Bi7352 Forensic anthropology

Faculty of Science
Autumn 2019
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 2 credit(s) (plus extra credits for completion). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. RNDr. Petra Urbanová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. RNDr. Petra Urbanová, Ph.D.
Department of Anthropology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: doc. RNDr. Petra Urbanová, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Anthropology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Timetable
Tue 10:00–11:50 Bp1,01007
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 8 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The course focuses on forensic anthropology - practical application of biological anthropology in the context of criminal investigation and judicial proceedings. The aim is to acquaint students with the objectives, methods and legal relationships of forensic anthropology in order to be prepared for the practice of a forensic expert in this field (after passing the associated practical training course).
Learning outcomes
At the end of this course the students will be able to: assess and identify skeletal remains of unknown origin; perform duties of an "anthropologist at forensic scene"; they should be able to assess sex; age-at-death; body size; estimate population affinity, occupational stress markers, etc. They should be able to establish person's identity in both individual and mass cases. They should be able to assess body traits of the living in real-time as well as on image records, and to weight their group- and individual-specific importance in the process of determining person's identity.
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction to forensic anthropology
  • 2. Forensic taphonomy, forensic archeology, anthropologist at the crime scene
  • 3. Group identification 1: Estimation of population affinity in forensic anthropology
  • 4. Group identification 2: Age estimate in forensic anthropology
  • 5. Group identification 3: Body height and other corporal parameters estimation in forensic anthropology
  • 6. Group identification 4: Estimation of sex in forensic anthropology (part 1)
  • 7. Group identification 4: Estimation of sex in forensic anthropology (part 2) 8. Positive individual identification 1: forensic odontology (dental card), antemortem traumas and pathology, x-ray comparison.
  • 9. Positive individual identification 2: appearance reconstruction based on the skull, skull superprojection to a photograph etc.
  • 10. Anthropologist as an authorized expert, the place of anthropologist in the criminalistic and judicial system (in the world and in our country)
  • 11. Anthropological description in criminalistics today and in the past (identikit, Bertillonage)
  • 12. Dactyloscopy, biometrics
  • 13. Molecular-biological analyses in criminalistics and justice
  • 14. Perspectives of forensic anthropology in the 21st century (global migration, advances of technology, terrorism, pandemias...)
Literature
  • Iscan M.Y. (1988): Rise of Forensic Anthropology. Yearbook of Physical Anthropology 31: 203-230.
  • Novotný, V. (1991): O systémovém přístupu. Masarykova univerzita v Brně, Brno.
  • Pickering R.B., Bachman D.C. (1997): The Use of Forensic Anthropology. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton.
  • Porada V. a kol. (2001): Kriminalistika. CERM, Brno.
  • Haglung W. D., Sorg M.H. eds. (1997): Forensic Taphonomy. The Postmortem Fate of Human Remains. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton.
  • Krogman, W. M - Ýţcan, M. Y. (1986): The Human Skeleton in Forensic Medicine. Springfeld, Illinois: Charles C Thomas
  • Fazekas, I. G. - Kósa, F. (1978): Forensic Fetal Osteology. Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest.
  • Reich, K. J. (1998): Forensic Osteology. Advances of the Identification of Human Remains. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C Thomas.
  • Novotný, V. (1986): Sex Determination of the Pelvic Bone: A Systems Approach. Anthropologie 24: 197 - 205.
  • Originální odborné články z oblasti forenzní antropologie.
Teaching methods
Theoretical training in form of lectures and presentations, complemented with insights into forensic practice.
Assessment methods
The course is concluded with a written test, the questions are combined - test and open-answer items. In the exam knowledge of the issues discussed at lectures and in the required reading is tested. To pass the exam successfully the student must attain 60 % of possible points.
Language of instruction
Czech
Follow-Up Courses
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2007 - for the purpose of the accreditation, Spring 2011 - only for the accreditation, Autumn 2002, Autumn 2003, Autumn 2004, Autumn 2005, Autumn 2006, Autumn 2007, Autumn 2008, Autumn 2009, Spring 2011, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2011 - acreditation, Autumn 2012, Spring 2014, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2020, autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2023, Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2019, recent)
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