ETHICS IN FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY   pt3         1800w

Ethical Dilemmas in Forensic Anthropology

 False claims of expertise represent one of the major ethical dilemmas in forensic anthropology. Reports indicate that this vice is often committed by forensic anthropologists who appear as expert witnesses in court (Yadav, 2017). Examples of misrepresentation of credentials common with professionals working in this field include claims of an unearned degree from a particular institution, false claims of certification to work as a forensic anthropologist from the American Board of Pathology, as well as unverifiable work history and information about the number of previous testimonies given in a courtroom (Passalacqua & Pilloud, 2018). According to experts, such misrepresentations are often aimed at building good reputation before a judge and impressing a potential client, all of which qualify as unethical acts that should be discouraged. Reports also indicate that forensic anthropologists are prone to faults relating to laboratory analytical procedures (Libal, 2014). All laboratories have principles that guide the processes of carrying out tests and recording the results. It is unethical for any professional to disregard the protocols of any laboratory because it leads to insufficient and indiscriminate analysis of tests carried out (Passalacqua & Pilloud, 2018). The conclusions made and presented by a forensic anthropologist on any test are expected to be unambiguous and comprehensible. However, studies have established that unethical professionals are prone to “dry-labbing”, a practice where forensic anthropologists report on the findings of an analysis and give their conclusions without carrying out any examination (Yadav, 2017).

Interpretation of analytical data and presenting it as testimony in a court of law is also a major dilemma that forensic anthropologists often face. Professionals in this field are fond of using scientific