Forensic anthropology in Latin America.

Area of Science:

• Forensic Anthropology
• Bioarchaeology
• Medico-legal Science

Background:

• Forensic anthropology is a rapidly advancing medico-legal discipline.
• Developing region-specific anthropological standards is crucial for accurate analysis.
• Uruguay previously lacked dedicated resources for analyzing human skeletal remains.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze a substantial sample of forensic anthropological cases from Central and South America.
• To review existing literature on anthropological standards for this population.
• To assess the development and needs of forensic anthropology in the region, using Uruguay as a case study.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 189 forensic anthropological cases (276 individuals) from Uruguay between 1991 and 1997.
• Review of pertinent literature on anthropological standards for Central and South American populations.
• Utilized skull-photo superimposition and facial reconstruction for identification when necessary.

Main Results:

• The Laboratorio de Antropología Forense in Montevideo analyzed 189 cases, with 26% positive identifications.
• Most cases involved individuals aged 60-69 (35%), with females comprising 32%.
• The number of forensic cases in Uruguay increased significantly after the laboratory's establishment.

Conclusions:

• There is a critical need for region-specific osteological standards for age estimation, stature calculation, sex determination, and race assessment in Central and South America.
• Regional standards are also required for estimating postmortem interval and identifying culturally specific trauma.
• Establishing a shared database for literature and osteometric data is essential to address current deficiencies in forensic anthropology research.