A Companion to Forensic Anthropology

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A Companion to Forensic Anthropology presents the most comprehensive assessment of the philosophy, goals, and practice of forensic anthropology currently available, with chapters by renowned international scholars and experts. Highlights the latest advances in forensic anthropology research, as well as the most effective practices and techniques used by professional forensic anthropologists in the field Illustrates the development of skeletal biological profiles and offers important new evidence on statistical validation of these analytical methods. Evaluates the goals and methods of forensic archaeology, including the preservation of context at surface-scattered remains, buried bodies and fatal fire scenes, and recovery and identification issues related to large-scale mass disaster scenes and mass grave excavation. Author Information Dennis Dirkmaat is the Chair of the undergraduate program in Applied Forensic Sciences and the Masters of Science in Anthropology at Mercyhurst College. He is a board-certified forensic anthropologist, with a specialty in forensic archaeology, who has conducted hundreds of forensic anthropology cases nationally and internationally. He has been a member of the Federal Government’s Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team (DMORT) since its inception in the mid-1990s, and serves as a consultant for international companies involved in the recovery and identification of victims of mass disaster events around the world. Table of Contents List of Illustrations ix List of Tables xvi Notes on Contributors xvii About This Book xxix Acknowledgments xxxv Part I Introduction and Brief History of Forensic Anthropology 1 Forensic Anthropology: Embracing the New Paradigm 3 —Dennis C. Dirkmaat and Luis L. Cabo Part II Recovery of Human Remains from Outdoor Contexts 41 Introduction to Part II 43 —Dennis C. Dirkmaat Documenting Context at the Outdoor Crime Scene: Why Bother? 48 —Dennis C. Dirkmaat Determining the Forensic Significance of Skeletal Remains 66 —John J. Schultz The Application of Ground-Penetrating Radar for Forensic Grave Detection 85 —John J. Schultz Crime Scene Perspective: Collecting Evidence in the Context of the Criminal Incident 101 —Michael J. Hochrein The Role of Forensic Anthropology in the Recovery and Interpretation of the Fatal-Fire Victim 113 —Dennis C. Dirkmaat, Gregory O. Olson, Alexandra R. Klales, and Sara Getz Forensic Anthropology at the Mass Fatality Incident ( Commercial Airliner) Crash Scene 136 —Dennis C. Dirkmaat Mass Graves and Human Rights: Latest Developments, Methods, and Lessons Learned 157 —Hugh H. Tuller Archaeology, Mass Graves, and Resolving Commingling Issues through Spatial Analysis 175 —Luis L. Cabo, Dennis C. Dirkmaat, James M. Adovasio, and Vicente C. Rozas Part III Developments in Forensic Osteology 197 Introduction to Part III 199 —Luis L. Cabo Developments in Forensic Anthropology: Age-at-Death Estimation 202 —Heather M. Garvin, Nicholas V. Passalacqua, Natalie M. Uhl, Desina R. Gipson, Rebecca S. Overbury, and Luis L. Cabo Skeletal Age Estimation: Where We Are and Where We Should Go 224 —George R. Milner and Jesper L. Boldsen Adult Sex Determination: Methods and Application 239 —Heather M. Garvin Sexual Dimorphism: Interpreting Sex Markers 248 —Luis L. Cabo, Ciarán P. Brewster, and Juan Luengo Azpiazu Morphoscopic Traits and the Assessment of Ancestry 287 —Joseph T. Hefner, Stephen D. Ousley, and Dennis C. Dirkmaat Fordisc 3 and Statistical Methods for Estimating Sex and Ancestry 311 —Stephen D. Ousley and Richard L. Jantz Estimating Stature 330 —Stephen D. Ousley Part IV Developments in Human Skeletal Trauma Analysis 335 Introduction to Part IV 337 —Dennis C. Dirkmaat Interpreting Traumatic Injury to Bone in Medicolegal Investigations 340 —Steven A. Symes, Ericka N. L’ Abbé, Erin N. Chapman, Ivana Wolff, and Dennis C. Dirkmaat The Biomechanics of Gunshot Trauma to Bone: Research Considerations within the Present Judicial Climate 390 —Hugh E. Berryman, Alicja K. Lanfear, and Natalie R. Shirley Developments in Skeletal Trauma: Blunt-Force Trauma 400 —Nicholas V. Passalacqua and Todd W. Fenton Part V Advances in Human Identification 413 Introduction to Part V 415 —Dennis C. Dirkmaat Advances in the Anthropological Analysis of Cremated Remains 418 —Traci L. Van Deest, Michael W. Warren, and Katelyn L. Bolhofner Human Identification Using Skull-Photo Superimposition and Forensic Image Comparison 432 —Norman J. Sauer, Amy R. Michael, and Todd W. Fenton DNA Analysis and the Classic Goal of Forensic Anthropology 447 —Luis L. Cabo DNA Identification and Forensic Anthropology: Developments in DNA Collection, Analysis, and Technology 462 —David Boyer Part VI Forensic Taphonomy 471 Introduction to Part VI 473 —Dennis C. Dirkmaat and Nicholas V. Passalacqua Current Research in Forensic Taphonomy 477 —Marcella H. Sorg, William D. Haglund, and Jamie A. Wren The Use of Taphonomy in Forensic Anthropology: Past Trends and Future Prospects 499 —Mark O. Beary and R. Lee Lyman Part VII Forensic Anthropology Beyond Academia 529 Introduction to Part VII 531 —Dennis C. Dirkmaat Forensic Anthropologists in Medical Examiner ’s and Coroner ’s Offices: A History 534 —Hugh E. Berryman and Alicja K. Lanfear Forensic Anthropology at the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner 549 —Christopher W. Rainwater, Christian Crowder, Kristen M. Hartnett, Jeannette S. Fridie, Benjamin J. Figura, Jennifer Godbold, Scott C. Warnasch, and Bradley J. Adams The Many Hats of a Recovery Leader: Perspectives on Planning and Executing Worldwide Forensic Investigations and Recoveries at the JPAC Central Identification Laboratory 567 —Paul D. Emanovsky and William R. Belcher Part VIII Forensic Anthropology Outside North America 593 Introduction to Part VIII 595 —Dennis C. Dirkmaat European Perspectives and the Role of the Forensic Archaeologist in the UK 598 —Nicholas Márquez-Grant, Stephen Litherland, and Julie Roberts The Establishment and Advancement of Forensic Anthropology in South Africa 626 —Ericka N. L’ Abbé and Maryna Steyn The Application of Forensic Anthropology to the Investigation of Cases of Political Violence 639Luis Fondebrider Part IX Ethics, Overview, and the Future of Forensic Anthropology 649 Introduction to Part IX 651 —Dennis C. Dirkmaat The Pervasiveness of Daubert 654 —Stephen D. Ousley and R. Eric Hollinger Ethics in Forensic Anthropology 666 —Diane L. France An “Outsider” Look at Forensic Anthropology 683 —James M. Adovasio Index 690

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I'm glad it's in my library, September 12, 2016
By angel m desmarais

A really balanced overview on the subject. I'm glad it's in my library.

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Excellent and up to date., August 05, 2013
By Bert Failor

Highly recommend this book. It is well written and current . Dr. Dirkmaat is very experienced and knowledgeable.
Great addition to your Forensics Anthropology library. Carpe Diem Mercyhurst !

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Was about time..!, March 22, 2013
By Katerina

Great book... a true companion... not only I bought the paper version, but the kindle version as well... real useful, has everything you must know...

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