Bi7352 Forensic anthropology

Faculty of Science
Autumn 2022
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)
Mgr. Mikoláš Jurda, Ph.D. (assistant)
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 applications 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.Forensic anthropology: introduction, terminology, framework of forensic sciences. Forensic casework. Anthropologists as forensic experts. Legislations in the Czech Republic.
  • 2. Forensic evidence. Crime scene vs forensic scene. Forensic scene – terminology, classification, properties. Collecting forensic evidence – localization, description, documentation, transport. Forensic archeology.
  • 3. Forensic taphonomy. Decomposition of the human body. Taphonomic factors. Mummification, adipocire, heat, chemicals. Skeletonization. Applications of forensic taphonomy – PMI
  • 4. Methods and techniques, basic and advanced. Virtual autopsy. Virtual anthropology.
  • 5. Identification. Evidence identification. Establishing person’s identity. ID features – classification, characteristics. Perception of ID features. Building an identification algorithm.
  • 6. Identification in real time – recognition, authentication. Identification based on visual recordings – static and dynamic traits. Body imprints.
  • 7. Forensic osteology. Dating skeletal remains, determination of biological and taxonomic origin. Group-specific vs individual-specific identification traits.
  • 8. Forensic osteology. Estimating population affinity, biological sex.
  • 9. Forensic osteology. Estimating death at age.
  • 10. Forensic osteology. Estimating stature and body properties.
  • 11. Forensic osteology. Individual identification. Skeletal individual-specific identification traits. Antemortem traumas and pathology, x-ray comparison. Skull-to-photo superimposition.
  • 12. Forensic osteology. Forensic odontology. Approximative approaches.
  • 13. Forensic traumatology. Cause of death determination. Skeletal trauma. Mechanisms of skeletal injuries.
Literature
    recommended literature
  • KIMMERLE, Erin H. and José Pablo BARAYBAR. Skeletal trauma : identification of injuries resulting from human rights abuse and armed conflict. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2008, xxvi, 493. ISBN 9780849392696. info
  • STEADMAN, Dawnie Wolfe. Hard evidence : case studies in forensic anthropology. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2009, xxiv, 336. ISBN 9780136050735. info
  • 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.
  • Fazekas, I. G. - Kósa, F. (1978): Forensic Fetal Osteology. Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest.
    not specified
  • Pickering R.B., Bachman D.C. (1997): The Use of Forensic Anthropology. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton.
  • Krogman, W. M - Ýţcan, M. Y. (1986): The Human Skeleton in Forensic Medicine. Springfeld, Illinois: Charles C Thomas
  • Forensic human identification : an introduction. Edited by Timothy James Upton Thompson - Sue M. Black. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2007, 518 s. ISBN 9780849339547. info
  • Originální odborné články z oblasti forenzní antropologie.
Teaching methods
Theoretical training in the form of lectures and presentations, complemented with insights into forensic practice and class discussions. Discussions appended with written responses.
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. The written test embodies 80% of the final grade. 20% is determined by written responses submitted in the course of the semester.
Language of instruction
Czech
Follow-Up Courses
Further Comments
Study Materials
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 2019, Autumn 2020, autumn 2021, Autumn 2023, Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2022, recent)
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