Forensic anthropologists will tell you that the ability to study the remains of a deceased person opens up a world of scientific possibilities and makes it even possible to put together pieces of what could have happened to a victim. The forensic anthropologists undergo rigorous training in areas such as human osteology, archeology and anthropology, skills which enable them to work in the lab and on the field, to determine whether a certain subject died of natural causes or foul play was involved. Here, are a few tips for skeletal identification.
Evidence gathering
When detectives visit the crime scene, they focus on putting together parts of the puzzle that could have led to the crime, but their emphasis is usually the physical items on the scene. They will, therefore, focus on getting fingerprints, a weapon and other telltale signs that could lead them to the perpetrator of the crime. On the other hand, forensic anthropologists are trained to focus their attention on the victim of the crime, or the deceased.
They assess the physical appearance, the presence or absence of certain body features and other parts of the subject's anatomy. All the data gathered is to help determine the gender of the victim, their possible size, age and even ancestry of the victim. All these are characteristics which come in handy when piecing together a crime.
The signs
There are certain indicators that the anthropologists will look into when assessing a victim. Their findings shed a lot of light to the life lived by the dead person. For example, multiple fractures which have healed on the face of the victim could point to a very strong history of frequent domestic abuse. Fractures that are in the healing process on the hands could also indicate that the person lived in a violent environment. All these are clues that come in handy when trying to figure out what could have killed a patient.
Forensic anthropologists are, therefore, very crucial to the process of fighting crime. A criminal investigation will only be as productive as the team that they have selected to handle their detective work. The teams also come in handy in cases where there have been large travesties such as terrorist attacks which leave most of their victims impossible to recognise. The efforts of the forensic anthropologist help families locate their loved ones as soon as possible, and in doing so, shorten their grief and distress.
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