Anthropology in Forensic Investigations

Course Description

Forensic anthropology is the applied arm of biological anthropology that uses knowledge of human skeletal variation to answer questions of medicolegal significance. The primary goal of forensic anthropology is the identification of highly decomposed or skeletonized human remains through estimation of the biological profile (age, sex, ancestral affinity, stature), and when appropriate the archaeological search and recovery of remains, the estimation of the post-mortem interval, and the interpretation of traumatic injuries, taphonomic changes, and other individuating characteristics that affect the skeleton. This course provides a comprehensive overview of the many tasks, techniques, and theories employed by forensic anthropologists to achieve these goals. Completion of this course prepares students for further study in the field and familiarizes them with the contributions of anthropology to forensic investigations, but it does not certify them to practice as professional forensic anthropologists.

Target Audience

Forensic anthropologists work closely with many other professionals in the medicolegal and investigative fields, including law enforcement, lawyers, judges, physicians, dentists, criminalists and criminologists, mass disaster responders, and policy makers. As such, these professionals stand to benefit from this course. The material is also appropriate for undergraduate and graduate students in the fields of criminology, forensic science, social science, biology, anthropology, archaeology, medicine, dentistry, history, and any other related disciplines.

Student Learning Outcomes

In this course, you will:

1. Learn aspects of human anatomy and osteology, and recognize whole and fragmentary human bones from other non-forensically significant materials;
2. Learn the various techniques and underlying theories used in estimating the biological profile (i.e., sex, age, ancestry and stature) of human skeletal remains;
3. Learn to recognize pathologies, traumatic injuries, and taphonomic indicators that affect the skeleton, and how these are interpreted;
4. Learn the roles and limitations of the forensic anthropologist within law enforcement and judicial systems; and
5. Learn to approach human remains ethically and with respect.