Database for Forensic Anthropology in the United States, 1962-1991 (ICPSR 2581)

Time Period(s) View help for Time Period(s)

Date of Collection View help for Date of Collection

Data Collection Notes View help for Data Collection Notes

Study Purpose View help for Study Purpose

During the last 30 years, the field of forensic sciences has seen an exponential increase in the amount of work being conducted by forensic anthropologists in cooperation with or directly for law enforcement agencies at the federal, state, and local level. It is now common practice for the police and others in the law enforcement community across the nation to rely on the expertise of the forensic anthropologist whenever identification of human skeletal remains is involved, including cases of suspected homicide and suicide. Forensic anthropologists rely on documented skeletons to establish the skeletal criteria to estimate age, sex, race, and stature to achieve human identification from present skeletal remains. The traditional source of such documented skeletons has been anatomical collections, principally the Terry Collection (Robert J. Terry, Washington University, St. Louis) and the Hamann-Todd collection (T. Wingate Todd). It has become increasingly clear that many aspects of skeletal morphology have changed markedly over the past century and a half. The skeletal biology of Americans is in flux because of new migrations and improvements in nutrition, medicine, and hygiene, resulting in different patterns of growth, development, morbidity, and mortality. Since the birth dates for the Terry and Hamann-Todd specimens are mainly from 1850 to 1900, questions have arisen as to the appropriateness of these samples to aid in the identification of modern skeletal remains. The two permanent reference collections of modern skeletons at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and the University of New Mexico are extremely valuable but relatively small and could not by themselves serve as a source of skeletal identification criteria. The objective of this project was to establish a computerized skeletal database composed of recent forensic cases to represent the ethnic diversity and demographic structure of the United States population. The intent was to accumulate a forensic skeletal sample large and diverse enough to reflect different socioeconomic groups of the general population from different geographical regions of the country in order to enable researchers to revise the standards being used for forensic skeletal identification.

Study Design View help for Study Design

The database is composed of eight data files, comprising four categories. The primary "biographical" or "identification" files (Part 1, Demographic Data, and Part 2, Geographic and Death Data) comprise the first category of information and pertain to the positive identification of each of the 1,514 data records in the database . The Medical History File (Part 3) represents the second category of information and contains data on the documented medical history of the individual. The third category consists of an inventory file (Part 4, Skeletal Data) in which data pertaining to the specific contents of the database are maintained. This includes the inventory of skeletal material by element and side (left and right), indicating the condition of the bone as either partial or complete. The last part of the database is composed of three skeletal data files, covering quantitative observations of age-related changes in the skeleton (Part 5), cranial measurements (Part 6), and postcranial measurements (Part 7). A small file of noted problems is also included (Part 8). From this database of relational files, modified composites of information of variable categories can be constructed.

Sample View help for Sample

None.

Universe View help for Universe

All post-1900 forensic skeletal remains.

Unit(s) of Observation View help for Unit(s) of Observation

Data Source View help for Data Source

Data Type(s) View help for Data Type(s)

Description of Variables View help for Description of Variables

Information in Part 1 includes sex, ethnic group affiliation, birth date, age at death, height (living and cadaver), and weight (living and cadaver). Variables in Part 2 pertain to the nature of the remains, means and sources of identification, city and state/country born, occupation, date missing/last seen, date of discovery, date of death, time since death, cause of death, manner of death, deposit/exposure of body, area found, city, county, and state/country found, handedness, and blood type. Variables in Part 3 include general comments on medical history as well as comments on congenital malformations, dental notes, bone lesions, perimortem trauma, and other comments. The variables in Part 4 provide a skeletal inventory of the cranium, mandible, dentition, and postcranium elements and identify the element as complete, fragmentary, or absent. If absent, four categories record why it is missing. Variables in Part 5 provide assessments of epiphyseal closure and cranial suture closure (left and right), rib end changes (left and right), Todd Pubic Symphysis, Suchey-Brooks Pubic Symphysis, McKern & Steward--Phases I, II, and III, Gilbert & McKern--Phases I, II, and III, auricular surface, and dorsal pubic pitting (all for left and right). Variables in Part 6 include cranial measurements (length, breadth, height) and mandibular measurements (height, thickness, diameter, breadth, length, and angle). Part 7 provides postcranial measurements (length, diameter, breadth, circumference, and left and right, where appropriate) of the clavicle, scapula, humerus, radius, ulna, scarum, innominate, femur, tibia, fibula, and calcaneus. Part 8 provides additional notes for a few cases.

Response Rates View help for Response Rates

Not applicable.

Presence of Common Scales View help for Presence of Common Scales

None.

Original Release Date View help for Original Release Date

2000-05-01

Version History View help for Version History