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Bidmos M, Brits D. Evaluating the accuracy of population-specific versus generic stature estimation regression equations in a South African sample. Int J Legal Med 2024:10.1007/s00414-024-03340-x. [PMID: 39356314 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-024-03340-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 09/18/2024] [Indexed: 10/03/2024]
Abstract
Accurate estimates of stature play an important role in the personal identification of unknown decedents, however a drawback in the application of many stature estimation equations is the need for known sex and population, the assignment of which can be challenging. Researchers have formulated equations for stature estimation that are neither population- nor sex-specific and thereof the aim of this study was to assess the applicability of these stature estimation equations proposed by Albanese et al.. (2016) (Albanese J, Tuck A, Gomes J, Cardoso HFV (2016) An alternative approach for estimating stature for long bones that is not population- or group-specific. Forensic Sci Int 259:59-68). The physiological length of the femur, condylar malleolar length of the tibia and a combination of these measurements, collected from Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scanograms of adult (20-60 years) White South African males (n = 30) and females (n = 44) were used to assess the accuracy of the Albanese et al. (Albanese J, Tuck A, Gomes J, Cardoso HFV (2016) An alternative approach for estimating stature for long bones that is not population- or group-specific. Forensic Sci Int 259:59-68). sex-specific and generic stature estimation equations. The stature estimates were compared with measured living stature (LSM), using paired t-tests. Results indicated that the Albanese et al. (Albanese J, Tuck A, Gomes J, Cardoso HFV (2016) An alternative approach for estimating stature for long bones that is not population- or group-specific. Forensic Sci Int 259:59-68). equations underestimated living stature by between 1.1 and 5.0 cm. These underestimations were significantly different between the LSM and the sex-specific estimates for females and the LSM and the generic estimates for males and the tibia for sex-specific equation. All stature estimates however fell in between two standard error of estimates for the sex-specific equations for males and the generic equations for the females. Although, the equations by Albanese et al. (Albanese J, Tuck A, Gomes J, Cardoso HFV (2016) An alternative approach for estimating stature for long bones that is not population- or group-specific. Forensic Sci Int 259:59-68). can be used to estimate stature in White South Africans in certain cases, the use of sex/population-specific equations remains the method of choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mubarak Bidmos
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
| | - Desiré Brits
- Human Variation and Identification Research Unit (HVIRU), School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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2
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Liebenberg L, L'Abbé EN, Stull KE. Exploring cranial macromorphoscopic variation and classification accuracy in a South African sample. Int J Legal Med 2024; 138:2081-2092. [PMID: 38622313 PMCID: PMC11306635 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-024-03230-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
To date South African forensic anthropologists are only able to successfully apply a metric approach to estimate population affinity when constructing a biological profile from skeletal remains. While a non-metric, or macromorphoscopic approach exists, limited research has been conducted to explore its use in a South African population. This study aimed to explore 17 cranial macromorphoscopic traits to develop improved methodology for the estimation of population affinity among black, white and coloured South Africans and for the method to be compliant with standards of best practice. The trait frequency distributions revealed substantial group variation and overlap, and not a single trait can be considered characteristic of any one population group. Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's tests demonstrated significant population differences for 13 of the 17 traits. Random forest modelling was used to develop classification models to assess the reliability and accuracy of the traits in identifying population affinity. Overall, the model including all traits obtained a classification accuracy of 79% when assessing population affinity, which is comparable to current craniometric methods. The variable importance indicates that all the traits contributed some information to the model, with the inferior nasal margin, nasal bone contour, and nasal aperture shape ranked the most useful for classification. Thus, this study validates the use of macromorphoscopic traits in a South African sample, and the population-specific data from this study can potentially be incorporated into forensic casework and skeletal analyses in South Africa to improve population affinity estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandi Liebenberg
- Department of Anatomy, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x323, Arcadia, 0007, South Africa.
- Forensic Anthropology Research Centre, University of Pretoria, Arcadia, South Africa.
| | - Ericka N L'Abbé
- Department of Anatomy, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x323, Arcadia, 0007, South Africa
| | - Kyra E Stull
- Department of Anatomy, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x323, Arcadia, 0007, South Africa
- Department of Anthropology, University of Nevada, Reno, USA
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3
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Zuckerman MK, Marklein KE, Austin RM, Hofman CA. Exercises in ethically engaged work in biological anthropology. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2024:e25015. [PMID: 39177071 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.25015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
An ethical paradigm shift currently taking place within biological anthropology is pushing scholars to envisage and develop paths toward more ethical futures. Drawing from case studies in our own teaching, research, and fieldwork experience, we reflect on the complex, diverse, and dynamic nature of ethical considerations in our field. We discuss the acquisition and institutional narrative of a human osteological teaching collection at the University of Louisville as an embodiment of structural apathy turned structural violence, and the need for professional guidance in the potential retirement of deceased individuals from our classrooms. In documented collections (i.e., the Robert J. Terry Collection), we share our process and scholarly reemphasis of the humanity of a deceased individual through contextualized analysis (i.e., osteobiography and archival history) and postmortem agentive acts. Lastly, we present an archeological site in the U.S. Virgin Islands, which poses ethical concerns as biocultural bioarcheologists and archeologists attempt to negotiate the possible wishes of the deceased with the cultural value of reconstructing the community's otherwise undocumented past, all amidst the immediate threat of anthropogenic climate change. We offer these exercises and discussion in ethically engaged projects transparently and with an overarching admission that none are models for replication. Rather, at various stages in our careers and engagement with ethics, we acknowledge that progress is worthwhile, albeit challenging, and that proceeding forward collectively as biological anthropologists should be deliberate, reflexive, and compassionate for deceased individuals and their descendant communities, as well as among and between colleagues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly K Zuckerman
- Department of Anthropology and Middle Eastern Cultures and Cobb Institute of Archaeology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi, USA
- The Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Kathryn E Marklein
- Department of Anthropology and the Center for Archaeological and Cultural Heritage, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | | | - Courtney A Hofman
- The Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research and the Department of Anthropology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
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4
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Pilloud MA, Kenessey DE, Smith EM, Vlemincq-Mendieta T. Estimation of sex assigned at birth using dental crown and cervical measurements in a modern global sample. J Forensic Sci 2024. [PMID: 39118271 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.15593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
Despite developing prior to the appearance of secondary sexual characteristics of the skeleton, the permanent dentition exhibits sexual dimorphism. Therefore, teeth can serve as a means to estimate sex assigned at birth even in young individuals. This project takes a large global sample of maximum dimensions of the crown as well as measurements of the crown at the cervix to explore sexual dimorphism. Dimorphism is noted in teeth throughout the dental arcade, particularly in the canines. We provide sectioning points as well as the probability of correct classification (ranging from 50.9% to 81.3%) for each measurement to aid the practitioner in sex estimation from the dentition. This research provides a method to estimate sex without arbitrary population specifications. We argue for a global approach that incorporates more population variation to remove the need to estimate "ancestry," (which in actuality is translated to a social race category) and therefore does not force sexual dimorphism-related variation into these mutable and ambiguous categories. Further, this paper demonstrates the utility of the dentition as an additional indicator to aid with the estimation of sex assigned at birth in forensic anthropology. The goal of this research is to better understand the expression of sexual dimorphism across the skeleton in a global context.
