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Advances in Forensic Anthropology: Human Identification

Lourdes Ramirez, BA Candidate in Criminal Justice & Anthropology California State University, Stanislaus

Research Question

Background and Literature ReviewSignificance

Expected ResultsMethods

REFERENCES

Introduction

CONTACT

Anthropology is the study into humankind. A subdiscipline of anthropology is biological anthropology, which is using anthropology in a biological or physical setting. Under this discipline, falls another smaller discipline known as forensic anthropology which applies anthropology in a medicolegal setting [6]. This could be for criminal cases, human identification cases, accident victims, or in mass disasters. Forensic anthropology has a focus on skeletal remains, this is important for cases where bones are the only thing that are found as evidence [1]. A biological profile which consists of age, sex, stature, ancestry, and any individual characteristics is one of the most important things when it comes to forensic anthropology.

Human identification is the process of identifying human remains using various methods or techniques. As technology continues to advance, the process of human identification has seen more techniques and methods being used for human identification cases. Human identification cases can range from missing people, discovered unidentified people, mass disasters, or in accidents in which the forensic pathologist is unable to confirm the identity of a victim.

The project will consist of analytical research.

Several databases will be used which will have a focus on forensic science, physical/biological anthropology, and forensic anthropology.

There will be a focus on the application of new technology in human identification and another focus on how human identification is looked at on an international level.

Techniques such as facial reconstruction, computer techniques, phenotype identification, radiological analysis, dental comparisons and other methods will be looked at.

A comparison of international techniques will be studied. Countries should have similar techniques when it comes to human identification, but they may not have the funding and resources to continue with the advances. Countries from all economic levels will be studied in order to see which kind of practices different countries follow.

A look into the training that is needed to conduct and work on human identification cases should be looked at as well. This is also something that will be viewed on an international level.

It is predicted that most places around the world have similar techniques, methods, and training that are used here in the United States.

Countries with higher poverty rates will have a less likelihood of having advances in human identification because the citizens of these countries have less access to resources that could help in the case of one of them needing to be identified. For example, countries with a poor economy, in which a large population of citizens have limited access to dental care may not be able to use dental records in order to identify an individual.

Databases, forensic radiological methods, the biological profile, facial imaging techniques, and facial reproduction are included when it comes to human identification.

I.) DatabasesThe National Missing and Unidentified persons

system (NamUs) is a software program that is used on a national level. NamUs provides an excessive amount of information which can include most of the following: case information, demographics and physical appearance, dental records, DNA, fingerprints, the investing agency, possible matches and other stuff as well [3].

II.) Imaging MethodsPhotographic superimposition techniques can

include things such as comparing soft tissue and bony landmarks, this is a weak method because it could depend on the quality of the photo that is being used for the comparison [3].

Facial reproduction is another technique which is not meant to provide a positive ID, but it is meant to give the unidentified person a similar look to how they looked like when they were alive and this is shown to the public to see if they could provide a positive identification [5]. A face is made with a computer assisted program to see how the person may have looked like.

III.) DentalDental and medical records seem to be one of the

most helpful ways to provide a positive identification. The antemortem records can be obtained and then compared to the postmortem individual [5]. Our dental work is unique to ourselves.

An overview of international practices when it comes to human identification will be useful in seeing how other places around the world are dealing with the process of techniques and methods in human identification. Also, a look into how an international database could help with more human identification cases.

A focus into the overall advances in human identification should be looked at in order to get the general understanding how useful and how advanced the techniques and methods are for identifying human remains.

A look into the advances of human identification is needed in order to compare the techniques and methods to see how much the process of human identification has advanced throughout the years.

Question 1: What are other countries doing in regards to human identifications? What techniques, methods, and training have been put in place in order to proceed with a human identification case?

Question 2: What technological advances have been applied to the process of human identification?

1. Ferllini, R. (2012). Silent witness: how forensic anthropology is used to solve the worlds’ toughest crimes. London: New Burlington.

2. Kimmerle, E. H. (2014). Practicing Forensic Anthropology: A Human Rights Approach to the Global Problem of Missing and Unidentified Persons. Annals of Anthropological Practice, 38(1), 1–6. https://doi-org.libproxy.csustan.edu/10.1111/napa.12038

3. Latham, K. E., Bartelink, E. J., & Finnegan, M. (Eds.). (2018). New Perspectives in Forensic Human Skeletal Identification. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/book/9780128054291/new-perspectives-in-forensic-human-skeletal-identification

4. Srinivas, N., Flynn, P. J., & Vorder Bruegge, R. W. (2016). Human Identification Using Automatic and Semi-Automatically Detected Facial Marks. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 61, S117–S130. https://doi-org.libproxy.csustan.edu/10.1111/1556-4029.12923

5.Steadman, D. W. (2016). Hard evidence: case studies in forensic anthropology. London: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.

6.Wescott, D. J. (2018, June 12). Recent advances in forensic anthropology: decomposition research. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6374978/

Figure 1. Computer Facial Reconstructionhttps://www.photonics.com/Articles/Face_to_face_forensic_artists/a35494

Figure 2. Superimposition Technique (Tissue-pegs on the surface of a skull on anatomical landmarks)

https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Superimposition-technique-for-skull-identification-Birngruber-Kreutz/e49da65429b8a3728a078f0a592b11defff8fba5

Acknowledgments

Lourdes RamirezTrio McNair Scholars ProgramEmail: LRamirez24@csustan.eduPhone: (209) 338-8893

Thank you to Dr. Sari Miller-Antonio for serving as my mentor as I continue to work on my research.