Priority Action Report

Anthropology

Crime Scene/Death Investigation

Thomas D. Holland, Ph.D.

January 27, 2016
Subcommittee Leadership

Position Name Organization Term Email

Chair Tom Holland, Ph.D. Defense POW/MIA

Accounting 

Agency

3 years Thomas.d.holland.civ

@mail.mil

Vice Chair Diane France, Ph.D. Human 

Identification Lab 

of Colorado

4 years dlf@humanidlab.com

Executive 

Secretary

Todd Fenton, Ph.D. Michigan State 

University

4 years fentont@msu.edu

2
Subcommittee Members

# Name Organization Term Email

1 Eric Bartelink California State University Chico 2 ebartelink@csuchico.edu

2 William R. Belcher Joint POW/MIA Central Identification Lab 2 william.r.belcher.civ@mail.mil

3 Hugh E. Berryman Middle Tennessee State University 2 hugh.berryan@mtsu.edu

4 Angi M. Christensen FBI Laboratory 3 angi.christensen@ic.fbi.gov

5 Gretchen R. Dabbs Southern Illinois University 4 gdabbs@siu.edu

6 Todd W. Fenton Michigan State University 4 fentont@msu.edu

7 Diane L. France Human Identification Lab of Colorado 4 dlf@humanidlab.com

8 Kristen Hartnett CT Office of the Chief Medical Examiner 4 dr.khartnett@gmail.com

9 Joseph T. Hefner Michigan State University 4 hefnerj1@msu.edu 

10 Thomas D. Holland Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency 3 thomas.d.holland.civ@mail.mil

11 Jennifer Love Washington, DC OCME 3 jennifer.love@dc.gov

12 Owen Middleton Hennepin Co. Medical Examiner’s Office 2 owen.middleton@hennepin.us

13 Stephen Ousley Mercyhurst University 3 sousley@mercyhurst.edu 

14 Nicholas V. Passalacqua Joint POW/MIA Central Identification Lab 3 nicholas.v.passalacqua.civ@mail.mil 

15 Vincent J. Sava Joint POW/MIA Central Identification Lab 4 vincent.j.sava.civ@mail.mil

16 Douglas D. Scott Colorado Mesa University 2 ddscott@coloradomesa.edu

17 Richard M. Thomas FBI Laboratory 3 richard.m.thomas@ic.fbi.gov

18 Michael W. Warren University of Florida 2 mwarren@ufl.edu
Discipline Description

The Subcommittee on Anthropology will 

focus on standards and guidelines related 

to application of anthropological methods 

and theory – particularly those relating to 

the recovery and analysis of human 

remains – to resolve legal matters. 

4
Title Assignees Document type

Age Estimation Hartnett & Passalacqua Technical

Ancestry Assessment Hefner & Hartnett Technical

Code of Ethics and Conduct Passalacqua N/A

Determination of Medicolegal Significance France & Love Technical

Documentation, Reporting and Testimony Sava & Warren Lab management

Facial Approximation Thomas Technical

Identifying and Describing Pathological Conditions, 

Lesions, and Anomalies

Sava & Middleton Technical

Personal Identification Fenton & Christensen Technical

Proficiency Testing Sava & Love Lab management

Resolving Commingled Human Remains Bartelink & Belcher Technical

Scene Detection and Processing Scott & Berryman Technical

Sex Assessment Hartnett & France Technical

Skeletal Sampling and Preparation Thomas & Dabbs Technical

Statistical Methods Ousley & Hefner Technical

Stature Estimation Christensen & Love Technical

Taphonomic Observations in the Postmortem Interval Dabbs & France Technical

Trauma Analysis Fenton & Berryman Technical

OSAC Task Groups

5
Title Assignees Document type

Stature Estimation from Human Remains Love and Christensen Standards/Guidelines

Glossary Hartnett and Bartelink Standards/Guidelines

Training and Competency Christensen and France Standards/Guidelines

Facial Approximation Thomas and Sava Standards/Guidelines

Sex Assessment Hartnett and France Standards/Guidelines

Priority Action Items

6
Summary of Standards/Guidelines 

Priority Actions

Priority Working Title of Document

1 Standard Guide for Stature Estimation from Human Remains

2 Glossary for Forensic Anthropology

3 Standard Guide for Training and Competency in Forensic Anthropology

4 Facial Approximation in Forensic Anthropology

5 Sex Assessment in Forensic Anthropology

7
Standards/Guidelines Development

Priority 1 Document

Document Title: Standard Guide for Stature Estimation from 

Human Remains

Scope: Stature estimation is based on a mathematical relationship 

between skeletal dimensions and stature (or height). 

