In the post-Daubert era, forensic science disciplines are increasingly informed by robust, statistically-sound experimental research. The educational value of the well-documented case study, however, remains as important as ever. Emphasizing known contextual information, this volume serves as a case-driven guide to skeletal trauma analysis through the unique perspective of each chapter's authors. Both forensic anthropologists and pathologists contribute skeletal trauma cases covering a range of topics including child abuse, blunt force trauma, descents from height, plane crashes, sharp force trauma and dismemberment, gunshot wounds, blast trauma, and burned body interpretation. Several chapters also include a discussion of potentially confounding taphonomic influences such as animal scavenging, water immersion, burning, and extended postmortem intervals. Detailed descriptions with multiple supporting images allow the practitioner's skeletal trauma interpretation to be compared to the "answer" as it pertains to the known circumstances surrounding the traumatic events of each case.

The editors, along with 15 outstanding contributors, comprehensively explore and provide an overview of the principles behind the interpretation of skeletal blunt force trauma. This expanded second edition provides a discussion on how to train for a career in forensic anthropology and offers guidance on how to complete a thorough trauma analysis. It also provides the labels given to different kinds of fractures and the biomechanical forces required to cause bone to fail and fracture. The text provides a theoretical framework for both evaluating published trauma studies and designing new ones. Experimental trauma research is an area ripe for research, and criteria to consider in choosing which non-human species to use in an actualistic study are offered. Common circumstances in which blunt force trauma is encountered are described. Information is provided on a variety of causes of death due to blunt force trauma. These causes range from accidental deaths to homicides due to blunt force from motor vehicle accidents, falls, strangulation, child and elder abuse, among others. Epidemiological information on whom is most likely affected by these various kinds of blunt force trauma is drawn from both the clinical and forensic literature. The most fundamental elements of the text are offered in four chapters where, bone by bone, fracture by fracture, the authors describe what to call each kind of fracture, what is known about how much force is required to break the bone that way, and fracture specific epidemiological information. This particular section of the text provides an invaluable reference source for forensic anthropologists and other osteologists to consult when looking at and trying to classify a bone fracture. Case studies are included to bring the book full circle back to considering the micro and macro bone changes that are seen when bone fails and fractures. The case studies are illustrative both of the concepts described through the book and of the high quality analyses forensic anthropologists contribute to medicolegal investigations of death every day. The text is further enhanced by 150 illustrations, some in color. This completely updated and expanded new volume is an essential reference for the forensic anthropology professional.

Born out of the need to recover, analyze, and present physical evidence on thousands of individual victims of large-scale human rights violations, multi-national, multi-disciplinary forensic teams developed a sophisticated system for the examination of human remains and set a precedent for future investigations. Codifying this process, Skeletal

Provides comprehensive coverage of everything that students and practitioners need to know about working in the field of forensic anthropology Forensic anthropology has been plagued by questions of scientific validity and rigor despite its acceptance as a section in the American Academy of Forensic Sciences nearly half a century ago. Critics have viewed it as a laboratory-based applied subfield of biological anthropology, and characterised it as emphasising methodology over theory. This book shows that these views are not only antiquated, but inadequate and inaccurate. Forensic Anthropology: Theoretical Framework and Scientific Basis introduces readers to all of the theoretical and scientific foundations of forensic anthropology — beginning with how it was influenced by the early theoretical approaches of Tyler, Morgan, Spencer and Darwin. It instructs on how modern forensic science relies on an interdisciplinary approach — with research being conducted in the fields of archaeology, physics, geology and other disciplines. This modern approach to theory in forensic anthropology is presented through the introduction and discussion of Foundational, Interpretive and Methodological theories. Sections cover: Bias and Objectivity in Forensic Anthropology Theory and Practice; The Theory and Science Behind Biological Profile and Personal Identification; Scientific Foundation for Interpretations of Antemortem, Perimortem, and Postmortem Processes; and Interdisciplinary Influences, Legal Ramifications and Future Directions. Illustrates important aspects of the theory building process and reflects methods for strengthening the scientific framework of forensic anthropology as a discipline Inspired by the “Application of Theory to Forensic Anthropology” symposium presented at the 67th annual meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences Chapters written by experts in the field who were presenters at the symposium Forensic Anthropology: Theoretical Framework and Scientific Basis is ideal for university courses in anthropological science, forensic science, criminal science and forensic archaeology.

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.

