forensic anthropologist’s

In news that should hopefully not be all that surprising to you, TV shows don’t often depict the total reality of various jobs, especially those that are involved in the criminal justice process. For this assignment, you will be comparing the actual field of forensic anthropology to that shown on the TV show Bones.

Watch the following two videos that focus on the actual field of forensic anthropology:

-“Bone Whispering with Kari Bruwelheide” the major factors that forensic anthropologists look for and try to identify when analyzing skeletal remains.

-“Face to Face with Professor Dame Sue Black” ; this is an interview with a forensic anthropologist that works in the UK, and has also done work with the International Criminal Court and responded to global disasters. *Warning*, there are some graphic and emotion-laden topics discussed in this interview, related to decomposition and loss of family members.

Then, watch any episode of Bones that seems of interest to you. You should be focusing on the aspects of the show that portray actual forensic methods and anthropological principles. (They are, admittedly, sometimes few and far between. Try to find an episode that focuses more on that and less on the character drama.) You can find the show on multiple TV stations on rerun, on Hulu, or at your local library.

In a 3-5 page paper, discuss what you learned about the limitations of forensic anthropology; what can and cannot be learned from bones, what a forensic anthropologist’s role in a typical investigation is, and in what types of contexts they often apply their skills. Overall, do you think Bones is accurate? Why or why not? Are there some parts that are more accurate than others? If so, which parts?