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Crime Scene Arch > Shifting the Paradigm > Flashcards

Shifting the Paradigm Flashcards

1
Q

The critical components of forensic anthropology interdigitated

A

1.) Forensic osteology
2.) Forensic archaeology
3.) Forensic taphonomy
and eventually…
4.) Outdoor Crime Scene Reconstruction

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2
Q

How long has Dr. Dirkmaat been a forensic anthropologist?

A

40 years

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3
Q

What kind of forensic cases did he work on?

A

Bone cases, surface scatters to mass disasters

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4
Q

How long has Dr. Dirkmaat been the director of DAFS?

A

32 years

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5
Q

Dr. Dirkmaat training

A

1.) trained as a biological anthropologist and archaeologist (PhD)
2.) Board-certified forensic anthropologist (50 years) since 1996
3.) T Dale Stewart Award winner for Lifetime Achievement in the Field of Forensic Anthropology (Anthropology section of AAFS)
4.) First-awarded Outstanding Mentor of AAFS, Anthropology section
5.) Forensic anthropologist for Singapore and Puerto Rico
6.) Consultant to National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)

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6
Q

Dr. Dirkmaat was instrumental in changing the name of AAFS section from Physical Anthropology to what?

A

Anthropology (to primarily include forensic archaeology)

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7
Q

How many forensic cases has he participated in since 1986 when in an academic setting?

A

1200 forensic anthropology cases and more than 400 field recoveries

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8
Q

Types of forensic cases

A
  • human vs. nonhuman
  • searches
  • surface-scattered cases
  • buried body features
  • Fatal fire scenes
  • Mass disaster incidents
  • skeletal analyses of over 700 individuals
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9
Q

Teams Dr. Dirkmaat has worked with

A
  • Argentinian
  • Chilean
  • Guatemalan
  • Colombian
  • Cyprus Human Rights Teams
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10
Q

Dr. Dirkmaat was involved with creating a certification exam in forensic archaeology for what?

A

ALAF
Association of Latin American Forensic Anthropology

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11
Q

A few physical anthropologists assisted law enforcement with forensic cases

A

1.) Krogman
2.) Trotter
3.) Todd

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12
Q

Who from the Smithsonian Institution was a model forensic anthropologist?

A

T. Dale Stewart
- FBI walked over box of bones for Stewart to review and he provided exclusively biological profile

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13
Q

The classic definition of forensic anthropology according to T. Dale Stewart

A

“Forensic anthropology is that branch of Physical Anthropology which, for forensic purposes, deals with the identification of more or less Skeletal Remains known to be or suspected to be human… the identification process undertakes to provide opinions regarding Sex, Age, Race, Stature, and other such characteristics of each individual involved as may lead to his or her recognition”

  • Essentials of Forensic Anthropology (1979)
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14
Q

The “Olde” Days

A
  • Forensic anthropology only concerned with dry bones
  • Bones shipped to forensic anthropologist after recovery by law enforcement, after forensic pathological examination, and often after clay reconstruction of facial features
  • Concerned primarily with providing basic biological parameters (chronological age, sex, stature, ancestry) in attempt to narrow missing persons list
  • NO consideration of scene or context
  • NO contribution to cause, manner, or circumstances of death
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15
Q

What was the focus of the “Olde” Days?

A

Provide clues relative to establishing positive ID; primarily from the biological profile drawn from the bones

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16
Q

Forensic osteology

A
  • developed into a robust scientific discipline (research, statistics, validation of methods)
  • Forensic anthropologists are very good at analyzing the human skeleton in the lab (Produce inventory, assess biological profile, personal identification, notation and interpretation of skeletal trauma)
  • REQUIRES specialized training in biological anthropology/forensic anthropology and NOT just anatomy
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17
Q

Specialized skills of forensic osteologist

A
  • Inventory and documentation
  • Forensic significance
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18
Q

Inventory and documentation

A
  • Determine each skeletal element to specific bone, and side
  • Determine each fragment to specific bone, portion, and side
  • Experts with highly altered bones: weathered, burned, pathological
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19
Q

Forensic significance

A

Human vs. non-human

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20
Q

Biological profile

A
  • Estimation of sex
  • Estimation of Chronological Age
  • Estimation of Stature
  • Estimation of Ancestry