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Koch SL, Zaidi A, González T, Shriver MD, Jablonski NG. The Trotter collection: A review of Mildred Trotter's hair research and an update for studies of human variation. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2024; 184:e24930. [PMID: 38581359 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Mildred Trotter was an anatomist and physical anthropologist whose studies on hair morphology, growth, somatic distribution, and trait relationships to age and ethnogeographic population were foundational to the field of microscopical hair analysis. The collection of human hair samples she assembled for her research has been an underutilized resource for studies on human hair variation. We applied updated methods and reviewed Trotter's original data to reassess the relationship hair traits have to diverse population labels. METHODS Hair form and pigmentation patterns were measured from a subset of the hair samples accumulated by Trotter and we compared our data to Trotter's original results. Variability in hair traits were tested within individuals, within populations, and among ethnogeographic groups. RESULTS Measured hair cross-section dimensions and melanosome density and distribution revealed substantial variability within individuals and ethnogeographic populations. Hair traits were found to not be distinctly separable by ancestry but instead showed continuous variation across human populations. Trotter's measurements were precise and the dataset she compiled remains valid, though the conclusions should be reviewed in light of our current understanding of human variation. DISCUSSION Our findings support moving away from categorical ancestry classifications and eliminating the use of outdated racial typologies in favor of more descriptive trait analysis. Detailed analysis of trait pattern distributions are presented that may be useful for future research on human variation. We point to the need for additional research on human variation and hair trait relationships with reference to known population affinity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra L Koch
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Arslan Zaidi
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Genetics, Cell, and Developmental Biology Department, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Tomás González
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Facultad de Ciencias, Sociales y Artes, Society and Health Research Center, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile, USA
- Society and Health Research Center, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile, USA
| | - Mark D Shriver
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Nina G Jablonski
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
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Kolpan KE, Vadala J, Dhanaliwala A, Chao T. Utilizing augmented reality for reconstruction of fractured, fragmented and damaged craniofacial remains in forensic anthropology. Forensic Sci Int 2024; 357:111995. [PMID: 38513528 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.111995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Forensic anthropologists are often confronted with human remains that have been damaged due to trauma, fire, or postmortem taphonomic alteration, frequently resulting in the fracture and fragmentation of skeletal elements. The augmented reality (AR) technology introduced in this paper builds on familiar 3D visualization methods and utilizes them to make three dimensional holographic meshes of skeletal fragments that can be manipulated, tagged, and examined by the user. Here, CT scans, neural radiance fields (NeRF) artificial intelligence software, and Unreal Engine production software are utilized to construct a three-dimensional holographic image that can be manipulated with HoloLens™ technology to analyze the fracture margin and reconstruct craniofacial elements without causing damage to fragile remains via excessive handling. This allows forensic anthropologists a means of assessing aspects of the biological profile and traumatic injuries without risking further damage to the skeleton. It can also be utilized by students and professional anthropologists to practice refitting before reconstructing craniofacial fragments if refitting is necessary. Additionally, the holographic images can be used to explain complicated concepts in a courtroom without the emotional response related to using bony elements as courtroom exhibits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharine E Kolpan
- Department of Culture, Society and Justice, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive, Moscow, ID 83844, USA.
