Forensic Anthropology

Dr. Max M. Houck is an internationally-recognized forensic expert with research interests in forensic science, education, and the forensic enterprise and its industries. He has worked in all aspects of forensic science, including at the FBI Laboratory. Dr. Houck has published widely in books and peer-reviewed journals. His anthropology and trace evidence casework includes the Branch Davidian Investigation, the September 11 attacks on the Pentagon, the D.B. Cooper case, the US Embassy bombings in Africa, and the West Memphis Three case, among hundreds of others. He served for six years as the Chair of the Forensic Science Educational Program Accreditation Commission (FEPAC). Dr. Houck is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and a founding Co-Editor of the journal Forensic Science Policy and Management.

"The strengths of the book lie in that the selection of contributions extends the scope beyond the traditional crime scene to court model with its inclusion of the post-conviction role of the forensic anthropologist. The highly respected international pool of contributors is generally well-matched to the topics." --The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences

• Section 1. OverviewForensic Anthropology: An IntroductionHistory of Forensic AnthropologyPrinciples of Forensic ScienceTransferInterpretation/The Comparative MethodForensic Classification of EvidenceKey TermsReview QuestionsDiscussion QuestionsSection 2. TaphonomyIntroductionAnimal Effects on BonesForensic TaphonomyPostmortem IntervalEarly and Late Postmortem ChangesEstimation of the Time Since DeathKey TermsReview QuestionsDiscussion QuestionsSection 3. RecoveryIntroductionArcheologyPackagingPreservationRecordingRecovery of Human RemainsCollection and Chain of EvidenceContaminationPrinciples for the Organization of Forensic SupportKey TermsReview QuestionsDiscussion QuestionsSection 4. AnalysisIntroductionSpecies: Human versus NonhumanSexingAging the Dead and the LivingStature and BuildAncestryForensic Age EstimationKey TermsReview QuestionsDiscussion QuestionsSection 5. PathologyIntroductionBone Pathology and Antemortem TraumaBiomechanics of Bone TraumaBone TraumaBlunt InjurySharp TraumaGunshot WoundsTortureKey TermsReview QuestionsDiscussion QuestionsSection 6. IdentificationIntroductionIdentification of the LivingFacial ApproximationPersonal Identification in Forensic AnthropologyOdontologyDisaster Victim IdentificationThe National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)IdentificationKey TermsReview QuestionsDiscussion QuestionsSection 7. Statistics and InterpretationIntroductionThe Frequentist Approach to Forensic Evidence InterpretationStatistical Interpretation of Evidence: Bayesian AnalysisForensic IntelligenceForensic Intelligence AnalysisStandard MethodsMeasurement UncertaintyKey TermsReview QuestionsDiscussion QuestionsSection 8. Professional TopicsIntroductionCrime Scene to CourtExpert Witness Qualifications and TestimonyForensic Laboratory ReportsLegal Aspects of Forensic ScienceHealth and SafetyEthicsKey TermsReview QuestionsDiscussion Questions