DOCSLIB.ORG

Forensic Farming.Qxd

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Forensic Farming.Qxd FORENSICS FISHER SCIENCE EDUCATION HEADLINE DISCOVERIIES MAKING SCIENCE MATTER™ FORENSIC FARMING ehind the employee parking lot of the B University of Tennessee medical cen- ter is an area surrounded by a six-foot, chain- link fence topped with razor wire and hidden from sightseers by a wooden privacy fence. Passersby might wonder what precious com- modity is protected by all this foreboding secu- rity, and most would be very surprised to find out! For, behind the fencing and padlocks lies a lit- tle plot of land frequently referred to as the "Body Farm" or "The Facility." It is the University of Tennessee's Forensic Anthropology Facility, the only one of its kind in the world, and the research done here yields something very pre- cious—ground-breaking forensic knowledge that's priceless to law enforcement personnel across the country and around the world. The Impetus The creation of a facility to chronicle the process of decomposition was spurred by a misidentification made by its founder Dr. Bill Bass in 1977. An experienced anthropologist, Dr. Bass was called upon to identify a body believed to be that of a Civil War colonel killed in battle and buried in a sealed lead coffin. While examining the body, Dr. Bass observed a bit of pinkish flesh still attached to the bones. Based on his experience and the forensic knowledge available at the time, he concluded center that had previously been used to burn environmental conditions. Bodies are buried in that the body had only been interred for about the hospital's trash. Dr. Bass jumped at the deep and shallow graves, submerged in water, a year. In reality, additional non-forensic clues chance to have the facility located closer to the left out in the open in both shade and full sun, proved that the body was that of the colonel university campus and in 1980 he and his stu- covered with tarps, wrapped in plastic bags, and that Bass's estimate of the time of death dents built a storage shed, had the area fenced rolled inside carpets, or placed in one of the old was about 112 years off! This made Dr. Bass off, and the Body Farm was born. cars on the lot so that scientists and students realize just how little was known about the can observe how decomposition rates are process of decomposition and motivated him In this unique outdoor laboratory, researchers affected by conditions based in part on FBI files to gear his research toward expanding current and graduate students study the process of of past crimes and the body disposal methods scientific knowledge about the decomposition decomposition and how various environmental used in those crimes. of bodies. conditions affect the rate and stages observed. Scientists learn from watching bodies decom- Most of the bodies have been donated to the The Facility pose, taking digital images at timed intervals, facility for its research and some are unidenti- and making meticulous notes. This careful fied bodies turned over by the medical examin- It was 1977 and the original site the university study has revealed much of what happens at er's office. As the awareness of the facility has allowed the department to use was an old pig every stage of decomposition and is an invalu- spread and more people will their bodies to the farm about twenty miles away from the cam- able tool for law enforcement officials to use facility, the University lawyers have had to draft pus. After security became a problem at that when evaluating crime scenes. a special form for people to fill out for this pur- location, the university granted the department pose. ownership of an empty lot behind the medical The facility typically houses over 20 corpses in various stages of decomposition and in various A true pioneer in his field, Dr. Bass has created reducing it to skeletal remains. As the time "discovered" by a relative. Unfortunately for the a unique "school" for scientists and law enforce- span between death and discovery widens, relative, that was also the time period when he ment authorities alike. Of the 61 specialists cer- forensic techniques become less accurate as claimed to have visited the cabin and found tified nationwide by the American Board of environmental variables begin to affect the nothing amiss. Although he had an alibi for the Forensic Anthropology, Dr. Bass trained one- decomposition rate of the body and each envi- time around when the bodies were discovered, third. ronment has a different effect. For example, in he didn't have one for the time that they were the summer heat, a body can be reduced to actually killed. With this information and other Agents from local and state law enforcement bones in just two weeks. Bodies inside cars