Knowra Forensic anthropology Forensic anthropology Forensic anthropology applies anthropological methods to legal investigations, especially the recovery, analysis, and identification of human skeletal remains.
Biological profile : A set of estimated skeletal characteristics used to help identify a person, including age, sex, stature, and ancestry. Forensic anthropologists build this profile to narrow the range of possible identities.
Human identification : The process of establishing the identity of an unknown person using biological, documentary, or contextual evidence. Skeletal findings contribute to identification but usually require comparison with other evidence.
Skeletal system : The body system composed of bones, cartilage, and associated connective tissues. The skeleton is the principal material examined in many forensic anthropology cases.
Thomas Dwight : An American anatomist whose work on human skeletal variation helped establish physical anthropology in the United States. His anatomical research helped lay foundations for later forensic skeletal analysis.
Forensic science validity : The degree to which forensic methods produce accurate, reproducible, and scientifically supported conclusions. It frames scrutiny of how reliably skeletal traits support forensic conclusions.
Forensic taphonomy : The study of how environmental, biological, and human processes alter remains after death. Surface changes and context can help distinguish burial, scavenging, and other postmortem events.
Minimum number of individuals : The smallest number of people represented by a set of commingled human remains. Counting repeated skeletal elements helps establish how many individuals are present.
Sex estimation from skeletal remains : The assessment of skeletal features to estimate the biological sex of human remains. Pelvic and cranial traits can contribute to a biological profile, with uncertainty.
Wilton Krogman : An American physical anthropologist known for applying skeletal analysis to forensic identification. His book and casework helped bring forensic skeletal expertise to legal investigations.
Forensic anthropology standards : Guidelines and professional practices governing the documentation and interpretation of forensic anthropological evidence. Standards address variation in methods and reporting between practitioners.
Show all 28