Objective/rationale: Skeletal remains shall be analyzed in a 

reliable and systematic manner for estimating stature using 

appropriate techniques.

Issues/Concerns: Inappropriate methods lead to inaccurate 

stature estimation.

Task Group Name: Standard Guide for Stature Estimation 

from Human Remains

Task Group Chair Name: Jennifer Love

Task Group Chair Contact Information: 

jennifer.love@dc.gov

Date of Last Task Group Meeting: January 28, 2016

8
Standards/Guidelines Development

Priority 1 Document

Key Components of Standard: Stature estimation shall follow 

methods published in peer reviewed sources and shall be reported 

as a prediction interval. If one or more of the bones needed to 

apply a specific method are absent or in poor condition, the 

method shall not be utilized. 

9
Task Group/Subcommittee Action 

Plan

Planned Actions

OSAC Process 

Stage (e.g., 

SDO 100) 

Assignee Estimated

Completion Date

Reformat to ASB style guide SDO 0 Love, Christensen March 30, 2016

Update to SDO Project SDO 100 Love, Christensen March 30, 2016

Anthropology SC Comment SDO 200 Love, Christensen April 30, 2016

Ballot to Anthropology SC SDO 200 Love, Christensen May 30, 2016

Submit to Resources Comm. SDO 200 Love, Christensen June 30, 2016

Priority 1: Stature Estimation from Human 

Remains

10
Standards/Guidelines Development

Priority 2 Document

Document Title: Glossary for Forensic Anthropology

Scope: Defining terminology used in forensic anthropology 

standards and guidelines.

Objective/rationale: Ensure consistent use of terminology within 

forensic anthropology and identify discipline-specific usage.

Issues/Concerns: Inconsistent and incorrect use in terminology will 

result in misunderstanding within and across disciplines. 

Task Group Name: Glossary for Forensic Anthropology

Task Group Chair Name: Eric Bartelink

Task Group Chair Contact Information: 

ebartelink@csuchico.edu

Date of Last Task Group Meeting: January 28, 2016

11
Standards/Guidelines Development

Priority 2 Document

Key Components of Standard: Forensic anthropology terminology.

12
Task Group/Subcommittee Action 

Plan

Planned Actions

OSAC Process 

Stage (e.g., 

SDO 100) 

Assignee Estimated

Completion Date

Reformat to ASB style guide SDO 0 Bartelink, Hartnett March 30, 2016

Update to SDO Project SDO 100 Bartelink, Hartnett March 30, 2016

Anthropology SC Comment SDO 200 Bartelink, Hartnett April 30, 2016

Ballot to Anthropology SC SDO 200 Bartelink, Hartnett May 30, 2016

Submit to Resources Comm. SDO 200 Bartelink, Hartnett June 30, 2016

Priority 2: Glossary for Forensic Anthropology

13
Standards/Guidelines Development

Priority 3 Document

Document Title: Standard Guide for Training and Competency in 

Forensic Anthropology

Scope: Describes levels of education, training, experience, and 

professional activities required to practice forensic anthropology at 

various qualification levels.

Objective/rationale: Practitioners shall possess the appropriate 

qualifications relevant to the forensic anthropology-related duties they are 

expected to perform.

Issues/Concerns: Unqualified individuals may produce inaccurate results. 

Task Group Name: Standard Guide for Training and 

Competency in Forensic Anthropology

Task Group Chair Name: Angi Christensen

Task Group Chair Contact Information: 

angi.christensen@ic.fbi.gov

Date of Last Task Group Meeting: January 28, 2016 14
Standards/Guidelines Development

Priority 3 Document

Key Components of Standard: Prescribes minimum qualifications 

to practice forensic anthropology.

15
Task Group/Subcommittee Action 

Plan

Planned Actions

OSAC Process 

Stage (e.g., 

SDO 100) 

Assignee

Estimated

Completion 

Date

Reformat to ASB style guide SDO 0 Christensen, France March 30, 2016

Update to SDO Project SDO 100 Christensen, France March 30, 2016

Anthropology SC Comment SDO 200 Christensen, France April 30, 2016

Ballot to Anthropology SC SDO 200 Christensen, France May 30, 2016

Submit to Resources Comm. SDO 200 Christensen, France June 30, 2016

Priority 3: Standard Guide for Training and 

Competency in Forensic Anthropology

16
Standards/Guidelines Development

Priority 4 Document

Document Title: Facial Approximation in Forensic Anthropology

Scope: Recommendation for the production and assessment of 

facial approximations.

Objective/rationale: Methods should be employed with a spirit of 

scientific integrity: subjective interpretation should be limited, 

scientifically tested methods should be used, and method 

weaknesses and limitations should be communicated. 

