U.S. flag
      An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.
        Here's how you know
      Here's how you know**Official websites use .gov**
            
            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
      **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
            
            A **lock** (
            A locked padlock
            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Menu

      
        close

            
            
                                              About NIJ
        
                    
  
          About NIJ
      
    
          The NIJ Director
          How NIJ Is Organized
          Mission and Guiding Principles
          Research and Development Process
          Strategic Framework
          Assessments of NIJ
          Annual Reports & Reports to Congress
          Staff Directory
          Funding & Awards
        
                    
  
          Funding & Awards
      
    
          Current Funding
          Forthcoming Funding
          Expired Funding
          Awards: Listing of Funded Projects
          Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
          Fellowship & Student Programs
          Travel Scholarships
          NIJ Challenge Program
          Library & Multimedia
        
                    
  
          Library & Multimedia
      
    
          NIJ Journal
          Podcasts
          Publications Listing
          Multimedia Listing
          Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
          Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
          Software & Databases
          Datasets
          Patents
          Topics
        
                    
  
          Topics
      
    
          Article Listing
          Corrections
          Courts
          Crime Prevention
          Crimes
          Drugs and Crime
          Equipment and Technology
          Forensic Sciences
          Youth Justice
          Justice System Reform
          Law Enforcement
          Tribal Crime and Justice
          Victims of Crime
          Events
        
                    
  
          Events
      
    
          NIJ 2024 Research Conference
          Scheduled Events
          On-Demand Events
          Research Meetings & Workshops
          NIJ-Hosted Online Training

                            
                                About
          Contact Us
          Subscribe
          Topics A-Z
                  Share
FacebookXLinkedInRedditPinterestEmail Home
                            Funding & Awards
 Identification of Blunt Force Traumatic Fractures in Burned Bone
Award Information
Awardee
              UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE
Award #
              2019-75-CX-0019
Funding Category
              Competitive Discretionary
Location
                    KNOXVILLE, TN
Congressional District
              2
Status
              Past Project Period End Date
Funding First Awarded
              2019
Total funding (to date)
              $212,738
Original Solicitation
              Research and Development in Forensic Science for Criminal Justice Purposes, FY 2019
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2019, $212,738)
Burned human remains are often the focus of medicolegal examinations. Heat can obscure or degrade traumatic signatures. This is especially true when dealing with blunt force trauma and differentiating between blunt force traumatic and heat induced fractures is particularly challenging. The goal of this basic scientific research is to provide the National Institute of Justice a standardized protocol with associated error rates to correctly identify perimortem blunt force fractures on burned human remains. To achieve this goal, a two-phase, three year project is proposed.
During Phase I, 20 human donors from the Forensic Anthropology Centers Body Donation Program will be enrolled for the trauma and thermal research. Fifteen donors will be impacted with blunt force trauma to the skull, thorax (ribs), humerus, and tibia using a specially designed gantry impact system that will control the impact load. Five donors will serve as total controls. There will be a total of 90 impact sites and 50 control sites without blunt force trauma. Following the impact, all donors will be exposed to a thermal event in an open-air pyre where both temperature and burn time will be controlled. Digital x-rays will be taken both prior to and following the burning event. A numerical coding system will be used to document the fracture patterns allowing direct comparison between blunt force and thermal fractures as well as blunt force fracture signatures prior to and following the thermal event. Using the results from the fracture analysis, in Phase II the investigators will propose a standardized protocol which will provide a step-by-step guide to fracture analysis of burned human remains. The guide will include the results from Phase I, descriptions, and images. The protocols reliability will be tested with an interobserver study. Professional forensic anthropologists and medical examiners will observe x-rays and reconstructed skeletal elements and, following the protocol, will determine if the visible fractures are a result of blunt force or thermal events. Their answers will provide data for calculation the methods error rate thereby providing quantitative data for the reliability of the analytic method as well as data on the difficulty or ease in fracture identification. This project will provide NIJ a method for confident interpretation of fractures on burned remains and is also a continuing step in shifting trauma research towards quantitative methods. Deliverables for this effort will consist of financial and semi-annual progress reports and final research and progress reports.
Note: This project contains a research and/or development component, as defined in applicable law, and complies with Part 200 Uniform Requirements - 2 CFR 200.210(a)(14).
CA/NCF

  
Date Created: September 16, 2019
    
          Side navigation
  

        

  
  
              Current Funding
    
      
            
            
            
      Forthcoming Funding
    
      
            
            
            
      Expired Funding
    
      
            
            
            
      Awards: Listing of Funded Projects
    
      
            
            
            
      Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
    
      
            
            
            
      Fellowship & Student Programs
    
      
            
            
            
      Travel Scholarships
    
      
            
            
            
      NIJ Challenge ProgramSimilar Awards
        
                      Quantifying the strength of support in fingerprint casework comparisons
                  Developing a Portable and Fast Opioid Assessment Tool for Improved Field Decision-Making
                  Strengthening Scientific Foundations for Advancing Best Practices in the Collection, Storage, Analysis, and Interpretation of Organic and Inorganic Gunshot Residues
 Top

      National Institute of Justice

        
        
                        About NIJ
                    About NIJ
      
    
                  How NIJ Is Organized
      
    
                  NIJ Director
      
    
                  Research Disclaimer
      
    
                  Funding & Awards
                    Funding & Awards Home
      
    
                  Awards Listing
      
    
                  Current Funding
      
    
                  Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
      
    
                  Resources
                    Events
      
    
                  Podcasts
      
    
                  Publications
      
    
                  Topics
      
    
                  Multimedia
      
    
                  Reuse Policy
      
    
                  Contacts
                    Contact NIJ
      
    
                  Staff Directory
      
    
                  Submit a FOIA Request
      
    
                  File a Civil Rights ComplaintFacebook
          
                      X
          
                      YouTube
  

      810 7th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20531
      
              Secondary Footer link menu
            Accessibility
              Plain Language
              Privacy Policy
              Legal Policies and Disclaimer
              No FEAR Act
              Freedom of Information Act
              USA.gov
              Justice.gov