~ Study human variation due to sex, age, stochastic factors
~ Apply advanced statistical methods to analyze variation
~ Assign probability statements to assessments
~ Conduct validation studies to all methods

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21
Q

Sex assessment

A
  • study the pelvis
  • study the cranium
  • study robusticity of the skeleton
  • study the metrics (males bigger than females generally)
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22
Q

Age estimation

A
  • Development of the long bones
  • Development of the teeth
  • Cranial sutures
  • Pubic symphysis
  • Auricular surface
  • Rib ends
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23
Q

Stature estimation

A

1.) mathematical
2.) anatomical

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24
Q

Mathematical stature estimation

A
  • use of single or multiple elements
  • relies on consistent relationship between bones and height
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25
Q

Anatomical stature estimation

A
  • sum up ALL elements
  • convert skeletal height to living height
  • soft tissue conversion
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26
Q

Ancestry estimation

A
  • variation due to geographic regions
  • Basically, considered in the US only
  • Fordisc computer system
  • Hefner’s morphoscopic approach
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27
Q

Determination of identity

A
  • Unique features
  • radiographic comparison
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28
Q

Notation of skeletal trauma

A
  • Assessment and timing of damage (ante, peri, postmortem)
  • Blunt force vs. sharp force vs. gunshot trauma
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29
Q

Blunt force trauma

A
  • slow loading of force
  • bone bends before fracturing
  • bone is distorted so edges no longer match up
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30
Q

sharp force trauma

A

Cutting and incising in bone with knives, saws

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31
Q

gunshot force trauma

A
  • fast loading of force
  • bone shatters
  • reconstruction successful
32
Q

Forensic osteology focus of trauma

A

Not just descriptions of trauma, but interpretations relative to cause and manner

33
Q

Knife cuts

A
  • Study striations, morphology of defect
  • direction and sequence of cuts
  • type of knife: serrated vs. non-serrated
34
Q

Saw cuts

A
  • study defect morphology: false starts, kerf floor and walls, striations
  • direction and orientation of cuts
  • assess type of instrument used (hand vs. power)
  • details of the instrument (blade teeth type, teeth per inch)
  • rarely specific instrument
35
Q

Gunshot impact trauma

A
  • high speed impact (ft/sec)
  • bone breaks before deformation
  • entrance/exit defects: Direction AND orientation of gunshot
  • Fracture patterns: number AND sequence of impacts
  • approximate caliber of bullet
36
Q

Blunt force trauma

A
  • biomechanical analysis
  • reconstruction of forces, direction
  • sequence of impacts
37
Q

Problem with box of bones approach?

A

Law enforcement DID have questions OTHER than identity, of outdoor scenes
- their job was to figure out manner of the death: natural, accidental, suicide, or homicide
- if homicide: need to figure out who did it, how they did it, and when they did it
- and ensure that the evidence was collected properly and stood up in court
- It was clear that at Outdoor scenes, they were at a loss because they had no idea how to answer these questions

“How long has the body been there?”
“Why are some bones missing?”
“Where was the body originally placed?”
“Is the trauma peri-mortem?”
“I think animals may have disturbed the body…?”
“in what posture was the body originally?”

38
Q

Early influences: 1986 Burned House and Victim Case

A
  • 22 year old cold case
  • new information: victim was burned in a house and then the house burned to the ground
  • the location was abandoned and reverted back to woods
  • police were going to bring in a BACKHOE
  • Forensic Archaeological Excavation
  • many bone fragments found and assessed to be animal
  • Excavation revealed a 1 by 1 meter feature with many bones
  • Including human dental fragments and mandibular condyle
  • removed entire feature to lab
  • all debris from feature was screen through geological sieves: found many, many SMALL FRAGMENTS of bone and teeth
  • remains of one individual, elements from head to toes
  • Gracile individual (young or female)
  • Highly fragmented remains
  • evidence of tending to fire
39
Q

Burned house victim dental remains recovered

A
  • dental evidence highly fragmented
  • some crowns persevered and still in crypt
  • an upper left canine was still in place
  • dental evidence suggests an individual 14-17 years of age
  • suspect prosecuted
  • led to RECONSIDERATION of role of forensic archaeology in medicolegal field
40
Q

