ISSN: 2041-6792

Clinical Investigation

Forensic-anthropology-open-access

Forensic anthropology is the application of the anatomical science of anthropology and its various subfields, including forensic archaeology and forensic taphonomy, in a legal setting. A forensic anthropologist can assist in the identification of deceased individuals whose remains are decomposed, burned, mutilated or otherwise unrecognizable, as might happen in a plane crash. Forensic anthropologists are also instrumental in the investigation and documentation of genocide and mass graves. Along with forensic pathologists, forensic dentists, and homicide investigators, forensic anthropologists commonly testify in court as expert witnesses. Using physical markers present on a skeleton, a forensic anthropologist can potentially determine a person's age, sex, stature, and ancestry. This is useful in identifying living individuals for legal purposes such as undocumented immigrants. This is extremely important in legal cases where the court needs to decide if they will judge an undocumented individual as an adult or a minor. In addition to identifying physical characteristics of the individual, forensic anthropologists can use skeletal abnormalities to potentially determine cause of death, past trauma such as broken bones or medical procedures, as well as diseases such as bone cancer. The methods used to identify a person from a skeleton relies on the past contributions of various anthropologists and the study of human skeletal differences.  

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