| | - Jeffrey Vadala
- Penn Neurology Virtual Reality Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania, Richards Medical Laboratories, 3700 Hamilton Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ali Dhanaliwala
- Department of Radiology, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, 51 N. 39th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Tiffany Chao
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, 51 N. 39th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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7
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Gaddis K, Woollen KC, Johnson LJ, Flaherty T, Byrnes JF. A structural vulnerability approach to older adult suicides: Trends and potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Clark County, NV (2017-2021). Forensic Sci Int Synerg 2024; 8:100454. [PMID: 38304716 PMCID: PMC10830507 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsisyn.2024.100454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
The ongoing SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected all aspects of life in the United States and around the world. This is particularly true for marginalized and vulnerable groups who face disproportionate levels of violence and premature death within their communities. While general impacts of the pandemic have been well-studied overall, little has been done to examine the correlation between COVID-19 and the risk of suicide among older adults. Older adults are particularly at risk because they face challenges including ageism, inadequate support systems, unreliable transportation, and frequent social isolation. Medicolegal casework offers a unique vantage of these issues, as it aims to identify manner of death which may be influenced by underlying structural vulnerabilities. The current research draws upon data collected from the Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner. A sample of 871 older adults (aged 50+), whose manner of death was deemed a suicide between the years 2017-2021, were included in this analysis. Statistical analyses investigated differences between adults aged 50-64, 65-84, and 85+ years. Results suggest statistically significant changes in mechanism of death between pre-pandemic and pandemic periods, indicating a shift in risk factors related to social isolation and the home environment. Understanding such changes in trends directly affects the interpretation of skeletal data in forensic anthropology and thus, should be taken into consideration when developing structural vulnerability profiles. Furthermore, the inclusion of a structural vulnerability approach in forensic case reports has the potential to provide additional context for deaths by suicide and may help develop policies and procedures for mitigating future risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Gaddis
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy., Las Vegas, NV, 89154, USA
| | - Katharine C. Woollen
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy., Las Vegas, NV, 89154, USA
| | - Liam J. Johnson
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy., Las Vegas, NV, 89154, USA
| | - Taylor Flaherty
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy., Las Vegas, NV, 89154, USA
| | - Jennifer F. Byrnes
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy., Las Vegas, NV, 89154, USA
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8
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Jong L. On the persistence of race: Unique skulls and average tissue depths in the practice of forensic craniofacial depiction. SOCIAL STUDIES OF SCIENCE 2023; 53:891-915. [PMID: 35875920 PMCID: PMC10696904 DOI: 10.1177/03063127221112073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The (re-)surfacing of race in forensic practices has received plenty of attention from STS scholars, especially in connection with modern forensic genetic technologies. In this article, I describe the making of facial depictions based on the skulls of unknown deceased individuals. Based on ethnographic research in the field of craniofacial identification and forensic art, I present a material-semiotic analysis of how race comes to matter in the face-making process. The analysis sheds light on how race as a translation device enables oscillation between the individual skull and population data, and allows for slippage between categories that otherwise do not neatly map on to one another. The subsuming logic of race is ingrained - in that it sits at the bases of standard choices and tools - in methods and technologies. However, the skull does not easily let itself be reduced to a racial type. Moreover, the careful efforts of practitioners to articulate the individual characteristics of each skull provide clues for how similarities and differences can be done without the effect of producing race. Such methods value the skull itself as an object of interest, rather than treat it as a vehicle for practicing race science. I argue that efforts to undo the persistence of race in forensic anthropology should focus critical attention on the socio-material configuration of methods and technologies, including data practices and reference standards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisette Jong
- University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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9
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Hughes C, Yim AD, Juarez C, Servello J, Thomas R, Passalacqua N, Soler A. Investigating identification disparities in forensic anthropology casework. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0290302. [PMID: 37910496 PMCID: PMC10619877 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Forensic anthropology is shifting to reflect on the impact of its practices within the criminal justice context in important ways. Here, we contribute to this essential work by examining how decedent demographics as well as estimations of biological profile components are related to identification trends in forensic anthropology cases. The study uses data from more than 1,200 identified and unidentified forensic anthropology cases from three agencies (together representing a nation-wide sample). We found the following: i) multivariate analyses indicated that decedent sex, age, and race and/or ethnicity are not related to case identification rates in the pooled United States sample, ii) when identification rate differences do occur, they appear to be smaller effects, more agency-specific, and/or related to the context of a particular agency, iii) for the agency-specific sample with available data, there was no consistent evidence for a discrepancy in the duration of an identification investigation based on a decedent's sex, age, or race and/or ethnicity, iv) forensic anthropological estimations of sex, age, and ancestry can improve the odds of identification for decedents, although these are small effects, and v) reporting an ancestry estimation does not appear to impact decedent race representation among resolved unidentified person cases. Although previous studies have identified demographic discrepancies in other areas of the criminal justice system, the results presented here suggest that decedent demographic estimation practices by forensic anthropologists in general do not appear to be related to discrepancies in identification trends, but more research is needed to examine whether these findings hold. Contextual factors and practices specific to each investigative agency likely contribute to identification trends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cris Hughes
- Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
| | - An-Di Yim
- Department of Health and Exercise Sciences, Truman State University, Kirksville, Missouri, United States of America
- Forensic Science Program, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginiai, United States of America
| | - Chelsey Juarez
- Department of Anthropology, California State University Fresno, Fresno, California, United States of America
| | - John Servello
- Forensic Anthropology Unit, University of North Texas Center for Human Identification, Fort Worth, Texas, United States of America
| | - Richard Thomas
- Trace Evidence Unit, Laboratory Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Quantico, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Nicholas Passalacqua
- Anthropology and Sociology Department, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Angela Soler
- New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner, New York City, New York, United States of America
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10
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Kim JJ, Winburn AP, Moore MK, Scott H. Adapting forensic case reporting to account for marginalization and vulnerability. Forensic Sci Int Synerg 2023; 7:100436. [PMID: 37829274 PMCID: PMC10565684 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsisyn.2023.100436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Scholarship of forensic sciences has shown politicalization of human remains and potential biases in criminal investigations. Specifically, concerns have been raised regarding how forensic anthropology analysis and documentation may hinder identification processes or obfuscate other data. As part of this scholarship, some have suggested that forensic anthropologists expand their reporting to include broader public health and safety information as well as reconsider who should be included in reports of anthropological findings. In response to these burgeoning discussions, this piece provides examples of ways anthropologists may formulate reports that capture evidence of marginalization or structural vulnerability. Documentation of findings can occur in myriad formats, including, but not limited to, individual case reports, reports on population analyses from cases, collaborative end-of-year reporting conducted with other medicolegal professionals, and collaborative databasing. This piece provides various templates and suggestions for reporting this kind of data while encouraging further discussion on related merits and concerns.
