging
Radiography
Compare antemortem radiographs to skeletal remains Frontal sinus Other sinuses Pattern of trabecular bone Antemortem pathology or anomaly
Role of Forensic Odontology
Routine identification Mass disasters Bite mark evidence Child abuse Civil litigation- personal injury, malpractice, dental fraud
Dental Characteristics
Outlasts all other body tissues
Dental restorations and prostheses are extremely resistant
Radiographs can provide objective data
Infinite number of combinations
Antemortem Records
Relatives Hospitals, other healthcare facilities Dental schools Healthcare providers Employer dental insurance carrier Public aid insurance administrator
Postmortem Record
Comprehensive charting X-rays Photographs Dental impressions Time lapse
Forensic DNA
Use of genetic information to match biological evidence with victim/offender
Types of DNA
Nuclear (chromosomal)
mtDNA (mitochondrial)
Mitochondrial DNA
Maternally transmitted
100s to 1000s of copies per cell
Easier to extract from degraded samples
Nuclear DNA
23 pairs of chromosomes
1/2 from mother, 1/2 from father
DNA
Humans share over 99% of DNA, only about 0.3% is unique (unconserved)
Where is DNA found?
DNA is found in body cells
We leave a little bit of DNA everywhere we go
Most forensic sources of DNA are body fluids, or transferred cells
DNA Polymorphism
Means many forms
Regions of DNA which differ from person to person
Locus
Plural= loci
Site of location of a chromosome
Allele
Different variants which can exist at a locus
DNA Profile
The combination of alleles for an individual
DNA Extraction
For each biological source of DNA you need a chemical purification method to separate DNA from everything else
The amount of time and complexity of these methods depends on both the quantity and quality of the source
Forensic DNA Typing System
Current typing system is short tandem repeats (STR)
STRs are DNA regions with repeat units 2-6bp in length- are repeated a variable number of times and are highly variable among individuals
Combined DNA Index System (CODIS)
Instituted in 1994 by the FBI
Made up of two indices- Convicted Offender index and Forensic Case index
Based on 13 STR loci- probability of 2 unrelated individuals matching at all 13 sites= 1 in over a trillion
STR Amplification
Each STR is “tagged” using a fluorescent labeled primer
Often amplified in a multiplex reaction- one PCR reaction can amplify more than one allele
STR products are then separated by size for analysis
ABI 310 Genetic Analyzer
Amplified STR DNA injected into column
Apply electric current
DNA pulled toward positive electrode
DNA separated out by size- small STRs travel faster
Color of STR recorded as it passes through the detector
Limitations to Forensic DNA
Not always preserved
Can’t speak to perimortem trauma or postmortem alterations
Can build a genetic profile, but not a biological profile
A genetic profile depends on comparative samples to match genetic identity
What is Forensic Anthropology?
The application of the science of physical anthropology to the legal process- methods and theories, analysis techniques and procedures
The analysis and identification of skeletal, badly decomposed, or otherwise unidentified human remains
What Forensic Anthropologists Don’t Do
Solve crimes Trace/evidence collection Interrogation Arrests Prosecution
What Forensic Anthropologists Do
Help law enforcement Recover human remains Analyze remains Provide written report of analysis/findings Testify in court
Physical/Biological Anthropology
Human Osteology
Bioarchaeology
Skeletal Biology
Forensic Anthropology
Biological Profile
Estimation of- age at death, sex, ancestry, stature
Identification of- trauma, pathology
Age Estimation
Based on processes of growth and remodeling that occur in the skeleton with age
Sub-Adults (Growth)- AKA children, epiphyseal union (growth pate), tooth development
Adults (Remodeling)- pubic symphysis, auricular (sacro-iliac) surface, eternal end of ribs, histological (cellular level)
Sex
Biological- need to have gone through puberty in order to estimate sex
Not gender- gender is culturally defined
Morphological differences between males and females- cranial and postcranial
Ancestry
Ancestral affiliation
Not race- race is culturally defined
Craniofacial morphology- anthroposophical and metric
Stature Estimation
Statistical regression formulas Need to know sex and ancestry Need complete long bones Report stature estimation and ranges Femur of white males measures 452 mm Convert to cm= 45.2 cm Equation= 2.32 x femur + 65.53 +/- 3.94 cm
Stature Estimation Example
(2.32 x 45.2) + 65.53 +/- 3.94 cm
170.39 +/- 3.94 cm
166.45 to 174.33 cm
2.54 cm per inch
Mean stature 67.08 in, range 65.53 to 68.64 in
Pathology- Anthropology
Only what affects bone Pneumonia TB Cancer Osteoarthritis Dietary related pathology
Anemia and Iron Deficiency
When an individual suffers from anemia, or one of many diseases that affect the red blood cells, bone changes occur to accommodate the need for expansion of the spaces occupied b the bone marrow
The bone assumes a spongy appearance called Porotic Hyperostosis- skull
Dental Disease
Cavities
Abscess
Tartar
Linear Enamel Hypoplasia- appears as depressed horizontal lines that occur in the tooth enamel after a period of chronic stress usually associated with infectious disease and/or malnutrition
Trauma- Anthropology
Only what affects bone
Timing- antemortem, perimortem, postmortem
Type- blunt force, sharp force, projectile
Antemortem Bone Trauma
Well before the person has died
Bone is healed or is healing
Perimortem Bone Trauma
At or around the time of death
Bone fractures in a distinct way- sharp and clean
Fracture margins are similar color to surrounding un-fractured bone
Postmortem Bone Damage
After individual has started to decompose and bone begins to loose organic matter
Bone fractures in a distinct way- irregular/jagged and are lighter color than surrounding non-fractured bone
Projectile Bone Trauma
Small object hits body at high velocity
Most often gunshot wounds, could be shrapnel, high powered weapon
Entrance wounds have internal beveling, ext wounds have external beveling
Blunt Force Bone Trauma
Being hit; falling against a rock, table, etc.; car accidents
Concentric circles with radiating features
Sharp Force Bone Trauma
Caused by bladed instrument
Chunk marks and finer marks
Knife Scrape marks are V shaped, animal teeth marks are U shaped
Destructive Analysis
Direct dating- C14
DNA and Ancient DNA (aDNA)- identify genetic relationships/similarity, population movements
Stable Isotope Analysis- diet history (agriculture), weaning if child