evidence, authorities were able to convict the departments and the FBI send field teams of decompose at a faster rate because it is much relative of the murders. agents to the facility to participate in courses hotter inside a car and the heat accelerates the that allow them to experience first-hand how rate of decay. Bodies submerged in water, crime scenes might appear. Facility workers wrapped in plastic, or located where the tem- The Chemistry of prepare bodies to simulate crime scenes and perature is under 50° decompose slower for Decomposition the agents are tasked with finding the bodies, various reasons. These variables and their collecting evidence and evaluating the scenes. effects are the mysteries that Dr. Bass and his A body releases about 450 known chemicals colleagues are trying to unravel. during decomposition and researchers at the The Process Begins facility are using an electronic nose with multi- ple sensors to sample the air above and around Decomposition begins as soon as a person Insects Are The Key a decomposing body to gather more clues to dies. The body starts to cool as the body's sys- In the first two weeks after death, insects are establish a time of death. tems shut down and chemical changes start one of the best indicators scientists have to Decomposing bodies also leak fatty acids onto the process. When a body decays, enzymes in determine when death occurred. Different the surface where it rests. The profiles of these the digestive system begin to digest the tissues insects will be interested in a body at different acids changes as the days pass and analyzing surrounding it causing them to liquefy, called stages of decomposition. By studying the differ- them can reveal the time of death. It can also putrefaction. At the same time, insects are ent insect life cycles present on a cadaver, sci- give clues as to how long the body has been in attracted to the body and begin their roles in entists can determine how long the insect has a particular spot and if it may have been moved been there. Cross-referencing that after death. information with known life cycles and feeding habits of the particular To achieve this, perforated pipes are situated insect can estimate a fairly accu- above and below the bodies and emissions are rate time of death. collected with sorbent traps. The chemicals are extracted and analyzed by gas chromatography The cadaver-insect symbiosis can and mass spectrometry to be identified and also be a clue when two different quantified. Then they are mapped along with rates of decomposition are the environmental factors present during their observed, such as when a body is collection to allow scientists to construct a time- decomposing in a house or car line to determine time of death. and it has taken the flies and other insects a while to find a way in. Careful examination will show that Future Hopes the body's natural decomposition As work at the facility continues and bright advanced before the insects began young graduate students continue to filter their work. through the program, new technologies are an An example of this was seen in a inevitable result. Scientists theorize that the case where Dr. Bass was asked to research being done at the Facility may be help determine the time of death of used in the future to develop sprays to train a family of three found dead in a cadaver dogs or hand-held monitors that can remote Mississippi cabin in detect the smells of decomposition at crime December 1993. There were clear scenes. As the mysteries of death are unrav- signs of a dual rate of decomposi- eled and a detailed analysis of decomposition tion, and this along with the insect continues to be formulated, these new tech- activity documented at the crime nologies will make it easier for law enforcement scene enabled him to determine to identify victims, find the perpetrators and the family died in mid-November, a ensure that these most heinous of crimes will full month before the bodies were not go unpunished. For customer service, call 1-800-955-1177. To fax an order, use 1-800-955-0740. To order online: www.fisheredu.com ©2004 Fisher Scientific 04-5990 BN0913044 Litho in USA CR/AR 10M-GCS-09/04.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Tiffany B. Saul