Why old approach wouldn’t have been beneficial in burned house victim case

A
  • old way (backhoe, shovel, pickax excavation) would not have found anything
  • law enforcement/medicolegal personnel don’t know how to deal with outdoor scenes: not trained for it, dismiss it
  • often assumed that outdoor scenes are disturbed scenes and important/relevant information is minimal so why waste time and manpower?
  • Unique skill sets are required
41
Q

Unique skill sets for outdoor scenes

A
  • detailed and thorough scene search methods required
  • Forensic osteology/forensic significance skills required (detailed knowledge of human osteology including fragmentary osteology, knowledge of highly altered including burned human remains; human vs. animal)
  • archaeological excavation methods, principles and practices useful to establish context (where and when things happened), Association (linking evidence to other evidence and the scene and time frame), and chain of custody
42
Q

Association

A

Linking evidence to other evidence and the scene and time frame

43
Q

Early surface scatter case in 1993

A
  • human remains found in woods in November (deciduous forest)
  • Coroner suggested that there may be many individuals represented
  • Forensic archaeological recovery conducted with a small team of six undergrads
  • Leaf litter covered remains removed and scene mapped
  • three individuals represented
  • original location, position, and orientation preserved
  • very limited animal activity noted and bodies not altered since deposition
  • gun found with remains

Reconstruction of postmortem interval (PMI)
- leaf litter coving remains indicated deposit before fall (October)
- Bone exposed, but still much soft tissue preserved
- associated clothing
- PMI estimate is 2-8 months (March-October)

  • two subadults: 8 and 12 year old females, sisters
  • adult male, father
  • skeletal trauma analysis: gunshot trauma (entrance and exit defects) revealed trajectory pattern of the bullet

Contributions to manner of death reconstruction
- original location, position, and orientation preserved
- SCENARIO: Double homicide, suicide
- all sitting together; father shot older daughter first (no sign of struggle), then younger daughter (signs of struggle), then himself
- occurred 2-8 months before recovery

44
Q

Mapping

A

Spatial distribution of the evidence

45
Q

Outdoor Crime Scenes and Law Enforcement

A
  • Handled poorly: Bad assumptions, no training
  • take pictures of body and scoop it up into body bag
  • assume the forensic pathologist will figure it out
  • assume that animals and weather have altered the evidence (disturbed the scene) so why spend time on it
  • assume pickaxes and backhoes will work for buried bodies but it just disturbs and destroys evidence/context
46
Q

To reconstruct what happened in the past

A

1.) Carefully remove overlying leaf litter to reveal ALL associated evidence in situ, so that none are stepped upon or left behind
2.) Map the precise distribution of the evidence by hand, map the scene by a total station, and record the precise GPS coordinates for…
3.) Later analysis in GIS in order to understand terrain, nearest roads, plant cover, temperature regimes, and much more
4.) Detailed analysis of the biological tissues in the lab
5.) Provide scientific interpretations of PMI, why remains are out of place or removed, and role played by humans in final disposition of remains

47
Q

Forensic archaeology

A
  • thorough searches to maximize location of evidence (Forensic significance important)
  • carefully and thoroughly document location, position, and orientation of all evidence
  • establish chain of custody
  • great maps of spatial distribution of evidence
48
Q

Come out of the scene…

A
  • systematically searched for all evidence associated with scene
  • documented context (trees, slope, soils, etc.)
  • created hypotheses of Associated (what/how is evidence related to scene and event)
  • mapped precisely the location, position, and orientation of all evidence: exacting spatial distribution data
49
Q

How do we address other questions regarding the past at the scene?

A
  • Reconstruct how the body was positioned and orientated at the time of deposition
  • how has the body been altered/moved since original deposition
  • … and by what AGENTS? And what is the relative time of the alterations?
  • How long ago was the body deposited here (PMI)
  • What has happened to the body since the death event/emplacement event until recovery??

*Basically we need to construct an ecologically-based history of the body AND scene from the time of deposition of the body on that scene until discovery using FORENSIC TAPHONOMY

50
Q

Agents

A

Water, animals, gravity, and humans, etc.

51
Q

Forensic taphonomy

A

History of body and scene (not just body) from time of deposition/death event, to time of analysis
- time since death (PMI)
- Reconstruct the circumstances before, during, and after deposition
- Discriminate the products of human behavior from those created by the earth’s biological, physical, chemical, and geological subsystems

52
Q

Forensic Taphonomy first Book

A

1997
- Forensic Taphonomy: The Postmortem Fate of Human Remains by Haglund and Sorg

53
Q

Forensic taphonomy initial definition

A

the scientific study of what happens to a human body after death
- most of the subsequent research focused on the estimation of PMI (Body Farm) and bone surface modification in the laboratory (stained, chewed, or swallowed bone)
- almost exclusively human body/bone focused!

