Stature Estimation

Abstract

go/ permission. that "No matter what accomplishments you make, somebody helps you." Somebodies, actually.First and foremost is my colleague Eugene Giles who has, at numerous and various times, acted as sounding board, source man, and diplomatic critic-all with his usual aplomb and attention to detail. Matt Cartmill and Kaye Brown, series editors, were a source of advice and encouragement. Steve Holland's experience in graphics production and publishing was very helpful in getting figures modified and into the proper format.Several members of the medical-legal community and law enforcement professionals have served as examples of the highest integrity and work ethics in death investigation and tempered my too frequent tendency to cynicism. They are proof that we can and do make a difference. You know who you are. Many thanks. xi SERIES INTRODUCTIONThe core focus of physical anthropology as a discipline is the biology of human beings in a cultural context. The subfield of forensic anthropology adapts this focus to the special job of identifying unknown remains and seeking and interpreting any evidence relating to the death that the remains may hold. We believe that Linda Klepinger's book will become the classic text in this subfield. Fundamentals of Forensic Anthropology embodies a genuine scientific passion for the subject matter, communicated not only through the author's unique critical and evaluative approach to the tools and techniques used in forensic investigations but also through her craft and artistry as a writer.Forensic anthropologists need to know a great deal about human osteology, skeletal biology, dental anthropology, taphonomy, archeology, genomics, and scientific inquiry in general. Fortunately for us, Klepinger knows all this and more. Best of all, she has the rare gift of being able to take others along with her for an eye-popping ride without demanding that they be similarly knowledgeable. In a prose style both engaging and straightforward, she unveils the history, limitations, accuracies, imprecisions, and future of forensic anthropology. Her book will lead its readers to ask all manner of related questions regarding the science behind forensic techniques, because it will teach them not how to do forensic science but how to think about doing it. This, we believe, is the essence of a classic text.In this book, professional forensic anthropologists will find guides to help them in estimating from unknown remains an individual's probable age, sex, race and stature. Novices will learn to understand-and question-the xiii science behind such estimates. And everybody who reads this book will discover how much they care about this field, and how important it is that it be done with both authority and honesty. This reflects the field's social significance as well as its intrinsic scientific interest; but most of all, it reflects Klepinger's consummate skill in telling the story of her discipline.Forensics should be an objective scientific inquiry, not a body of opinion in service to a particular employ...