How Does Forensic Anthropology Help Solve Crimes? - with Sue M. Black

The speaker begins with a caution about potentially disturbing images in the presentation, drawing a parallel to current events. The central theme revolves around identity, its proof, and the difference between self-perception and external validation. The discussion is initiated with a reference to the book 'The Death Ship', highlighting the complexities of identity recognition, especially in the absence of the individual. The speaker uses personal anecdotes, such as her own name changes and the societal implications of names, to illustrate the multifaceted nature of identity.

This paragraph delves deeper into the concept of identity, emphasizing its importance beyond just a name. The speaker, a physical and forensic anthropologist, discusses her professional interest in determining individual identity through physical characteristics. She shares personal experiences, such as body mapping her children for identification purposes, and reflects on human narcissism and the unique ability to recognize oneself and care for one's appearance. The paragraph also touches on the broader aspects of identity, including cultural, linguistic, and social components.

The discussion shifts to the philosophical and legal perspectives on identity, starting with Aristotle's law of identity, which is contrasted with the mutable nature of biological entities. Heraclitus's perspective on change is introduced to accommodate the inevitable transformations in living beings. The speaker uses the example of the Theseus paradox to illustrate the challenges of maintaining identity through continuous change, highlighting the permanence of certain body cells and the transience of others, including DNA, which can mutate over time.

The speaker addresses the limitations of human ability in identifying individuals, especially those not personally known to us. She contrasts this with the expertise of forensic identification professionals who consider both external and internal features. The paragraph discusses the use of fingerprints and DNA in forensic science, the latter of which has revolutionized the field but also made practitioners complacent. The speaker also touches on the probabilistic nature of identification and the challenges it presents in the forensic world.

This section critiques the methodology of fingerprint identification, following the case of Shirley McKee, which exposed flaws in the system. The speaker discusses the need for more points of similarity for a match and the implications of this for past convictions. The paragraph also covers the speaker's experiences with living individuals claiming to be minors and the forensic challenges in such cases, emphasizing the importance of accurate identification methods.

The speaker introduces forensic anthropology, explaining its focus on reconstructing the identity of individuals from their remains. She describes the process of extracting information from bones and other body parts, highlighting the expertise required to piece together the puzzle of identity. The paragraph also discusses the importance of distinguishing between different stages of decomposition and the information that can be retrieved from each.

The speaker recounts a case where an unidentified man was found in the woods, with only a pile of bones and some clothing. She details the investigative process, from the initial discovery by a man walking his dog to the subsequent forensic analysis. The lack of identifying information on the body and the unsuccessful DNA match in the police database are noted, emphasizing the challenges faced in such cases.

The paragraph describes the process of narrowing down the identity of the unidentified man using biological characteristics such as age, sex, ancestry, and height. The speaker explains how this information, while helpful, resulted in a large number of potential matches. She then discusses additional personal identifiers, such as tooth extractions and past injuries, and how they were used to reconstruct a face for the man, leading to his identification as Jake.

The speaker's fascination with hands as a means of identification is explored, detailing the anatomy and development of hands from the womb. She discusses the permanence of certain hand features and the genetic predisposition towards polydactyly in some populations. The paragraph also touches on the use of hands in mass fatality events and the potential for identifying individuals through their hands.

This section presents a case where infrared images captured by a Skype camera were used as evidence of abuse. The speaker explains the use of vein patterns in the identification process and the legal challenges faced in accepting this new form of evidence. The paragraph concludes with the outcome of the case and the emotional impact it had on the speaker, highlighting the limitations of relying solely on anatomical evidence.

The speaker reflects on the role of anatomy in the pursuit of justice, particularly in cases involving child abuse and indecent images. She discusses the development of a database to identify individuals through their hands and the potential of this research to assist in international crime prevention. The paragraph concludes with a call to action for the development of a multimodal biometric tool to aid in the identification process.

The final paragraph presents sobering statistics on child sexual abuse in the UK, emphasizing the scale of the issue. The speaker calls for the assistance of science in addressing this epidemic, highlighting the potential of anatomical identification methods to link international crimes and support law enforcement efforts in combating this pervasive issue.