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Is it human? Law enforcement officials learn to identify human remains

Law enforcers examine a skull held by Anthropology graduate student Liz Brandt

November 2007—Law enforcement officials from throughout Texas learned to distinguish between human and animal skeleton remains, in a workshop offered by the Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State (FACTS).  The program, titled "Is It Human?" is offered annually and is accredited by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education.

Workshop participants received instruction on the human skeleton and were introduced to signatures of postmortem trauma that can affect human bones in an outdoor setting, confusing and modifying their appearance. In addition, RP Flight Systems demonstrated the capabilities of their remote-controlled UAV aircraft for use in outdoor search and recovery.

Texas State Forensic Anthropologists Dr. Jerry Melbye and Dr. Michelle Hamilton, along with forensic anthropology graduate students, taught the workshop.  Information about upcoming workshops is available by visiting the FACTS website: http://www.txstate.edu/anthropology/facts.