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11
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Jacometti V, Guimarães MA, de Moraes LOC, Marques SR, Cunha E, da Silva RHA. Ancestry estimation in forensic anthropology: accuracy of the AncesTrees software in a Brazilian sample. Forensic Sci Res 2023; 8:202-210. [PMID: 38221968 PMCID: PMC10785597 DOI: 10.1093/fsr/owad030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study is to analyze the accuracy and applicability of the AncesTrees software with respect to a set of cranial measurements of a Brazilian sample consisting of 114 identified skulls from two osteological collections, predominantly composed of European (n = 59), African (n = 35), and admixed individuals (n = 20). Twenty-four different craniometric measurements are performed and input to AncesTrees via two algorithms, one of which is used in three configurations, with different ancestral groups integrated in the model. The software exhibits superior performance in the estimation of European individuals, reaching 73% accuracy, compared with 66% in the African individuals. Those individuals classified as admixed produce a variety of ancestral classifications, mainly European. Overall, the most accurate combination of AncesTrees is obtained using ancestralForest with only the European and African groups integrated into the algorithm, where the accuracy reaches 70%. The applicability of this software to a specific population is fragile because of the high admixing load, making it necessary to create a more representative anthropometric database of the Brazilian people. Key points Ancestry estimation methods are seldom validated in Brazil.AncesTrees performed poorly on our sample, with a maximum accuracy of 70%.Brazil's highly mixed population hinders ancestry estimation.Mixed individuals (pardos) are predominantly classified as Europeans.The insertion of Brazilian metric data into the AncesTrees database would produce better results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Jacometti
- Department of Pathology and Legal Medicine, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, 14048-900 Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Marco Aurelio Guimarães
- Department of Pathology and Legal Medicine, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, 14048-900 Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Luis Otávio Carvalho de Moraes
- Discipline of Descriptive and Topografic Anatomy, Department of Morphology and Genetics, Federal University of São Paulo, 04024-002 São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sérgio Ricardo Marques
- Discipline of Descriptive and Topografic Anatomy, Department of Morphology and Genetics, Federal University of São Paulo, 04024-002 São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Eugénia Cunha
- Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology, Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
- Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Universidade de Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Henrique Alves da Silva
- Department of Stomatology, Public Health and Forensic Odontology, School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, 14040-904 Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
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12
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Reineke RC, Soler A, Beatrice J. Towards a forensic anthropology of structural vulnerability. Forensic Sci Int Synerg 2023; 6:100332. [PMID: 37249968 PMCID: PMC10209806 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsisyn.2023.100332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Anthropologists have theorized structural vulnerability as a way to understand forms of violence that disenfranchise certain parts of a population, leading to poorer health outcomes and increased risk of death. Recently, forensic anthropologists have used these theories to better understand the ways in which individual decedents in forensic contexts may be linked collectively through structural conditions. A recent example is the proposal of a "structural vulnerability profile." Based on research and casework done in the context of migrant deaths along the US-Mexico border, we caution against the use of a "profile," which suggests a categorical approach that could lead to negative unintended consequences in the future. Instead, we argue for continued development of practices that allow for observation, documentation, and interdisciplinary discussion of evidence of structural violence revealed during a death investigation. Specifically, we argue for an approach that grounds such observations within a particular social and historical context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin C. Reineke
- The Southwest Center, University of Arizona, 1401 E. First St., P.O. Box 210185, Tucson, AZ, 85721-0185, USA
- School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, P.O. Box 210030, Tucson, AZ, 85721-0030, USA
| | - Angela Soler
- Forensic Anthropology Unit, Office of Chief Medical Examiner of New York City, 421 E 26th St, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Jared Beatrice
- The College of New Jersey, Social Sciences Building Room 317, P.O. Box 7718, 2000 Pennington Rd., Ewing, NJ, 08628, USA
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13
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Kim JJ, Friedlander H. If you see something, say something: Structural vulnerability data and reporting in forensic anthropology casework. Forensic Sci Int Synerg 2023; 6:100328. [PMID: 37228688 PMCID: PMC10203732 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsisyn.2023.100328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jaymelee J. Kim
- Forensic Sciences Program, University of Findlay, 1000 N. Main Street Findlay, OH, 45840, USA
| | - Hanna Friedlander
- Michigan State Police, For Special Issue: Structural Vulnerability Framework, USA
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Carew RM, French J, Morgan RM. Drilling down into ethics: A thematic review of ethical considerations for the creation and use of 3D printed human remains in crime reconstruction. Sci Justice 2023; 63:330-342. [PMID: 37169458 DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2023.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
The existing literature contains some exploration of the ethics concerning human remains in forensic and virtual anthropology. However, previous work has stopped short of interrogating the underlying ethical concepts. The question of how people understand and apply these concepts in practice, and what it means to act ethically, remain underexplored. This thematic review explores the ethical considerations that contribute to the creation and use of 3D printed human remains for forensic purposes. The three main branches of ethical theory are outlined to explore how they may apply to forensic practice. Key themes relating to 3D printing human remains in forensic contexts were explored to better understand the ethics landscape, ethical challenges, and the current guidelines in place. Through this thematic review, nine ethics principles were identified as key principles for guiding best practice: anonymity, autonomy, beneficence, consent, context, justice, non-maleficence, proportionality, and transparency. It is suggested that these principles could be incorporated into adaptable guidelines going forward to support ethical practice. The findings also suggest that holistic ethics cognition training may have value in supporting forensic scientists in ethical decision-making, together with procedural and structural design that may promote best practice and reduce cognitive load.
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15
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Dwyer I, Justinvil D, Cunningham A. Caribbeanist casualties: Interrogating the application of structural vulnerability to forensic anthropology. Forensic Sci Int Synerg 2023; 6:100327. [PMID: 37215488 PMCID: PMC10195849 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsisyn.2023.100327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Biocultural approaches are instrumental to the evolution of forensic anthropology, and this practice must first reckon with its own violences before it can ethically address structural violence at large. We take up the issue of coerced migrations of Caribbean populations and forensic practice at the southern border of the United States, to problematize how forensic identification standards contribute to the casualties of ethnic erasures and potentially exacerbate structural vulnerability of Black Caribbean populations. We put forward that forensic anthropology is complicit in maintaining inequality in death and identification for Black Caribbean migrants through the absence of necessary reference data and methods of population-affinity estimation, and the adoption of fundamentally flawed linguistic constructions of Blackness. Pushing forensic anthropology to continue engaging with the colonial logics that have shaped its understanding and motivation for quantifying human biologies is key in efforts toward a progressive disciplinary future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isis Dwyer
- Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Delande Justinvil
- Department of Anthropology, American University, Washington D.C., USA
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16
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Gruenthal-Rankin A, Somogyi T, Roome A, DiGangi EA. Beyond the report: Prospects and challenges in forensic anthropological investigations of structural vulnerability. Forensic Sci Int Synerg 2023; 6:100315. [PMID: 36793704 PMCID: PMC9923155 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsisyn.2023.100315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Forensic anthropologists are increasingly interested in accounting for embodied marginalization in addition to the biological profile. A structural vulnerability framework, which assesses biomarkers of social marginalization in individuals within forensic casework, is worthwhile but its application must be informed by ethical, interdisciplinary perspectives that reject categorizing suffering within the pages of a case report. Drawing from anthropological perspectives, we explore prospects and challenges of evaluating embodied experience in forensic work. Particular attention is paid to how forensic practitioners and stakeholders utilize a structural vulnerability profile within and beyond the written report. We argue that any investigation of forensic vulnerability must: (1) integrate rich contextual data, (2) be evaluated for potential to perpetuate harm, and (3) serve the needs of a diverse array of stakeholders. We call for a community-oriented forensic practice, wherein anthropologists may act as advocates for policy change to disrupt power structures driving vulnerability trends in their region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel Gruenthal-Rankin
- Department of Anthropology, Division of Social Sciences, University of Hawaiʻi- West Oʻahu, HI, USA
- Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, USA
- Corresponding author. Department of Anthropology, Division of Social Sciences, University of Hawaiʻi- West Oʻahu, HI, USA.
