CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION AND SKELETAL RECOVERY

• Jurisdiction: Australia

Overview ....................................................................................................... [35.90]

Recovery from watery environment .............................................................. [35.100]

Recovery from ground surface ..................................................................... [35.105]

Recovery from burial ..................................................................................... [35.110]

Recovery from fire scene .............................................................................. [35.115]

[35.90] Overview

The presence of a forensic anthropologist with skeletal identification and excavation skills is a distinct advantage in the investigation of a suspected crime scene involving skeletonised human remains. The final skeletal identification process depends for its success on the completeness of the material recovered from the crime scene and the full documentation of the immediate context in which the remains were found.

Much evidence that may be crucial to the establishment of the individual's identity, including the time since death and the reconstruction of the circumstances and events surrounding the disposal of the body, may be missed or lost due to ill-informed, incorrect or inadequate recovery and recording techniques. Being able to establish at the recovery scene that remains were those of a prehistoric Aboriginal, eg, would prevent further waste of the investigating team's time...