Issues/Concerns: Facial approximation images are for 

investigative use only, and should not be used for personal 

identification. 

Task Group Name: Facial Approximation in Forensic 

Anthropology

Task Group Chair Name: Richard Thomas

Task Group Chair Contact Information: 

richard.m.thomas@ic.fbi.gov

Date of Last Task Group Meeting: January 28, 2016 17
Standards/Guidelines Development

Priority 4 Document

Key Components of Standard: The production of facial 

approximations should include expert knowledge from the field of 

anatomy and forensic anthropology. 

18
Task Group/Subcommittee Action 

Plan

Planned Actions

OSAC Process 

Stage (e.g., 

SDO 100) 

Assignee Estimated

Completion Date

Reformat to ASB style guide SDO 0 Thomas, Sava March 30, 2016

Update to SDO Project SDO 100 Thomas, Sava March 30, 2016

Anthropology SC Comment SDO 200 Thomas, Sava April 30, 2016

Ballot to Anthropology SC SDO 200 Thomas, Sava May 30, 2016

Submit to Resources Comm. SDO 200 Thomas, Sava June 30, 2016

Priority 4: Facial Approximation in Forensic 

Anthropology

19
Standards/Guidelines Development

Priority 5 Document

Document Title: Sex Assessment in Forensic Anthropology

Scope: To outline practices for assessing sex from skeletal 

remains using morphological traits and metric analysis. 

Objective/rationale: To establish guidelines for the valid 

assessment of sex from the skeleton. 

Issues/Concerns: To avoid practices with little or no scientific basis 

in human osteology, including sub-adult sex assessment and 

assessment of gender. 

Task Group Name: Sex Assessment 

Task Group Chair Name: Kristen Hartnett

Task Group Chair Contact Information: 

dr.khartnett@gmail.com

Date of Last Task Group Meeting: January 28, 2016

20
Standards/Guidelines Development

Priority 5 Document

Key Components of Standard: 

While almost every adult skeleton exhibits male or female 

characteristics reflecting sexual dimorphism, the validity of sex 

assessment is affected by several factors: inter- and intrapopulation differences, age, and pathological and taphonomic 

changes. 

21
Task Group/Subcommittee Action 

Plan

Planned Actions

OSAC Process 

Stage (e.g., 

SDO 100) 

Assignee Estimated

Completion Date

Reformat to ASB style guide SDO 0 Hartnett, France March 30, 2016

Update to SDO Project SDO 100 Hartnett, France March 30, 2016

Anthropology SC Comment SDO 200 Hartnett, France April 30, 2016

Ballot to Anthropology SC SDO 200 Hartnett, France May 30, 2016

Submit to Resources Comm. SDO 200 Hartnett, France June 30, 2016

Priority 5: Sex Assessment in Forensic 

Anthropology

22
Summary of Standards/Guidelines 

Priority Actions

Priority Working Title of Document

1 Stature Estimation from Human Remains

2 Glossary for Forensic Anthropology

3 Standard Guide for Training and Competency in Forensic Anthropology

4 Facial Approximation in Forensic Anthropology

5 Sex Assessment in Forensic Anthropology

23
Standards/Guidelines Reviewed For 

Technical Merit

Title Developing 

Organization Status*

OSAC Process 

Stage (e.g., RA 

100)

N/A at this time

24
Research Gaps Identified (First Priority)

• Controlled experimental bone trauma studies in collaboration with 

biomechanical engineers to further the understanding of fracture 

patterns in bone. 

• Determination of healing rates of fractures, especially to estimate time 

since injury in children and the elderly. 

• Development of time since death methods that rely more upon the 

skeletal material itself, such as isotope signatures in various tissues, 

and therefore less on the taphonomic environment. 

• Validation of stable isotope estimates of geographic origin using 

current and new isotopes. 

• Collect additional population sample data (nonmetric, metric, skeletal, 

dental) for diverse areas of the world, particularly under-studied 

immigrant groups. 

(continued next page)

25
Research Gaps Identified (Additional 

Considerations)

• Validation studies of technologies (e.g. ground penetrating radar, 

remote sensing), and recovery techniques from various contexts in 

forensic anthropology. 

• Determination of the frequency of skeletal and dental anomalies in 

different populations, and development of methods to combine 

information from various sources (i.e. anthropological, dental, DNA) to 

provide a robust statistical basis for identification. 

• Development of better statistical methods for combining age 

estimations from multiple indicators, particularly those that produce 

explicit confidence intervals, representing uncertainty in estimates due 

to sample size and to different relationships between indicators and 

age. 

26
Priority Action Report

Anthropology

Crime Scene/Death Investigation

Thomas D. Holland, Ph.D.

January 27, 2016
28