Pros And Cons Of Sex Estimation

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Abstract: Sex estimation is the first step in the analysis of found human remains, this can collaborate or disprove a forensic case, and can also then help to provide an age of remains at death to begin a timeline. Results are created from many methods however these methods have their own pros and cons, for example if only part of a full skeleton is found some methods are not plausible. The results established show that the skeletons in question (216 and 889) are both full enough to create a decision in this case, however one decision was created easier than the other.

Forensic Anthropology is a multidisciplinary field combining physical anthropology, archaeology and other fields of anthropology with forensic science, including forensic dentistry, pathology and criminalistics – (Iscan 1981). Combining forensic anthropology and human osteology – the study of human bones, forensic scientists use many methods to estimate the sex of human remains. This is a highly important topic to any type of forensic specialist as it can …show more content…

The first measurement been the;
(Ischium Length / Pubis Length) x 100 and the result is how you can go to putting the skeleton on the scale. These measurements are determined by taking the ischium length using callipers - an instrument for measuring internal or external dimensions, consisting of two steel legs hinged together. (Collins English Dictionary no date) and the pubis length is measured using the same method.
The next measurement would be;
Maximum ant sacral breadth x 100 / Max ant sacral height, and the result scoring once again fitting in a range to scale – these scores shown in results section
Finally, the last metric measurement of the pelvis is;
Greater sciatic notch width x 100 / Vertical diameter of the acetabulum.
These methods, metric and morphological, where checked on both skeletons that I performed a sex estimation on and results were created if

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