Investigating identification disparities in forensic anthropology casework

Area of Science:

• Forensic Anthropology
• Criminal Justice Research

Background:

• Forensic anthropology practices are increasingly scrutinized for their impact within the criminal justice system.
• Understanding demographic influences on case identification is crucial for equitable practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between decedent demographics and identification trends in forensic anthropology cases.
• To investigate whether demographic estimations impact identification rates and investigation duration.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of over 1,200 identified and unidentified forensic anthropology cases from three national agencies.
• Multivariate analyses to assess the relationship between decedent demographics (sex, age, race/ethnicity) and identification rates.
• Examination of identification investigation duration based on decedent demographics.

Main Results:

• Decedent sex, age, and race/ethnicity were not related to case identification rates in the pooled U.S. sample.
• Any observed identification rate differences were small, agency-specific, or context-dependent.
• No consistent evidence of discrepancies in investigation duration based on decedent demographics was found.
• Forensic anthropological estimations of sex, age, and ancestry showed small positive effects on improving identification odds.

Conclusions:

• Decedent demographic estimation practices by forensic anthropologists do not appear to be a primary driver of identification discrepancies.
• Contextual factors and agency-specific practices likely play a more significant role in identification trends.
• Further research is needed to confirm these findings across diverse investigative contexts.