| | - Tessa Somogyi
- Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, USA
| | - Amanda Roome
- Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety, Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital, Cooperstown, NY, USA
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17
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A violent structure. Southern perspective on the practice of forensic anthropology as a public service. ANTHROPOLOGICAL REVIEW 2023. [DOI: 10.18778/1898-6773.85.4.02] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Global South perspective rarely reaches the academic vanguard. While they represent over 80% of the world population, the voices from less developed regions often are ignored in academic debate. This fact produces an important disequilibrium in relation to the dissemination of knowledge, sharing of experiences and exchange of thoughts and, consequently, undermines and hinders the development of scientific disciplines. Forensic anthropology is no exception in this trend.
The present article brings up the subject of the context of forensic anthropology in Brazil to demonstrate the interconnection of the professional situation of this discipline, its structural and bureaucratic limitations and their effect on the perpetuation of human rights violation. Various aspects of daily practice of forensic anthropology in a context devoid of basic resources generate a setting that affects both the victims and their families. Despite an outstanding performance and dedication of professionals, structural limitations often substantially affect the effectiveness of their service. The present article discusses these aspects in a conceptual framework of the relation between the practice of forensic anthropology and human rights violation. In this research, Brazil serves as a case-study, an intensively studied subject that brings interpretations that can be applied in a broader context.
The article aims at opening a broader, international debate that would increase the visibility of the relationship between the practice of forensic anthropology and the structure generating and/or maintaining violence in a specific economic and legislative context especially present in the countries of the so-called global South.
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18
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Farhi M, Tomas N, Marion I, Avenetti D, Atsawasuwan P, da Fonseca M, Al Atabbe M, Nicholas CL. Evaluation of the (hu)MANid program for sex and ancestry estimation in a diverse, contemporary CT scan-based sample. J Forensic Sci 2023; 68:242-251. [PMID: 36380482 PMCID: PMC10100212 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.15176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Human remains from forensic and bioarcheological contexts are often fragmentary, requiring methods for estimating a forensic profile that are based upon limited skeletal features. In 2017, Berg and Keryhercz created an online application, (hu)MANid, that provides sex and ancestry estimation from mandibular morphoscopic traits and linear measurements. In this study, we examine the utility of the (hu)MANid application in a diverse, urban US adult sample (aged 20-45; n = 143) derived from computed tomography (CT) scans. We secondarily conduct a preliminary analysis of the program's utility in a sample of adolescents (aged 15-17; n = 40). Six morphoscopic, and eleven morphometric traits were recorded as directed by the literature associated with the (hu)MANid program. Percent correct classification and posterior predictive values were calculated for the sex and ancestry estimations output by the program; chi-squared tests were employed to compare self-reported and predicted ancestry. In the adult sample, sex was accurately predicted for 75.52% of the sample. Ancestry prediction, however, was less favorable ranging from 19.3% to 50% correct. For the adolescent sample, correct sex estimation (45%) did not surpass what could occur by chance alone, though ancestry prediction fared better than in the larger adult sample (percent correct prediction overall average: 47.5%, range 35.71%-71.43%). The (hu)MANid application shows utility for use with CT scan-derived adult samples for sex estimation, but caution is warranted for ancestry estimation and use with samples that may not have reached full adult maturity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matan Farhi
- Department of Orthodontics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Natalie Tomas
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Ian Marion
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - David Avenetti
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Phimon Atsawasuwan
- Department of Orthodontics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Marcio da Fonseca
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Mustafa Al Atabbe
- Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Christina L Nicholas
- Department of Orthodontics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.,Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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19
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Winburn AP, Miller Wolf KA, Marten MG. Operationalizing a Structural Vulnerability Profile for forensic anthropology: Skeletal and dental biomarkers of embodied inequity. Forensic Sci Int Synerg 2022; 5:100289. [PMID: 36388762 PMCID: PMC9641186 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsisyn.2022.100289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Human societies create and maintain structures in which individuals and groups experience varying degrees of inequity and suffering that may be skeletally and dentally embodied. It is necessary to foreground these social and structural impacts for forensic anthropologists to eschew biologically deterministic interpretations of human variation and overly individualistic interpretations of health and disease. We thus propose a 'Structural Vulnerability Profile' (SVP), akin to the Structural Vulnerability Assessment Tool of medical anthropology [1], to be considered along with the traditional 'biological' profile estimated by forensic anthropologists. Assembling an SVP would involve examining and assessing skeletal/dental biomarkers indicative of embodied social inequity-the lived experiences of social marginalization that can get 'under the skin' to leave hard-tissue traces. Shifting our emphasis from presumably hereditary variation to focus on embodied social marginalization, the SVP will allow forensic anthropologists to sensitively reconstruct the lived experiences of the people we examine.
