This work is intended as a guide to the various methods for locating human remains. Most of the information is applicable to both archaeological and forensic situations. The intended audience is those who become actively involved in the hunt for human bodies, such as historic and prehistoric archaeologists and the law enforcement community, including coroner or medical examiner investigators and search and rescue teams. It contains guidelines for the investigation of missing person or homicide cases which require comprehensive body search planning. The core is a guide to methods requiring comprehensive body search planning.

A truly interdisciplinary approach to this core subject within Forensic Science Combines essential theory with practical crime scene work Includes case studies Applicable to all time periods so has relevance for conventional archaeology, prehistory and anthropology Combines points of view from both established practitioners and young researchers to ensure relevance

Human Remains detection (Cadaver) dogs are being utilised throughout the United States and Great Britain as aids to forensic investigations. Their skills in identifying remains sites can save a great deal of manpower and cost, and decrease response times in important investigations. The present study involved training Queensland Police Dog "Geordie" to recognise decaying human scent, using a pseudo corpse chemical, cadaver clothing, and finally real human remains. The success of the training was evaluated by testing the ability of the dog to detect training chemicals, and then real human remains.

BURNT HUMAN REMAINS An all-encompassing reference and guide designed for professionals involved in the forensic analysis of burnt remains Burnt Human Remains: Recovery, Analysis and Interpretation presents an in-depth multidisciplinary approach to the detection, recovery, analysis, and identification of thermally altered remains. Bridging the gap between research and practice, this invaluable one-stop reference provides detailed coverage of analytical techniques in forensic medicine and pathology, forensic anthropology, forensic odontology, and forensic chemistry and forensic biology. Contributions from a panel of expert authors review the newest findings in forensics research and discuss their applicability to forensic case work. Opening with a historical overview of the discipline, the book covers the search and recovery aspects of burnt human remains, medico-legal investigations, determination of the post mortem interval of burnt remains, structural changes of burnt bone and teeth, DNA extraction from burnt remains, and much more. Throughout the text, the authors emphasize the importance of understanding the changes undergone by bodies when subjected to fire for establishing identity, reconstructing the events leading up to incineration, and determining the cause and manner of death. Provides a systemic framework that integrates established forensic methods and state-of-the-art analytical approaches Describes different forensic analyses from the macroscopical, microscopical, biochemical, and molecular level Features international case studies of challenging individual cases as well as natural or man-made mass fatalities requiring the identification of incinerated remains Demonstrates how changes to the macro- and microstructure of burnt remains can reveal information about incineration conditions Discusses organizations and programs focused on developing standards and best practice for the recovery and analysis burnt remains Burnt Human Remains: Recovery, Analysis and Interpretation is an indispensable resource for all practitioners engaged in the interpretation of burned human tissue, including pathologists, forensic chemists, forensic biologists, forensic anthropologists, forensic odontologists, and archaeologists.

Commingling of human remains presents an added challenge to all phases of the forensic process. This book brings together tools from diverse sources within forensic science to offer a set of comprehensive approaches to handling commingled remains. It details the recovery of commingled remains in the field, the use of triage in the assessment of commingling, various analytical techniques for sorting and determining the number of individuals, the role of DNA in the overall process, ethical considerations, and data management. In addition, the book includes case examples that illustrate techniques found to be successful and those that proved problematic.

Buried body cases are generally rare, but there have been some recent notable exceptions including the discovery of several buried bodies within the sand dunes on the shores of Botany Bay, and the locating of seven partially buried bodies within the Belanglo State Forest. The need therefore exists for a guide to assist the crime scene examiner in this most complex of tasks. The field guide will discuss techniques for the detection and recovery of buried human remains which will greatly assist crime scene examiners involved in buried body cases, in the future, enhancing the probability of a successful resolution, both in the investigation and the presentation of the evidence to a court. -- The topic of the specialist project is the development of a field guide to the detection and recovery of buried human remains to be utilised by crime scene examiners &… the development of a comprehensive field guide which relates to the following specific topics: the detection of buried human remains; the surface procedures and protocols once a buried body site has been located; the physical excavation and recovery of the buried remains; the introduction of a standardised Excavation Report Form for field use; presentation methods of the excavation before a court. -- The report also assesses current equipment levels available to crime scene examiners, which may relate to the search and excavation stages and a recommendation for a minimum equipment level, or Excavation Kit, to be established and maintained.

