Synopses & Reviews
This book brings together tools from diverse sources within forensic science to offer a set of comprehensive approaches to handling commingled remains. The chapters cover remains recovery, laboratory analysis, and even the use of antermortem databases. Many of the chapters are written by authors who exemplify the spirit of interdisciplinary colaboration. Chapters cover the recovery of commingled remains in the field, the use of triage in the assessment of commingling, various analytical techniques for sorting and determining the number of individuals, the role of DNA in the overall process, ethical considerations, and data management. Case examples, such as the World Trade Center attack will be used to illustrate techniques that were found to be successful and those that were found to be problematic. This book will appeal to forensic scientists and archaeologists in the United States and abroad.
Review
From the reviews: "This volume will be of significant help to forensic practitioners, when charged with the forensic determination of identification following the identification of a mass grave scenario. ... For new members of the forensic community, such as students for example, it will make an interesting and informative read. Novices or the general public may find the integration of archaeological and forensic applications interesting, and the book does successfully highlight the need for multi-dimensional investigations." (Xanth D. G. Mallett-Telling, The British Association of Human Identification, June, 2008) "The book ... deals with practical issues in the forensic sciences, documenting examples of successful techniques for sorting and determining the number of individuals, and illustrates the role of DNA analyses, ethical considerations, and data management. These should be helpful for forensic experts, especially those who encounter mass fatality events accompanied by commingling of human remains. ... The volume ... will give readers several practical examples that illustrate up-to-date advantages and issues in analyses of commingled human remains." (Osamu Kondo, Primates, Vol. 50, March, 2009)
Synopsis
Commingled human remains are encountered in situations ranging from prehistoric ossuaries to recent mass fatality incidents. Commingling of bones and other body parts is a major obstacle to individual identification that must be addressed before other forensic determinations or research can proceed. Resolution of commingling nearly always requires consideration of multiple lines of evidence that cross the disciplinary lines of modern forensic science. This book brings together tools from diverse sources within forensic science to offer a set of comprehensive approaches to handling commingled remains. The chapters cover remains recovery, laboratory analysis, and even the use of antemortem databases. Many of the chapters are written by authors who exemplify the spirit of interdisciplinary collaboration.
Synopsis
Mass fatality events can result in the intermixing, or commingling, of human remains. Commingling of human remains presents an added challenge to all phases of the forensic process. As the number of individuals increases, so does the complexity of the forensic investigation and the skills needed for case resolution. In Recovery, Analysis, and Identification of Commingled Human Remains, top professionals illustrate successful techniques for sorting and determining the number of individuals, the role of DNA, ethical considerations and data management. Instrumental to the forensic community, Recovery, Analysis, and Identification of Commingled Human Remains provides case examples and an in depth review of experiences, methods, and research related to commingling.
Synopsis
Commingling of human remains presents an added challenge to all phases of the forensic process. This book brings together tools from diverse sources within forensic science to offer a set of comprehensive approaches to handling commingled remains. It details the recovery of commingled remains in the field, the use of triage in the assessment of commingling, various analytical techniques for sorting and determining the number of individuals, the role of DNA in the overall process, ethical considerations, and data management. In addition, the book includes case examples that illustrate techniques found to be successful and those that proved problematic.
Table of Contents
Methodology in Commingling Analysis: An Historical Overview Douglas Ubelaker Spatial Analysis of Mass Grave Mapping Data to Assist in the Reassociation of Disarticulated and Commingled Human Remains Hugh Tuller, Ute Hofmeister, Sharna Daley Pieces of the Puzzle: F.B.I. Evidence Response Team Approaches to Scenes with Commingled Evidence Gary Reinecke and Michael Hochrein Commingled Remains and Human Rights Investigations: Challenges from the Field Sofía Egaña, Silvan Turner, Mercedes Doretti, Patricia Bernardi, and Anahí Ginarte Anthropological Investigations of the Tri-State Crematorium Incident Dawnie Wolfe Steadman, Kris Sperry, Frederick Snow, Laura Fulginiti, and Emily Craig Approaches to Commingling Issues in Archeological Samples: A Case Study from Roman-Era Tombs in Greece Douglas Ubelaker and Joseph Rife Anthropologist Directed Triage: Three Distinct Mass Fatality Events Involving Fragmentation of Human Remains Amy Mundorff The Use of Radiology in Mass Fatality Events Mark Viner Detection of Commingling in Cremated Human Remains Michael Warren Models And Methods for Osteometric Sorting John Byrd Patterns of Epiphyseal Union and Their Use in the Detection and Sorting of Commingled Remains Maureen Schaefer How Many People? Determining the Number of Individuals Represented by Commingled Human Remains Bradley Adams and Lyle Konigsberg Assessment of Commingled Human Remains Using a GIS Based Approach Nicholas Herrmann and Joanne Bennett Devlin The Application of Traditional Anthropological Methods in a DNA-Led Identification Process Laura Yazedjian and Rifat Kešetovic Marrying Anthropology and DNA: Essential for Solving Complex Commingling Problems in Cases of Extreme Fragmentation Amy Mundorff, Robert Shaler, Erik Bieschke, and Elaine Mar-Cash Sorting and Identifying Commingled Remains of U.S. War Dead: The Collaborative Roles of JPAC and AFDIL Franklin Damann and Suni Edson Resolving Commingling Issues during the Medicolegal Investigation of Mass Fatality Incidents Elias Kontanis and Paul Sledzik Data Management and Commingled Remains at Mass Fatality Incidents (MFIs) Michael Hennessey