    Tiffany B. Saul Middle Tennessee State University Forensic Institute for Research and Education 1301 East Main Street Box 89 Wiser-Patten Science Hall 106H Murfreesboro, TN 37132 [email protected] Education 2013-2017 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Anthropology, University of Tennessee 2010-2013 Master of Science (MS) in Biology, Middle Tennessee State University 1998-2002 Bachelor of Science (BS) in Anthropology, Middle Tennessee State University Academic Appointments 2017-present Research Assistant Professor, Middle Tennessee State University (Forensic Institute for Research and Education and Dept. of Anthropology) 2015-2017 Graduate Research Assistant, University of Tennessee (Dept. of Anthropology) 2014-2015 Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of Tennessee (Anthropology & Biology) 2013 (Fall) Graduate Research Assistant, University of Tennessee (Dept. of Anthropology) 2012-2013 Graduate Research Assistant, Forensic Institute for Research and Education 2010-2012 NSF Graduate Fellow, Middle Tennessee State University Teaching Experience 2017 World Prehistory (ANTH 2210/ 1 section-MTSU), Instructor 2016 Basic Forensic Crime Scene Processing School (TBI), Presenter 2016 Forensic Skeletal Search and Recovery Course (MTSU), Instructor 2016 Biometrics Field Training (FBI Fly Team), Instructor 2015 Human Origins (ANTH 110/1 section-UTK), Instructor 2014-2015 Human Osteology Lab (ANTH 480/3 sections-UTK), Teaching Assistant 2014 General Biology for Non-majors Lab (BIOL 102/ 2 sections-UTK), Instructor 2013 Career and Technical Education (CTE) Workshop, Session Director 2012 Basic Forensic Crime Scene Processing School (TBI), Presenter 2012-2013 NSF TRIAD GK-12 Program, Program Master Fellow 2011-2012 Career and Technical Education (CTE) Workshop, Curriculum Developer 2011 Homicide Investigation Course (TBI), Instructor Assistant 2011-2014 CSI: MTSU Summer Camp, Curriculum Developer and Instructor 2010-2012 NSF TRIAD GK-12 Program, Visiting Scientist/Research Mentor 2010 CSI: MTSU Summer Camp, Assistant Instructor T.
    [Show full text]
  • The Body Farm 1 the Body Farm Rachel Hilton Salt Lake Community College Mortuary Science Department
    The Body Farm 1 The Body Farm Rachel Hilton Salt Lake Community College Mortuary Science Department The Body Farm 2 The Body Farm The Body Farm, a strange and eerie term you may have heard in a book or on a television show, meaning exactly what it sounds like: an outdoor research facility where bodies are strategically placed in the sun, in the shade, in ponds and in trunks and examined to see the effects of time and certain elements. Why do we have several body farms in the United States and what purpose do they serve? One day the students and staff of body farms across the U.S. hope to aide law enforcement in catching criminals by making an atlas of what happens to the human body after death. By developing this atlas equipped with pictures, copious amounts of time will be saved by law enforcement, time that would otherwise be wasted on trying to develop a time of death. The education a body farm can provide for aspiring forensic anthropology students is endless. Many teachers have tried to simulate crime scenes in classrooms, and while they do work and give students a broader spectrum of inquiries, to have an actual body to study over time is the ultimate gift. Body Farms in the U.S Dr. William M. Bass’ inspiration for starting the body farm stemmed from a possible murder case presented to him by local police where they asked him to approximate time of death of a body whose resting place was disturbed when a couple decided to remodel their home.
    [Show full text]
  • How I Set up My Own Body Farm by Jennifer Dean
    How I Set Up My Own Body Farm By Jennifer Dean To prepare for a new forensic science elective at Camas High School, and determined to make this new course an exciting application of biology and chemistry principles, I began by collecting forensic science resources, ordering books and enrolling in the local community college course on forensic science. I spent every extra hour soaking up as much as I could about this field during the “time off” teachers get in the summer. I was particularly fascinated by the fields of forensic entomology and anthropology. From books such as Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach and Dr. Bill Bass’s work around the creation of a human body farm at the University of Tennessee Forensic Anthropology Center, I decided to create something similar for our new high school forensic science program. As we met for dinner after a day of revitalizing workshops in Seattle at an NSTA conference, I shared my thoughts about the creation of an animal body farm with my talented and dedicated colleagues. These teachers have a passion for their students and their work. I felt free to share these ideas with them and know I’d be supported in making it a reality. As the Science Department, we formally agreed to dedicate ourselves to submitting grants to make it a reality. Back at work, I sent copies of the farm proposal to my immediate supervisors, and they responded with letters of support. The next step was getting the farm started—with or without grant money—because the first class of forensic science would be starting in the fall.
