Surface Scatters Flashcards
Forensic archaeology
- surface scatters
- burials
- fatal fires
- mass disasters/fatalities
Surface scatters
- site where the remains and evidence is scattered on the ground
- remains are “easy” to locate on the surface BUT often disturbed from the original context
- they are more easily moved and affected by environmental factors
When we arrive at the scene, the body belongs to whom?
The coroner/medical examiner
Arrival at scene
- preliminary assessment
- test hypotheses
- documentation commences upon arrival (written, photographic, and cartographic)
- environmental factors should be noted (weather, insect activity, etc.)
Anything of importance: REPORT for TRIAL
T/F it is important to document not only what is happening, but who is doing it, at what time, etc.
True
Surface scatter steps
1.) Systematic search: delimit the immediate and general scene
2.) Evaluate items for forensic significance
3.) Perform more intensive hands-and-knees search
4.) Denude
5.) Document context (GPS, scans, hand-drawn plan view map)
6.) Document and collect evidence
7.) Chain of custody
Large scale pedestrian search
Identify search corridors
Form a shoulder to shoulder line
- extremities of the line marked with tape/flags
- walk a transect (straight line) across the search corridor, flagging potential evidence
transect
straight line
Most important aspects of a large-scale search
1.) Know where you have been
2.) Cover 100 percent of the search area
Evaluation of forensic significance
- evidence flagged during the large-scale pedestrian search
- evaluate forensic significance (sometimes difficult during the initial search)
- must be photographed and geolocated prior to removing
Intensive hands-and-knees search
- once pre-recovery documentation has been completed
- same principle as a large-scale search
- can observe close-up presence of insects, layers of leaf litter, etc.
- start at the outer edges and work in a collapsing concentric circle
Collapsing concentric circle
peripheral to center
outside to inside
Denude the scene
- Identify primary and (if necessary) secondary concentration
- Removing vegetation on the surface that obscures the evidence
- Outward to center
- exposes micro topography and allows for visualization of remains
- essentially “controlled deconstruction” of the scene
Document location, position
- hand-drawn map
- GPS units
- Total Station
- Surface Scanner
- photographs
- notes
(purpose is to tie all aspects of the scene together) - remains, topography/elevation, positioning, identification of evidence, and notation with relation to other evidence (Provenience)
- allows us to test the hypotheses law enforcement has given us
Evidence Collection
Evidence for Anthros vs. Law Enforcement
