Demands on methods of estimation of biological profile in era of globalization: Current state and future tasks
Abstract
Forensic anthropology increasingly faces major obstacles due to the phenomenon of globalization. The majority of methods commonly used in establishing the biological profile from skeletonized remains is population-specific, and were designed from samples of populations alive in the 19th and 20th centuries A.
D. Frequent travelling of people multiplies the risk of errors for forensic anthropologists when attempting to determine precisely and accurately the biological profile of an unknown individual.
This is mostly due to the variability between different populations, which includes the impact of secular trends. We recommend modern medical imaging techniques as the basis to design osteobiographical methods, instead of the traditional skeletal reference collections.
Besides, we advise forensic anthropologists to practice with extreme cautiousness when using methods that are recognized as population-specific.