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20
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Hoover KC, Thomas GP. Sexual dimorphism and biomechanical loading in occipital bone morphological variation. Am J Hum Biol 2022; 34:e23792. [PMID: 36193635 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
We explore the contribution of biological sex and biomechanical activity from subsistence to occipital bone variation. Previous studies have used occipital bone traits to determine biological sex and identify ancestry to differing degrees of success. Biomechanical stress from variation in subsistence and gender-based divisions of labor could perhaps explain some of the noise in the signal for these grouping variables. To explore this possibility, we used metric (foramen magnum length and breadth, external occipital protuberance depth, lambda-inion length, bicondylar breadth) and nonmetric traits (general occipital form, presence of a nuchal crest, and nuchal line count). We collected original data and mined published data for our analysis using skeletal collections of Native American hunter-gatherers and horticulturalists, a historic military site, and contemporary study collections. We find that the foramen magnum area exhibits sexual dimorphism and is not influenced by subsistence, but the accuracy of sex estimation is only 71%, suggesting the chance of being correct at slightly more than two-thirds. All traits exhibited sex-based variation but only bicondylar breadth and lambda-inion metrics exhibited subsistence-based variation. Given the limited amount of variance explained by either sex or sex and subsistence, biomechanics may still play a role but not from the influence of subsistence practices in these datasets. Additional data from a wider array of skeletal samples, perhaps with known occupation, is warranted if we are to understand how occipital variation is shaped.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara C Hoover
- Department of Anthropology, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
| | - Geoffrey P Thomas
- Department of Anthropology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
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21
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Yim AD, Juarez JK, Goliath JR, Melhado IS. Diversity in forensic sciences: Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) representation in different medicolegal fields in the United States. Forensic Sci Int Synerg 2022; 5:100280. [PMID: 36569578 PMCID: PMC9780398 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsisyn.2022.100280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The benefits of a diverse and inclusive working environment are well documented. This study examined forensic science literature, demographic data reported from professional organizations, and demographic surveys to compile information regarding racial and ethnic diversity within different subdisciplines of forensic science. Results showed that practitioners self-identified as Black or Hispanic were underrepresented in scientific fields closely related to forensic science. Moreover, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students were underrepresented at the undergraduate level, despite increasing college enrollments. This lack of representation may have consequences on knowledge production and innovation. By recognizing the current status of diversity in forensic science, this study is the first step toward mitigating the trend of underrepresentation. We encourage professional organizations to be transparent about the diversity in their membership and provide actual practitioner demographic statistics. These data are beneficial to studying the effects of underrepresentation and developing effective strategies to improve representation.
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Affiliation(s)
- An-Di Yim
- Department of Health and Exercise Sciences, Truman State University, 100 E Normal Ave, Kirksville, Missouri, USA
- Department of Biology, Truman State University, 100 E Normal Ave, Kirksville, Missouri, USA
- Corresponding author. Department of Health and Exercise Sciences, Truman State University, 100 E Normal Ave, Kirksville, Missouri, USA.
| | - Jessica K. Juarez
- SNA International, 500 Montgomery Street, Suite 500, Alexandria, Virginia, USA
| | - Jesse R. Goliath
- Department of Anthropology and Middle Eastern Cultures, Mississippi State University, 340 Lee Blvd, Mississippi State, Mississippi, USA
| | - Isabel S. Melhado
- Department of Biology, University of Indianapolis, 1400 East Hanna Ave, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
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22
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Lee M, Gerdau-Radonic K. An inter- and intra-observer test of the computer program CRANID. Forensic Sci Int 2022; 337:111375. [PMID: 35839682 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2022.111375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The use of cranial analysis, through metric and/or morphological data, remains a popular method within biological anthropology and its subfields to allow for the analysis of an individual. These methods increasingly use multivariate statistics to empirically measure the degree of similarities between individuals and populations. CRANID is a piece of freeware which allows the user to estimate ancestry from 29 cranial measurements. This paper utilised a previously published dataset (Lee and Gerdau 2020 [29]) of cranial measurements to simulate multiple users estimating the ancestry for a single cranium of known origin. Only 32-68 % of the generated ancestry estimations were found to match the broad geographic region of the tested cranium depending on the statistical test. This paper also highlights aspects of CRANID's results that may make it harder for users to understand the results the program provides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Lee
- Department of Archaeology, Anthropology and Forensic Science, Bournemouth University, Fern Barrow, Poole, Dorset BH12 5BB, United Kingdom.
| | - Karina Gerdau-Radonic
- Université de Strasbourg, UMR 7044 Archimѐde - Archéologie et Histoire Ancienne: Méditerranée-Europe - MISHA, 5 allée du Gal Rouvillois, CS 50008, 67083 Strasbourg cedex, France.
