Week 2 - Introduction to Forensic Anthropology Flashcards
1
Q
what is forensic anthropology
A
- > branch of biological anthro concerned with the identification and recovery of human SKELETAL remains in a legal context using anthological methods and theories
2
Q
forensic anthro pre 1940s
A
- > anatomists, physiologists were self taught, had informal training
- > little medicolegal significance
3
Q
forensic anthro from 1940-1970
A
- > WW2, Korean and Vietnam wars left alot of bodies that needed to be identified
- > alot of age based observation as they were mostly white males
- > discipline was legitimized and there were increased method development
4
Q
forensic anthro 1970-1990s
A
- > increased professionalization, American Academy of Forensic Anthropology
- > renaissance of human skeletal biology
1. Modern comparative samples
2. better analytical stats to interpret variation
5
Q
forensic anthro 1990-present
A
- > a lot more accessible; there are now university programs and databases for the discipline
- > best practices guidelines and standards used in the discipline and in courts
6
Q
medicolegal
A
the application of medical science to law
7
Q
medicolegal system
A
- > system head is either a coroner or a medical examiner who is responsible for determining cause and manner of death
- > formal mechanism for death investigation and certification within a specific geographic area
8
Q
coroner
A
- > elected or appointed
- > does not need to be a physician
- > does not need to attend or perform autopsies
- > i.e. physician, law enforcement officer, funeral director
9
Q
medical examiner
A
- > appointed by public official
- > licensed, board-certified forensic pathologist
- > perform autopsies
- > convene inquests
10
Q
describe new brunswicks coroner services
A
- > independent and publicly accountable investigation of death agency
- > they determine the identity of all reported deaths in NB and how, when, where and by what means they died
- > deal with all deaths that are unnatural, unexpected, unexplained or unattended
- > responsible for determining whether such reported deaths are related to natural causes, accident, suicided, or homicide
11
Q
What warrants a medicolegal investigation in NB
A
• If a person has died as a result of
- > violence
- > misadventure or negligence
- > misconduct or malpractice
- > during pregnancy or following pregnancy in circumstances that might reasonably be attributable to the pregnancy*
- > suddenly and unexpectedly
- > from disease or sickness for which there was no treatment given by a medical practitioner
- > from any cause other than disease or natural causes!!!!!!
12
Q
What are the 3 time classification of death
A
- Perimortem
- Antemortem
- Postmortem
13
Q
perimortem
A
- > events surrounding death
- > any disease, trauma, illness that initiates the sequence of events leading to death
- Brief - gunshot; long - chronic illness
- > concludes at the end of interaction between individual and causative agent (not nessarily death)
14
Q
antemortem
A
- > begins at birth and ends at the perimortem period
15
Q
postmortem
A
begins at the end of perimortem and continues until the body is discovered
