Anthropology, Department of
ORCID IDs
William R. Belcher https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7558-0762
Calvin Y. Shiroma https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0448-8624
Lesley A. Chesson https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8457-9341
Gregory E. Berg https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4225-1783
Miranda Jans https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3379-4471
Date of this Version
2021
Citation
WIREs Forensic Sci. 2021;e1446.
DOI: 10.1002/wfs2.1446
Abstract
The Scientific Analysis Directorate of the U.S. Department of Defense's (DoD) Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) is a unique entity within the U.S. Government. This agency currently houses the world's largest, accredited skeletal identification laboratory in the world, in terms of the size of the scientific staff, global mission, and number of annual identifications. Traditional forensic anthropology is used for the formation of a biological profile (biological sex, stature, population affinity/ancestry, and age) as well as trauma and pathologies that may be compared with historical records and personnel files. Since World War II, various scientists associated with DoD have conducted base-line research in support of the identification of U.S. war dead, including, but not limited to, histology, the use of chest radiography and clavicle comparison, and statistical models to deal with commingling issues. The primary goal of the identification process of the Scientific Analysis Directorate is to use all available historical, field, and forensic methods to establish the most robust and defendable identification as scientifically and legally possible.
Comments
U.S. government work