Background on Forensic Anthropology
Forensic anthropology is a branch of physical anthropology. “Forensic anthropologists use their knowledge of the human skeleton and of criminal investigation to identify the victims of violent crimes and mass disasters” (Libal, 2006). They do analyze of human skeletal remains in order to be able to determine age, sex, race, and stature (height). By answering these four questions they can give a name to that person. There are many different techniques that contribute to answering these four questions. For example, to tell how old the person is, a “forensic anthropologist can study the ossification, which is cartilage changing the bone by fusing bones to one another, and the aging of the person’s bones and determine the age at the time of death” (Libal, 2006). There are many ways for a forensic anthropologist to determine if the victim was male or female and one way is by the pelvis. A woman’s pelvis is wide and shallow were as a man’s is narrow and deeper. For a forensic anthropologist to find out the race of a person they evaluate ” the shape of the skull and teeth and some of the body’s joints” (Libal, 2006). They are able to find out a person’s stature by measuring a long bones and then using mathematical formula (Libal, 2006).
To a person that is not a forensic anthropologists it’s just a skeleton, however to a forensic anthropologist it’s a person that was a male or female that was this tall and was this old and background was this. They can tell so much about this person by just studying their bones. They are able to give a name to bones and are able to give them back to their families. An example of how forensic anthropologist were able to help using these techniques would be from a case called The Hilton Rail Collision. In February, 1986, in the Alberta Rocky Mountains, there was a collision of a passenger train and a freight train. Many people were able to get out but a lot of passengers were trapped in the wreckage. In order to know who the people were that were not able to get out from the wreckage; forensic anthropologists and others, tens of thousands of bone fragments were recovered in nine days (Libal, 2006). These things can happen anywhere, but instead of it being a disaster, it could have to do with civil right’s cases like ones in Argentina, Guatemala, and also Florida case if the Dozier School for Boys.
To a person that is not a forensic anthropologists it’s just a skeleton, however to a forensic anthropologist it’s a person that was a male or female that was this tall and was this old and background was this. They can tell so much about this person by just studying their bones. They are able to give a name to bones and are able to give them back to their families. An example of how forensic anthropologist were able to help using these techniques would be from a case called The Hilton Rail Collision. In February, 1986, in the Alberta Rocky Mountains, there was a collision of a passenger train and a freight train. Many people were able to get out but a lot of passengers were trapped in the wreckage. In order to know who the people were that were not able to get out from the wreckage; forensic anthropologists and others, tens of thousands of bone fragments were recovered in nine days (Libal, 2006). These things can happen anywhere, but instead of it being a disaster, it could have to do with civil right’s cases like ones in Argentina, Guatemala, and also Florida case if the Dozier School for Boys.