54
Q

Forensic taphonomy now

A

Refocus on Reconstruction of Past events at the scene
- Requires Scene AND Laboratory Information
- AND understanding of the effects of myriad of Forensic Taphonomic Agents on our evidence

55
Q

Forensic taphonomy today

A

Focus: what has happened to evidence between the time of body deposition and the time of recovery (Forensic Taphonomic Interval)
- Starts with maps of spatial distribution of evidence (location, position, and orientation)
- Analyze pattern of evidence distribution
- Need to figure out which specific agents have moved/removed/altered the evidence
- Need to consider HOW these Forensic Taphonomic Agents (animals, plants, soils, geology, decomposition, insects, gravity, etc.) have affected the evidence
- Requires in-depth understanding of gravity, water transport, climate/weather, decomposition patterns/rates, behavior of scavengers, rodents, etc.
- Represents an Ecological Approach
- Present the results of the analyses as a series of hypotheses of past events… with scientific backing

56
Q

Ecological approach to taxonomy

A

Reconstruct how the scene has changed after placement of a deceased human on it, until recovery

57
Q

Key questions to be addressed at all outdoor scenes through forensic taphonomic approach

A

1.) Postmortem interval: How long has the body been there?
2.) Bone Dispersal/Loss Patterns: Why are the remains not in their original positions (i.e., ID all relevant ID taphonomic agents)
3.) Are humans a taphonomic agent?
4.) Original location, position, and orientation of victim
5.) WHAT happened in the past at the scene?

58
Q

Ecology for taph

A

How are plants, animals, microbiomes, soils, affected by decomposing body?

59
Q

Animal behavior for taph

A

Scavenging behaviors of carnivores, rodents, and vultures

60
Q

Climate and Environment for taph

A

Temperature and humidity effects on decomposition

61
Q

Forensic archaeology AND forensic taphonomy go hand-in-hand to create what?

A

Forensic taphonomic interval

62
Q

Forensic taphonomic interval

A

Detailed picture of what has happened to evidence between the time of deposition and the time of recovery

GOAL: reconstruct what the sene looked like 5 minutes after the death/emplacement event and make a CONTRIBUTION but not a determination for cause and manner of death assessment

63
Q

Goal of Outdoor Crime Scene Reconstruction is the SAME as the goal and procedure of Crime Scene Reconstruction (Indoors)

A

TRUE

64
Q

2018 was the creation of outdoor crime scene reconstruction

A
  • Reconsideration of why law enforcement/medicolegals call us into cases
  • critical role of forensic taphonomy (and forensic osteology, and forensic archaeology) to recreate time surrounding death scene; provide hints related to cause, manner, and especially Circumstances of death reconstructions
  • emphasis on hypotheses generation and testing; including testing law enforcement and medicolegal hypotheses
65
Q

Outdoor Crime Scene Reconstruction (OCSR)

A

1.) Begins with Forensic Osteology (forensic significance)
2.) Uses Forensic Archaeology to locate and comment the evidence (provenience, spatial distribution) properly
3.) Then Forensic Taphonomy to understand the history of body and site form time of deposition to time of recovery (all potential agents altering the evidence… from decomposition, to insects and animals, to gravity, to weather and temperature, etc.)
4.) Next identify the impact of all NATURAL Taphonomic agents on the body over the Forensic Taphonomic Interval
5.) Focus on HUMANS as taphonomic agents (at the death/emplacement event, and subsequent alteration of evidence, if any)
6.) Reconstruct death/emplacement scene and events: basically a snapshot of the scene at that time regardless of how much time has passed

66
Q

Law enforcement investigation resulted in story of what happened in the past from informant example

A

Informant led police to scene and body but was he telling the truth?
Story:
- 4 individuals involved in drug deal in woods
- dependent stabbed in upper shoulder with no guns involved
- as he ran away, was tackled, punched, and stabbed a few more times in the upper back
- after death, body dragged down path into woods and into the weeds
- decided to burn his body next day, but unsuccessful
- Informant “And I had nothing to do with it!”