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23
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Shamlou AA, Tallman SD. Frontal Sinus Morphological and Dimensional Variation as Seen on Computed Tomography Scans. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11081145. [PMID: 36009772 PMCID: PMC9405290 DOI: 10.3390/biology11081145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Frontal sinus variation has been used in forensic anthropology to aid in positive identification since the 1920s. As imaging technology has evolved, so has the quality and quantity of data that practitioners can collect. This study examined frontal sinus morphological and dimensional variation on computed tomography (CT) scans in 325 individuals for assigned sex females and males from African-, Asian-, European-, and Latin American-derived groups. Full coronal sinus outlines from medically derived CT images were transferred into SHAPE v1.3 for elliptical Fourier analysis (EFA). The dimensional data were measured directly from the images using the MicroDicom viewer. Statistical analyses—Pearson’s chi-square, ANOVA, and Tukey post hoc tests—were run in R Studio. Results indicated that 3.7% lacked a frontal sinus and 12.0% had a unilateral sinus, usually on the left (74.3%). Additionally, no statistically significant morphological clustering using EFA was found based on assigned sex and/or population affinity. However, there were statistically significant differences dimensionally (height and depth) when tested against assigned sex and population affinity, indicating that the interactive effects of sexual dimorphism and adaptive population histories influence the dimensions but not the shape of the frontal sinus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin A. Shamlou
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord St. L1004, Boston, MA 02118, USA;
| | - Sean D. Tallman
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord St. L1004, Boston, MA 02118, USA;
- Department of Anthropology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-617-358-1810
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24
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McCrane SM, Hsiao CJ, Tallman SD. Implementing an antiracist framework in forensic anthropology: Our responsibility in professional organizations and as scientists. AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/aman.13754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Samantha M. McCrane
- Department of Anthropology University of Florida Gainesville FL 32603
- Genetics Institute University of Florida Gainesville FL 32610
| | - Chu J. Hsiao
- Department of Anthropology University of Florida Gainesville FL 32603
- Genetics Institute University of Florida Gainesville FL 32610
- College of Medicine University of Florida Gainesville FL 32610
| | - Sean D. Tallman
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology Boston University School of Medicine Boston MA 02118
- Department of Anthropology Boston University Boston MA 02215
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25
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Tallman SD, George RL, Ja'net Baide A, Bouderdaben FA, Craig AE, Garcia SS, Go MC, Goliath JR, Miller E, Pilloud MA. Barriers to entry and success in forensic anthropology. AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/aman.13752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sean D. Tallman
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology Boston University School of Medicine Boston MA 02118
- Department of Anthropology Boston University Boston MA 02215
| | - Rebecca L. George
- Department of Anthropology & Sociology Western Carolina University Cullowhee NC 28723
| | - A. Ja'net Baide
- Department of Anthropology University of Utah Salt Lake City UT 84112
| | | | - Alba E. Craig
- Department of Human Biology University of Indianapolis Indianapolis IN 46227
| | - Sydney S. Garcia
- SNA International, supporting the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency Joint Base Pearl Harbor‐Hickman HI 96853
| | - Matthew C. Go
- SNA International, supporting the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency Joint Base Pearl Harbor‐Hickam HI 96853
| | - Jesse R. Goliath
- Department of Anthropology and Middle Eastern Cultures Mississippi State University Mississippi State MS 39762
| | - Elizabeth Miller
- Department of Anthropology California State University Los Angeles CA 90032
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26
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Adams DM, Goldstein JZ, Isa M, Kim J, Moore MK, Pilloud MA, Tallman SD, Winburn AP. A conversation on redefining ethical considerations in forensic anthropology. AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/aman.13753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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27
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Jobling MA. Forensic genetics through the lens of Lewontin: population structure, ancestry and race. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20200422. [PMID: 35430883 PMCID: PMC9014189 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In his famous 1972 paper, Richard Lewontin used 'classical' protein-based markers to show that greater than 85% of human genetic diversity was contained within, rather than between, populations. At that time, these same markers also formed the basis of forensic technology aiming to identify individuals. This review describes the evolution of forensic genetic methods into DNA profiling, and how the field has accounted for the apportionment of genetic diversity in considering the weight of forensic evidence. When investigative databases fail to provide a match to a crime-scene profile, specific markers can be used to seek intelligence about a suspect: these include inferences on population of origin (biogeographic ancestry) and externally visible characteristics, chiefly pigmentation of skin, hair and eyes. In this endeavour, ancestry and phenotypic variation are closely entangled. The markers used show patterns of inter- and intrapopulation diversity that are very atypical compared to the genome as a whole, and reinforce an apparent link between ancestry and racial divergence that is not systematically present otherwise. Despite the legacy of Lewontin's result, therefore, in a major area in which genetics coincides with issues of public interest, methods tend to exaggerate human differences and could thereby contribute to the reification of biological race. This article is part of the theme issue 'Celebrating 50 years since Lewontin's apportionment of human diversity'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A. Jobling
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
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28
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Kim J, Lee S, Choi I, Jeong Y, Woo EJ. A comparative analysis of Bayesian age-at-death estimations using three different priors and Suchey-Brooks standards. Forensic Sci Int 2022; 336:111318. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2022.111318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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29
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VanSickle C, Liese KL, Rutherford JN. Textbook typologies: Challenging the myth of the perfect obstetric pelvis. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2022; 305:952-967. [PMID: 35202515 PMCID: PMC9303659 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Medical education's treatment of obstetric-related anatomy exemplifies historical sex bias in medical curricula. Foundational obstetric and midwifery textbooks teach that clinical pelvimetry and the Caldwell-Moloy classification system are used to assess the pelvic capacity of a pregnant patient. We describe the history of these techniques-ostensibly developed to manage arrested labors-and offer the following criticisms. The sample on which these techniques were developed betrays the bias of the authors and does not represent the sample needed to address their interest in obstetric outcomes. Caldwell and Moloy wrote as though the size and shape of the bony pelvis are the primary causes of "difficult birth"; today we know differently, yet books still present their work as relevant. The human obstetric pelvis varies in complex ways that are healthy and normal such that neither individual clinical pelvimetric dimensions nor the artificial typologies developed from these measurements can be clearly correlated with obstetric outcomes. We critique the continued inclusion of clinical pelvimetry and the Caldwell-Moloy classification system in biomedical curricula for the racism that was inherent in the development of these techniques and that has clinical consequences today. We call for textbooks, curricula, and clinical practices to abandon these outdated, racist techniques. In their place, we call for a truly evidence-based practice of obstetrics and midwifery, one based on an understanding of the complexity and variability of the physiology of pregnancy and birth. Instead of using false typologies that lack evidence, this change would empower both pregnant people and practitioners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline VanSickle
- Department of AnatomyA.T. Still University, Kirksville College of Osteopathic MedicineKirksvilleMissouriUSA
| | - Kylea L. Liese
- Department of Human Development Nursing Science, College of NursingUniversity of Illinois ChicagoChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Julienne N. Rutherford
- Department of Human Development Nursing Science, College of NursingUniversity of Illinois ChicagoChicagoIllinoisUSA
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30
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Gruenthal‐Rankin A, Somogyi T. Critical review essay:
The archaeology of human bones
and
Bioarchaeology—An introduction to the archaeology and anthropology of the dead. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ariel Gruenthal‐Rankin
- Department of Anthropology Humboldt State University Arcata California USA
- Department of Anthropology Binghamton University Binghamton New York USA
| | - Tessa Somogyi
- Department of Anthropology Binghamton University Binghamton New York USA
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31
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Objectivity is a myth that harms the practice and diversity of forensic science. Forensic Sci Int Synerg 2021; 3:100196. [PMID: 34622187 PMCID: PMC8484737 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsisyn.2021.100196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Forensic science data are theory laden; pure scientific objectivity is a myth. Upholding this myth marginalizes forensic scientists with subjective positionalities Objectivity rhetoric is exclusive; ethical forensic science needs diverse perspectives. Espousing objectivity prevents us from supporting the communities we serve. Mitigated objectivity acknowledges implicit bias, constraining it via quality control.