    [Show full text]
  • A Taphonomic Examination of Inhumed and Entombed Remains in Parma Cemeteries, Italy
    ISSN: 2692-5389 DOI: 10.33552/GJFSM.2019.01.000518 Global Journal of Forensic Science & Medicine Research Article Copyright © All rights are reserved by Paola A Magni A Taphonomic Examination of Inhumed and Entombed Remains in Parma Cemeteries, Italy Edda Guareschi, Ian R Dadour and Paola A Magni* Medical, Molecular & Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, Australia *Corresponding author: Paola A Magni, Medical, Molecular & Forensic Sciences, Received Date: April 15, 2019 Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia. Published Date: May 23, 2019 Abstract People of different cultures bury their dead in different ways, based on religious beliefs, historical rituals, or public health requirements. In Italy, cremation is still a limited practice compared to entombment and inhumation. Accordingly with the law, a buried body can be moved to the cemetery ossuary only if skeletonized. Generally, complete skeletonization occurs within 40 years following burial, but sometimes the body may mummify, or it may turn into adipocere. Globally, today burial space is limited with cemeteries facing a growing need for both burials and entombments. The present study considered the thanatological, taphonomical, anthropological, microbiological and geochemical examination of 408 human bodies exhumed from grave pits and stone tombs located in two cemeteries in Parma, Italy. Intrinsic and extrinsic factors associated with the process of the decomposition of such bodies were documented in order to identify which factors promote or reduce the time needed for skeletonization. Overall, the aim of this study was to improve the management of the body turnover in cemeteries, providing recommendations for cemetery management and turnover planning, with the goal of avoiding extra costs that may be attributed to the family and the State.
    [Show full text]
  • Human Taphonomy Facilities
    FOREN SIC FRI ILITIES ONOMDYA FYA C HUMAN TAPH WITH HEATHER @STEMResponseWLV HUMAN TAPHONOMIC FACILITIES A human taphonomy facility ( HTF) or body farm, is a facility whereby human cadavers are observed for the purpose of research particularly in forensic science. A HTF is used to research various aspects of forensic science such as anthropology, entomology and decomposition. This involves the processes which occur after death, environmental conditions, location, burial and movement. Not only are these facilities used by science students and researchers to explore and gain further knowledge, they are used to educate and train law enforcement and simulate case studies. @STEMResponseWLV HUMAN TAPHONOMIC FACILITIES Secure Thanatology Forensic Research Research Site Outdoor Station University of Quebec, Canada Northern Michigan University, Forensic Investigation USA Research Station Colorado Mesa UniversIty, USA Amsterdam Research Initiative for Complex For Forensic Sub-surface Taphonomy and Anthropology Research Anthropology Southern Illinois University, USA Forensic Osteology Research Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands Forensic Anthropology Station Research Facility Western Carolina University, USA Texas State University, USA Florida Forensic Institue for Applied Anthropological Research, Security and Tactical Research Center Training. Sam Houston State University, USA University of South Florida, USA Forensic Anthropology Center The University of Tennesse, USA Australian Facility for Taphonomic Research University
    [Show full text]
  • Decomposition Patterns of Buried Remains at Different Intervals in the Central Highveld Region of South Africa
    Decomposition patterns of buried remains at different intervals in the Central Highveld region of South Africa A Marais-Werner1,*, J Myburgh2, A Meyer2, WC Nienaber2 and M Steyn3 1School of Health Care Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa 2Forensic Anthropology Research Centre, Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa 3School of Anatomical Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa *Corresponding author: A Marais-Werner, School of Health Care Sciences, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x 323, Arcadia, 0007, South Africa. Email: [email protected] Abstract Burial of remains is an important factor when one attempts to establish the post-mortem interval as it reduces, and in extreme cases, excludes oviposition by Diptera species. This in turn leads to modification of the decomposition process. The aim of this study was to record decomposition patterns of buried remains using a pig model. The pattern of decomposition was evaluated at different intervals and recorded according to existing guidelines. In order to contribute to our knowledge on decomposition in different settings, a quantifiable approach was followed. Results indicated that early stages of decomposition occurred rapidly for buried remains within 7–33 days. Between 14 and 33 days, buried pigs displayed common features associated with the early to middle stages of decomposition, such as discoloration and bloating. From 33 to 90 days advanced decomposition manifested on the remains, and pigs then reached a stage of advanced decomposition where little change was observed in the next ±90–183 days after interment. Throughout this study, total body scores remained higher for surface remains.
