Ethical Issues In Forensic Investigation

When it comes to the role of a forensic anthropologist, how are they involved in the process of identifying human remains? When do they collect the DNA profile, if at all? And does the examination process have any negative effects on the DNA samples? When law enforcement has an investigation that involves the discovery of human remains that have been "buried, or are in an advanced stage of decomposition, or skeletonized," it 's fairly typical that they would have a forensic anthropologist come in to lend their "expertise (Arismendi, Baker, & Matteson, 2004)." Typically, when all other lines of identification have been exhausted, the forensic anthropologist may collect DNA samples to help with the identification process, though this isn 't always part of their job. When the forensic anthropologist is tasked with collecting the DNA samples, they must use a plethora of techniques to remove any soft tissues remaining on the bones, which some claim compromises the integrity of the DNA samples, though it will be argued that there is no evidence to support this theory. Additionally, when the forensic anthropologist does collect the DNA samples, it 's a much more convenient process for investigators, as there are less individuals handling evidence, and there is a more

According to the textbook, Forensic Anthropology: An Introduction, "the collection of DNA for identification purposes is not generally the responsibility of a forensic anthropologist (Tersigni-Tarrant & Shirley, P.409)." So, even if it 's not usually their responsibility to collect the DNA, it 's more convenient to the investigative process "because of more immediate lines of communication between investigators (Tersigni-Tarrant & Shirley, P.409)." Also, the forensic anthropologist is "typically asked to collect samples or identify potentially useful skeletal material," and are usually the "best" decision-makers on how the DNA samples should be used to identify the remains (Tersigni-Tarrant & Shirley,