A Laboratory Manual for Forensic Anthropology approaches forensic anthropology as a modern and well-developed science, and includes consideration of forensic anthropology within the broader forensic science community, with extensive use of case studies and recent research, technology and challenges that are applied in field and lab contexts. This book covers all practical aspects of forensic anthropology, from field recoveries, to lab analyses, emphasizing hands-on activities. Topics include human osteology and odontology, examination methods, medicolegal significance, scene processing methods, forensic taphonomy, skeletal processing and sampling, sex estimation, ancestry estimation, age estimation, stature estimation, skeletal variation, trauma analysis, and personal identification. Although some aspects are specific to the United States, the vast majority of the material is internationally-relevant and therefore suitable for forensic anthropology courses in other countries. - Provides a comprehensive lab manual that is applicable to coursework in forensic anthropology and archaeology - Covers all practical aspects of forensic anthropology, from field recoveries, to lab analyses - Includes discussions of human osteology and odontology, examination methods, medicolegal significance, scene processing methods, forensic taphonomy, skeletal processing and sampling, sex estimation, and more - Emphasizes best practices in the field, providing an approach that is in line with today's professional forensic anthropology

Post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) is increasingly used in forensic pathology practice in many jurisdictions. Such imaging has expanded the capacity to evaluate skeletal trauma improving the visualisation, documentation and presentation of forensic findings. Typically when deceased persons are located and exhibit evidence of trauma, forensic pathologist, anthropologists and radiologists base their interpretations of the mechanism of trauma on their experience and understanding of the biomechanics of fractures as well as recognisable patterns of injury. In order to augment this process, An Atlas of Forensic Skeletal Trauma presents a range of de-identified adult and child skeletal trauma cases that occur in medico-legal contexts where the cause of death and mechanism of trauma are recorded. An Atlas of Forensic Skeletal Trauma includes comprehensive photographs and PMCT images as well as descriptive text. - Presents a valuable guide to the interpretation of skeletal trauma for practitioners and students of forensic anthropology, pathology and radiology - Provides coverage of skeletal trauma cases resulting from high and low velocity projectiles, low energy blunt force (e.g., assaults involving various implements, hangings, strangulations, falls), high energy blunt force (e.g., motor vehicle and aviation incidents), and more - Includes case studies with written and visual descriptions, discussions and up-to-date literature review

Major updates in this new edition provide information on current trends such as the management of osteoporotic and fragility fractures, locked plating technology, post-traumatic reconstruction, biology of fracture repair, biomechanics of fractures and fixation, disaster management, occupational hazards of radiation and blood-borne infection, effective use of orthotics, and more. A DVD of operative video clips shows how to perform 25 key procedures step by step. A new, full-color page layout makes it easier to locate the answers you need quickly. More than six hours of operative videos on DVD demonstrate 25 of the very latest and most challenging techniques in real time, including minimally invasive vertebral disc resection, vertebroplasty, and lumbar decompression and stabilization. An all-new, more user-friendly full-color text design enables you to find answers more quickly, and more efficiently review the key steps of each operative technique.

Interpreting Bone Lesions and Pathology for Forensic Practice presents a concise description of the necessary steps for the differential diagnosis of disease and trauma on skeletal remains. Information obtained from the pathological reactions of bone can be fundamental for forensic dilemmas, ranging from identification to understanding trauma. The book's authors aim to provide reliable tools for the appropriate interpretation of lesions on bone through macroscopic, radiological, histological and biomolecular analyses on skeletal remains. - Provides tools for the proper interpretation of bone pathology and lesions - Presents content that is based on modern and documented case studies - Includes bone pathological reactions that are crucial for interpreting trauma

A key to being confident in the evaluation of skeletal trauma imaging is to rely on the identification of mechanism-specific traumatic features. Indeed, for each mechanism of injury applied to a particular part of the skeleton, the latter can only present predefined traumatic injuries: this is a pattern of injuries.The recognition of such a pattern of imaging allows the reader to determine the injuring mechanism and look for damages of lesser expression (or even invisible damages) that are common to the identified mechanism. In becoming more familiar with those mechanisms, the readers can deal with trauma imaging more efficiently and directly focus on findings relevant for further management.Skeletal Trauma: A Mechanism-Based Approach of Imaging aims to combine the knowledge of both radiologists and surgeons to propose a mechanism-based approach to imaging in skeletal trauma. Along 15 chapters covering every part of the skeleton, with more than 900 figures, this book reviews the anatomy, standard radiologic views, and imaging findings of skeletal trauma. Over 200 original schemas invite the reader to understand the imaging features and determine the injuring mechanism. - Presents a comprehensive review of skeletal injuries using a mechanism-based approach - Reviews relevant anatomy on common trauma radiologic views and cross-sectional imaging - Details the most frequent circumstances of trauma, including mechanisms of injuries and structures involved for each - Helps readers understand why and where injuries occur and how they present on imaging