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32
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Passalacqua NV, Mulholland S, Pilloud MA, Klales AR. The Value of Forensic Anthropology in Undergraduate Anthropology Programs. AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/aman.13638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Sean Mulholland
- Department of Economics Western Carolina University Cullowhee NC 28723 USA
| | - Marin A. Pilloud
- Department of Anthropology University of Nevada Reno NV 89557 USA
| | - Alexandra R. Klales
- Department of Anthropology and Sociology Washburn University Topeka KS 66621 USA
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Ross AH, Williams SE. Ancestry Studies in Forensic Anthropology: Back on the Frontier of Racism. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10070602. [PMID: 34209891 PMCID: PMC8301154 DOI: 10.3390/biology10070602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
One of the parameters forensic anthropologists have traditionally estimated is ancestry, which is used in the United States as a proxy for social race. Its use is controversial because the biological race concept was debunked by scientists decades ago. However, many forensic anthropologists contend, in part, that because social race categories used by law enforcement can be predicted by cranial variation, ancestry remains a necessary parameter for estimation. Here, we use content analysis of the Journal of Forensic Sciences for the period 2009-2019 to demonstrate the use of various nomenclature and resultant confusion in ancestry estimation studies, and as a mechanism to discuss how forensic anthropologists have eschewed a human variation approach to studying human morphological differences in favor of a simplistic and debunked typological one. Further, we employ modern geometric morphometric and spatial analysis methods on craniofacial coordinate anatomical landmarks from several Latin American samples to test the validity of applying the antiquated tri-continental approach to ancestry (i.e., African, Asian, European). Our results indicate groups are not patterned by the ancestry trifecta. These findings illustrate the benefit and necessity of embracing studies that employ population structure models to better understand human variation and the historical factors that have influenced it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann H. Ross
- Human Identification & Forensic Analysis Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 276995, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Shanna E. Williams
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, UofSC School of Medicine Greenville, Greenville, SC 29605, USA;
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Pobiner B. HUMAN EVOLUTION, THEN AND NOW. Evolution 2021; 75:1587-1590. [PMID: 37139929 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Briana Pobiner
- Department of Anthropology Smithsonian Institution 10th Street & Constitution Avenue, NW, MRC 112 Washington DC 20013
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Lasisi T. The constraints of racialization: How classification and valuation hinder scientific research on human variation. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2021; 175:376-386. [PMID: 33675042 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Human biological variation has historically been studied through the lens of racialization. Despite a general shift away from the use of overt racial terminologies, the underlying racialized frameworks used to describe and understand human variation still remain. Even in relatively recent anthropological and biomedical work, we can observe clear manifestations of such racial thinking. This paper shows how classification and valuation are two specific processes which facilitate racialization and hinder attempts to move beyond such frameworks. The bias induced by classification distorts descriptions of phenotypic variation in a way that erroneously portrays European populations as more variable than others. Implicit valuation occurs in tandem with classification and produces narratives of superiority/inferiority for certain phenotypic variants without an objective biological basis. The bias of racialization is a persistent impediment stemming from the inheritance of scientific knowledge developed under explicitly racial paradigms. It is also an internalized cognitive distortion cultivated through socialization in a world where racialization is inescapable. Though undeniably challenging, this does not present an insurmountable barrier, and this bias can be mitigated through the critical evaluation of past work, the active inclusion of marginalized perspectives, and the direct confrontation of institutional structures enforcing racialized paradigms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Lasisi
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA
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DiGangi EA, Bethard JD. Uncloaking a Lost Cause: Decolonizing ancestry estimation in the United States. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2021; 175:422-436. [PMID: 33460459 PMCID: PMC8248240 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Since the professionalization of US‐based forensic anthropology in the 1970s, ancestry estimation has been included as a standard part of the biological profile, because practitioners have assumed it necessary to achieve identifications in medicolegal contexts. Simultaneously, forensic anthropologists have not fully considered the racist context of the criminal justice system in the United States related to the treatment of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color; nor have we considered that ancestry estimation might actually hinder identification efforts because of entrenched racial biases. Despite ongoing criticisms from mainstream biological anthropology that ancestry estimation perpetuates race science, forensic anthropologists have continued the practice. Recent years have seen the prolific development of retooled typological approaches with 21st century statistical prowess to include methods for estimating ancestry from cranial morphoscopic traits, despite no evidence that these traits reflect microevolutionary processes or are suitable genetic proxies for population structure; and such approaches have failed to critically evaluate the societal consequences for perpetuating the biological race concept. Around the country, these methods are enculturated in every aspect of the discipline ranging from university classrooms, to the board‐certification examination marking the culmination of training, to standard operating procedures adopted by forensic anthropology laboratories. Here, we use critical race theory to interrogate the approaches utilized to estimate ancestry to include a critique of the continued use of morphoscopic traits, and we assert that the practice of ancestry estimation contributes to white supremacy. Based on the lack of scientific support that these traits reflect evolutionary history, and the inability to disentangle skeletal‐based ancestry estimates from supporting the biological validity of race, we urge all forensic anthropologists to abolish the practice of ancestry estimation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A DiGangi
- Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York, USA
| | - Jonathan D Bethard
- Department of Anthropology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
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Winburn AP, Clemmons CM. Response to letter to the editor of FSI: Synergy regarding Objectivity is a myth that harms the practice and diversity of forensic science. Forensic Sci Int Synerg 2021; 3:100212. [PMID: 34988416 PMCID: PMC8710839 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsisyn.2021.100212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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