Commentary - (2022) Volume 7, Issue 2
Received: 14-Mar-2022, Manuscript No. JFM-22-58983;
Editor assigned: 16-Mar-2022, Pre QC No. P-58983;
Reviewed: 28-Mar-2022, QC No. Q-58983;
Revised: 02-Apr-2022, Manuscript No. R-58983;
Published:
09-Apr-2022
, DOI: 10.37421/ jfm.2022.7.166
Citation: Srinivasan, Samyukta. “Analysis of Integrating Forensic Archaeology and Anthropology.” J Forensic Med 7 (2022): 166. DOI: 10.37421/ jfm.2022.7.166
Copyright: © 2022 Srinivasan S. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
To reconstruct historical human behaviour from incomplete material remains, archaeologists develop theories and methods. Physical anthropology is a related field that deals with concerns about skeletal remains while taking into account taphonomic factors. Although the value of combining these disciplines in forensic investigations has grown in recent decades, the usage of Forensic Archaeology and Anthropology (FAA) in Sweden is still limited. The purpose of this research is to examine the field of FAA in Sweden in relation to outdoor and fire crime scenes involving human remains. The current condition and possible advancements of FAA within the Swedish police and the National Board of Forensic Medicine are explored based on qualitative interviews.
The findings reveal that there are no standards in Sweden for forensic examinations and analysis of human fragmented remains. The individual crime scene investigator bears a significant deal of responsibility for deciding how to investigate these locations and who to hire for the study of osteological remains. This may jeopardise the collecting and interpretation of evidence. A development of FAA could improve studies of buried or fragmentary human remains in Sweden, according to this study:
1) Quantifying cases that could benefit from FAA
2) Establishing FAA as an independent subject
3) Developing a national infrastructure
4) Offering professional education in the subject (s)
5) Developing best practise to advance evidence collection and legal security in investigations involving fragmentary human remains are all important steps in the development of FAA.
The integration of archaeological theories, methodologies, and procedures in a legal setting is often termed as forensic archaeology. Forensic archaeologists are experienced in field and survey work, which includes the search, documenting, identification, and retrieval of physical remains from outdoor crime scenes, including buried material. Because archaeology is interdisciplinary, some archaeologists specialise in disciplines like geophysics, DNA, and isotopes. Forensic archaeology is more than just the recovery of potential evidence; it also includes the use of archaeology's theories and methodologies to comprehend the temporal sequence of events. Stratigraphy and morphology of sediment, as well as their relationship to physical remains, are examined during and after the field research.
Osteology is the science of hard tissue, such as bones and teeth, and forensic anthropology (or 'forensic osteology') is concerned with situations of medico-legal, humanitarian, or forensic relevance. The majority of forensic anthropologists' work involves fragmentary and charred skeleton remains, as well as decaying human remains. Species identification, biological profiling, victim identification, post-mortem interval evaluation, skeletal trauma, skeletal pathology, and taphonomy are only a few of the tasks. Previous works on the history and intricacy of forensic archaeology and archaeology.
A combination of forensic archaeological and anthropological abilities is suitable for assisting crime scene investigators in circumstances where skeletal or degraded remains are expected. In order to recreate past criminal acts, identify the culprit, and the deceased, forensic archaeology and anthropological methodologies and theories are developed to analyse incomplete physical remnants and surroundings. The relevance of combining these abilities during the field phase is becoming more-well acknowledged, as understanding the interplay between site creation processes and human remains aids in event reconstruction.
In terms of examination and analysis of fragmentary, skeletal, or concealed human remains, Swedish outdoor and fire crime scene investigations are not standardised. Regional disparities are significant, and FAA is not addressed in the national CSI education. The individual crime scene investigator bears a significant amount of responsibility for determining the optimal strategy for investigating these sites and, in turn, deciding on the consulting party for the study of human skeletal remains. As a result, the quality of outdoor crime scene investigations involving human remains is not standardised and can vary substantially. This study shows that the development of FAA could improve studies of buried, fragmentary, or buried human remains in Sweden.
Based on the findings of interviews and previous research, the author proposes that the following steps should be taken to further the development of forensic archaeology and forensic anthropology within the police and NBFM in Sweden: 1) identify the quantity and type of cases that could benefit from FAA; 2) establish FAA as an independent subject within the police and at the NBFM; and 3) develop a national infrastructure that can provide similar competences nationally, with minimum requirements, experience, and training. 4) Provide professional education in the subject(s); and 5) Establish national standards and best practises for outdoor CSI and FAA in order to promote evidence collecting and legal security in cases of human remains fragments [1-5].
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Journal of Forensic Medicine received 165 citations as per Google Scholar report
