DOI: 10.3886/icpsr02581
title: Database for Forensic Anthropology in the United States, 1962-1991
title: Archival Version

description: This project was undertaken to establish a computerized
skeletal database composed of recent forensic cases to represent the
present 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. 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. 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. The Medical History File (Part 3) represents the
second category of information and contains data on the documented
medical history of the individual. 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 third category consists of an inventory file (Part
4, Skeletal Inventory 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 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. 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). 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)
of various skeletal elements. 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. A small file of noted
problems for a few cases is also included (Part 8).
description: 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.
description: 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.
description: 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.
description: Response Rates: Not applicable.
description: Presence of Common Scales: None.
description: None.
description: Datasets: 
DS0: Study-Level Files
DS1: Demographic Data
DS2: Geographic and Death Data
DS3: Medical History Data
DS4: Skeletal Inventory Data
DS5: Age-Related Skeletal Data
DS6: Cranial Skeletal Data
DS7: Postcranial Skeletal Data
DS8: Additional Notes
description: All post-1900 forensic skeletal remains.
description: The user guide, codebooks, and data collection
instruments are provided as a Portable Document Format (PDF) file. The
PDF file format was developed by Adobe Systems Incorporated and can be
accessed using PDF reader software, such as the Adobe Acrobat
Reader. Information on how to obtain a copy of the Acrobat Reader is
provided through the ICPSR Website on the Internet.