Forensic anthropologist asked to assist in the scene processing but not just collect the bones: test a series of hypotheses and construct a story of what happened in the past at the scene:
- use forensic osteology, forensic archaeology, and forensic taphonomy (Outdoor Crime Scene Archaeology)
- Forensic anthropologists will determine original location, position, and orientation of the body, as well as collect information on PMI
- Also evaluate each of the components of the law enforcement story (hypotheses) specific to the incident

Initial observations (prior to recovery) forensic taph:
- location, position and orientation of the body
- has the body been moved (dragged by feet down path)
- Decomposition fluid stain directly under the body (not moved)
- plants altered in the area
- condition of soft tissue: initial assessment of PMI (within 2 months, likely less than 1 month)
- evidence of burning (confirmed in laboratory. Extent? When?)
- Where did burning occur? Timing?
- Body moved after deposition?
- Body altered by animals?
- Fingerprints taken on scene
- Excavation revealed additional details (Ensure that all associated evidence collected)
- Evidence of stab wounds in clothing (noted before moved)
- Maps of scene created: hand drawn and total station
- Clarify details of scenario
- Maps can be presented in court
- State of decomposition noted: PMI estimation
- Inventory, biological profile
- ID made on fingerprints and dental comparison

**FOCUS was on skeletal trauma
- Blunt force trauma noted (only on nasal bones)
- no gunshot trauma noted
- knife wounds were noted
- specific location and number of knife impacts noted
- attributes of knife documented (single-edged?, serrated?)
- Only the schematic diagram (interpretations) permitted in court

67
Q

Outdoor Crime Scene Reconstruction approach

A
  • Forensic taphonomic approach
  • collected all of the evidence
  • constructed history of scene
  • focused on what the scene looked like minutes after suspects left
  • tested law enforcement/medicolegal hypotheses of event
  • Presented in court
  • Murder conviction
68
Q

Surface scatter remains

A
  • Forensic archaeological recovery
  • systematic exposure of evidence (body and associated evidence)
  • hand-drawn maps, total station maps, survey-grade GPS, 3D scans
  • Provenience (location, position, and orientation) of ALL evidence
  • Contributions to cause, manner, circumstances of death
69
Q

Buried body features

A
  • Forensic archaeological recovery
  • systematic excavation within burial feature to expose evidence (body and associated evidence)
  • Document tool marks on edge of pit
  • Document depth and configuration of burial pit walls
70
Q

Fatal fire scenes

A
  • forensic archaeological recovery
  • Systematic excavation of scene to expose evidence (body and associated evidence)
  • Forensic significance important for recognizing highly altered remains and evidence
  • Every set of remains carefully and fully exposed and provenienced before removal from scene
  • Document location (which room and floor) and position and orientation of the victim
71
Q

Laboratory analysis of burned human remains

A
  • unique ability to analyze highly fragmented, distorted, and discolored human remains
  • document and interpret burn patterns
  • ability to separate perimortem trauma from heat/fire-related trauma
72
Q

Mass disaster scenes: large plane crash

A
  • Forensic anthropologists can direct searches
  • Forensic anthropologists can direct recovery efforts: Forensic archaeological methods
  • Skills in identifying and recovering commingled, fragments, and fire-altered human remains critical
  • recovery directed by archaeologist
  • full excavation took parts of 5 days and a total of 29.5 excavation hours to complete recovery
  • every set of remains carefully and fully exposed and provenienced before removal from scene
  • Comparison of scene, victim remains, and fire led to scientific explanation for lone missing individual
  • ensure that all evidence is found and documented in place
  • excavate carefully and thoroughly around each victim
  • ensure that all highly altered human tissue is located and associated with each individual victim
  • document position and orientation of each victim (multiple points, not just “center mass”)
  • Excavate area around body to locate all fire altered tissues
  • extensive mapping procedures
  • total station, survey-grade GPS, 3D scanning
  • Now can reconstruct where everyone was located at impact
73
Q

Two sets of mass disaster scene recovery protocols

A

1.) Dispersed scene: Weldon Spring Protocols
2.) Concentrated Scene: Clarence Center Protocols

74
Q

Forensic archaeology allows use to answer questions applicable to a wide variety of situations

A
  • surface scatters
  • buried body features
  • fatal fires
  • mass disasters
75
Q
A
76
Q
A
77
Q
A

Crime Scene Arch (3 decks)

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