Importance Of Forensic Anthropologists

To forensic anthropologists, the analysis of human bone opens a portal of scientific truth that allows the justice system to discover the facts and circumstances surrounding certain criminal acts. They are trained in anthropology, archaeology, human osteology, and chain-of-evidence procedures. Forensic anthropologists are primary players in forensic science both in the field and in the laboratory.

The resolution of trials can depend upon the systematic recovery and collection of physical evidence in the field, rigorous scientific analysis in the laboratory, and protection of the integrity of the evidence. Typically, federal, state, and county evidence response/CSI teams collect and analyze physical evidence, including the human skeletal remains. However, forensic anthropologists are often called upon by

For example, many of the forensic anthropologists called to help in the recovery of victims of the September 11th World Trade Center attack, were tasked with sorting the human remains from the incomprehensible volume of nonhuman material, rocks, sticks, and other debris. Although they did not use their skills to positively identify the victims in this case, their work sped up the identification process, mostly conducted in a large part by DNA and dental experts. For these reasons, forensic anthropologists have become scientific linchpins for many forensic investigations, helping in the recovery of and the analysis of the victims of mass fatalities in addition to tying the perpetrators of the crime to the victim and weapon by using their knowledge of tool marks on bone among their other skills and tasks in the identification and investigation