FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY STUDY OF BONES   1200w

Anthropology is the study of humankind, culturally and physically, in all times and places. Forensic Anthropology is the application of anthropological knowledge and techniques in a legal context (Hunter, 1996b). This involves detailed knowledge of osteology, anatomy, and to a lesser degree pathology, to aid in the identification and cause of death of skeletal and severely decomposed human remains. The application of forensic anthropology is specifically useful when human remains are extremely difficult for the medico-legal team to identify, and these remains are often a result of decomposition, dismemberment, severe burning and charring, and submersion in water for prolonged periods (Haglund and Sorg, 1996 and 2001).

 It is a fallacy to believe that forensic anthropology applies solely to skeletal remains. In many instances, particularly in the United Kingdom, a forensic anthropologist is required to analyse remains with partial soft tissue. The geographical magnitude of the United States usually dictates that the American forensic anthropologist will encounter more skeletonised remains than those still possessing soft tissue (Uberlaker and Scammell, 2000), however, the opportunities for cadavers to decompose to a fully skeletonised state are severely reduced in the UK. Similarly, there are specific instances where remains can be uncovered in varying states of entirety, including mass disasters, such as train and aircraft accidents, and instances involving human rights infringements (Cox, 2003). However, in the United Kingdom, forensic anthropology is yet to be nationally accepted or acknowledged as a credible and valuable addition to the forensic science armoury, and until recently, the number of cases involving forensic anthropologists has been limited. Although the trained and accredited forensic anthropologist has the capability to undertake a wide range of analyses, and has the potential to add greatly to the field of forensic science, this essay will briefly outline the predominant methodologies employed by the forensic anthropologist in the identification of human remains.