The Characteristics Of Forensic Anthropology

Ever since Sherlock Holmes, police and prosecutors have solved cases by confessions or eyewitness accounts, but recently they started solving cases from the forensic evidence found. In the passage, “Forensic Science: Evidence, Clues, and Investigation” by Andrea Campbell, forensic evidence is explained to be the most important evidence to present at trial.

The condition of the victim is checked by the initial responding officer. Then, the police officer observes the surrounding area and notes any vehicles or persons leaving and entering the area. Apart from that, all people who present in the crime scene must be identified. All evidences obtained are documented (Howell, 1999).

A positive aspect of this is that forensic scientists only need a small amount of a sample to get the results they need (“Forensic Science” 12). These samples can come from many other forms of identification other than fingerprints and bloodstains. A few moderate examples include strands of hair, tiny beads of sweat, and a saliva specimen (“Forensic Science” 12). Forensic Science Technicians stated that “crime scene investigators may use tweezers, black lights, and specialized kits to identify and collect evidence.” They also stated that examining autopsies prove to be beneficial in a crime investigation (“Forensic Science Technicians”

Properly processing a crime scene is extremely important and can determine the outcome of a case. If evidence is collected incorrectly it may get destroyed or contaminated. When there are only trace amounts of evidence, it is very important that all of it is collected properly. The most important part of crime scene investigation is the investigators. In order to assess the crime scene, each investigator must be competent and know how to do their job correctly. In this essay I will focus on general crime scene processing, exhibit collection of three pieces of evidence and the processing of one specific area.

Forensic scientists and investigators can employ numerous forensic techniques to help solve this crime. These can include using biological examination in terms of detecting and identifying bloodstain pattern analysis, analyse ballistics and fingerprints.

The Hinton Rail collision of 1986 is one of Canada’s worst rail disasters, occurring just on the outskirts of the Rocky Mountains in Alberta. This mass disaster was the result of a head-on high speed collision of a VIA rail Super Continental passenger train and a Canadian National freight train, leaving behind the remanence of torn apart passenger cars, shattered glass, burning chemical fumes and piles of scattered debris (Ferllini, 2012, p.170). Such a scene required the assistance of forensic anthropologists from the University of Alberta, alongside medical examiners and forensic ondontologists (Ferllini, 2012, p.171). The role of forensic anthropologists was imperative in the Hilton Rail collision case, as a multidisciplinary approach which

Once on the table, the professionals got to work, going through the Identification process. The professionals first examined the dental records of the man and then tried to match them with the ones on the table. Now, what they are doing is looking at the records and the teeth and trying to match them as closely as they possibly can. That's when the investigators knew that the man that was lying on their operating table wasn't the man that they were told it was supposed to be. That's when they knew that they had to go deeper into this autopsy. What was used next was called Examples of Individual Character. Matching fingerprints weren't going to be an option because the fingertips were so badly burned. Step two was doing a deoxyribonucleic acid test to the flesh, teeth, and hairs, which were all burned in the fire. That's when one of the investigators noticed that the man on the operating table was much shorter than who they thought it was. They then took measurements of the body, across the chest, shoulder length, arm length, leg length, upper body, lower body,

Crime has existed in societies across the world for centuries. Forensic science has given insight into the world of crime and has been able to unmask the secrets of crime scenes. For example, the archaeological exhumination of buried remains has been helpful in many investigations, and the information that can be obtained has been used to identify unrecognizable victims (Id, 2010). As the prevalence of crime increases, so does the need and use of forensic techniques, especially in regards to identifying deceased persons. As such, over the past decades, forensic anthropology has evolved and has given birth to an extensive array of technological advancements, from computerized databanks to advanced methods of facial reconstruction (Adebisi, 2008).

Forensics has been utilized to solve criminal cases for a very long time. One of the components to forensic science is trace evidence. Trace evidence is evidence that is left behind or transferred through contact. Examples of trace evidence would include soil, hair, fibers, pollen, and gunshot residue. One might believe that it would be great to find these pieces of evidence on a victim of a homicide. However, the minute samples, ambiguity of it being the result of something criminal, and not being able to be linked to a particular individual with a high degree of certainty are three reasons trace evidence is not reliable.

DNA is the carrier of genetic information in humans and other living organisms. It has become a very useful tool in forensic science since it was discovered. In forensic science, DNA testing is used to compare the genetic structure of two individuals to establish whether there is a genetic relationship between them.

Pattern evidence can be defined as evidence which can be studied from a specific pattern. It can also be classified as the additional identifiable information from markings produced when two objects come into contact with each other. (The National Institute of Standards and Technology, 2013) Examples of pattern evidence include fingerprints, shoeprints, tire threads, firearms and bloodstains. Pattern analysis such as analysing of handwriting are also part of pattern evidence. The analysis of pattern evidence is a useful tool and has always been used in the field of forensic science. However, the objectivity of pattern evidence has always been widely contested due to the highly subjective nature of the analysis of pattern evidence.

Forensic evidence is anything presented in court to support or refute a theory of statement. In a healthcare setting, common types of evidence include clothing, body fluids, bloodstains, and bullets. In the course of a physical exam, you're also likely to find other evidence such as hairs and fibers, for instance, as well as pieces of materials such as paint, glass, or wood.

Evidence based on scientific explanations is a good evidence that can be used in the criminal justice system. In addition, these evidences based on forensic science can be very useful and critical where these evidences can free innocently convicted accused. Criminal cases such as Duke lacrosse, David Millggard, Clayton Johnson, and Talao are examples of case that forensic science helped to prove their innocence. However, there is potential possibility that these evidences of forensic science can lead to wrongful convictions when the criminal justice system subjectively look into the scientific evidences.

Identification is one of the main goals of forensic science. In this crucial legal and scientific process many different methods may be used, such as: bone and dental analysis, DNA analysis and, in some cases, facial reconstruction. Facial reconstruction is a forensic method that tries to recreate and impose unknown facial features on to the skull of the subject at hand (hwang). Facial reconstruction utilizes a plethora of approaches including photography, math, computer science and anatomy in an effort to create more reliable methods of identification and approximation (). As such, facial reconstruction is probably the most eclectic and modern method available to forensic scientists, and it should not be ignored just because methods like DNA

Anthropology is a field of science that deals with the systematic study of humans-the population, evolution, adaptation, genetics and origin of linguistics. It is a relatively new field that began only in the late 1800’s.