This unique reference provides a primary source for osteologists and the medical/legal community for the understanding of burned bone remains in forensic or archaeological contexts. It describes in detail the changes in human bone and soft tissues as a body burns at both the chemical and gross levels and provides an overview of the current procedures in burned bone study. Case studies in forensic and archaeological settings aid those interested in the analysis of burned human bodies, from death scene investigators, to biological anthropologists looking at the recent or ancient dead. - Includes the diagnostic patterning of color changes that give insight to the severity of burning, the positioning of the body, and presence (or absence) of soft tissues during the burning event - Chapters on bones and teeth give step-by-step recommendations for how to study and recognize burned hard tissues

Most commonly, searches for clandestine remains have utilized time-consuming methods such as line searches that require the support of many individuals to scour a typically large area. While these methods do yield results, they take time to execute, and in certain places may actually prove dangerous for the participants. Many additional methods have been tested and utilized in the recovery of human remains, including the use of metal detectors, aerial photography, and ground-penetrating radar, which can be time consuming and expensive. Only in recent years has the use of near-infrared imagery been experimented with as a means of uncovering clandestine graves and surface remains. As human remains decompose, a large amount of organic matter enters into the surrounding soil, forming a cadaver decomposition island (CDI). Because soils that are organically rich have a different reflectance signature than nearby unaffected soils when viewed with near-infrared (NIR) imaging, it is likely that by using NIR photography and drone technology, clandestine remains may be recovered more quickly and more efficiently than has previously been possible. Because NIR photographs can be obtained using small, remotely controlled aircraft or aerial drones, large areas can be surveyed for clandestine remains remotely, thereby minimizing the need to involve a substantial group of people in the search. In so doing, potentially dangerous locations can be searched without great risk, disturbances to forensically significant sites will be minimized, and the area that personnel must search will be reduced and more precisely understood. The present study explores the utility and longevity of near-infrared cameras mounted to Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) in the detection of clandestine human remains deposited on the surface. Aerial NIR photographs and soil samples were compiled from 104 identifiable CDIs (i.e., the fertile soil area below and surrounding a decomposing cadaver) at the Forensic Anthropology Research Facility at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. Results indicate that CDIs have a unique NIR spectra signature that can be successfully utilized to find clandestine remains.

Forensic Genetic Approaches for Identification of Human Skeletal Remains: Challenges, Best Practices, and Emerging Technologies provides best practices on processing bone samples for DNA testing. The book outlines forensic genetics tools that are available for the identification of skeletal remains in contemporary casework and historical/archaeological investigations. Although the book focuses primarily on the use of DNA for direct identification or kinship analyses, it also highlights complementary disciplines often used in concert with genetic data to make positive identifications, such as forensic anthropology, forensic odontology, and forensic art/sculpting. Unidentified human remains are often associated with tragic events, such as fires, terrorist attacks, natural disasters, war conflicts, genocide, airline crashes, homicide, and human rights violations under oppressive totalitarian regimes. In these situations, extensive damage to soft tissues often precludes the use of such biological samples in the identification process. In contrast, bone material is the most resilient, viable sample type for DNA testing. DNA recovered from bone often is degraded and in low quantities due to the effects of human decomposition, environmental exposure, and the passage of time. The complexities of bone microstructure and its rigid nature make skeletal remains one of the most challenging sample types for DNA testing. Provides best practices on processing bone samples for DNA testing Presents detailed coverage of proper facilities design for skeletal remains processing, selection of optimal skeletal elements for DNA recovery, specialized equipment needed, preparation and cleaning of bone samples for DNA extraction, and more Highlights complementary disciplines often used in concert with genetic data to make positive identifications, such as forensic anthropology, forensic odontology, and forensic art/sculpting

This electronic version has been made available under a Creative Commons (BY-NC-ND) open access license. Human remains and identification presents a pioneering investigation into the practices and methodologies used in the search for and exhumation of dead bodies resulting from mass violence. Previously absent from forensic debate, social scientists and historians here confront historical and contemporary exhumations with the application of social context to create an innovative and interdisciplinary dialogue, enlightening the political, social and legal aspects of mass crime and its aftermaths. Through a ground-breaking selection of international case studies, Human remains and identification argues that the emergence of new technologies to facilitate the identification of dead bodies has led to a "forensic turn", normalising exhumations as a method of dealing with human remains en masse. However, are these exhumations always made for legitimate reasons? Multidisciplinary in scope, this book will appeal to readers interested in understanding this crucial phase of mass violence's aftermath, including researchers in history, anthropology, sociology, forensic science, law, politics and modern warfare. The research program leading to this publication has received funding from the European Research Council under the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP/2007-2013) / ERC Grant Agreement n° 283-617.