    [Show full text]
  • Writing 20 Offers Instruction in the Complexities of Producing Written Analysis and Argument Characteristic of Intellectual Wo
    Fall 2008, Writing 20: Academic Writing Documenting Death: Critical (De)Compositions1 Staff and Class Information Section 28 Dr. Jules Odendahl-James Carr Bldg. 241 Office: Room 200F, Art Bldg.2 T/TH 10:05-11:20am 3 Email: [email protected] Section 75 Office Phone: 660-4378 Carr Bldg. 242 T/TH 11:40am-12:55pm Office Hours: 1-3pm Wednesdays & by appointment Section 1 Art Bldg. 116 Course Librarians: Kelley Lawton & T/TH 1:15-2:30pm Danette Patchner Course Philosophy First and foremost, this is a writing class. Your writing will explore issues of documentation particularly as that process recounts events and actions surrounding human death. Documentation is a key element of academic writing from conceptualization to execution. Similarly, when we are born and when we die, we are marked by host of documentation practices. In this course, we will place three categories of death documentation under particular scrutiny: . Obituaries . Mourning and Memorial Objects and Spaces . Memoirs and Mass-Market Narratives about Death and Dying 1 I owe a debt of gratitude to Professors Frederick Klaits, Gretchen Case, Stephanie Jeffries, Christine Erlein, Chana Kraus- Freidberg and Dr. Kelly Rowett-James for their assistance in the design and content of this syllabus. 2 This building is located between the recently renovated Branson Theatre and the Bivins Bldg., which houses the Theatre Studies and Dance Departments and WXDU, on the edge of East Campus behind Brodie Gym and the tennis courts. The following URL shows a useful East Campus map <http://rlhs.studentaffairs.duke.edu/images/East.pdf>. Section 1 will have class meetings in this building.
    [Show full text]
  • The Law and Ethics of Using the Dead in Research By
    THE LAW AND ETHICS OF USING THE DEAD IN RESEARCH BY CATHERINE M. HAMMACK A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY GRADUATE SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS Bioethics December, 2014 Winston-Salem, North Carolina Approved By: Christine N. Coughlin, JD, Advisor Nancy King, JD, Chair Tanya Marsh, JD ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thank you to everyone at the Center for Bioethics, Health and Society and the Master of Arts in Bioethics program at Wake Forest University. I would like to extend my warmest thanks to each of my bioethics professors— Christine Coughlin, Dr. Heather Gert, Mark Hall, Dr. Michael Hyde, Dr. Ana Iltis, and Nancy King—for constantly teaching, challenging, and encouraging me. A special thanks to Vicky Zickmund for her everlasting patience and kindness. I am forever grateful for the guidance, support, advice, and encouragement from Christine Coughlin, Nancy King, and Tanya Marsh, who are far more than my Examination Committee—they are extraordinary mentors and role models, both professionally and personally. I am a better scholar and person for having had the pleasure of learning from each of them. There are no words to express my gratitude for my friends and family. My parents, Jim and Phyllis Hammack, have showed their unwavering support in every way possible throughout my academic career. From proofreading my drafts at midnight to “wearing beige,” my parents have done and been everything I have needed. My partner, Michael Derek Jacobs, has supported and encouraged me throughout all this madness and loved me anyway; his patience and positivity inspire me to do and be better.
    [Show full text]
  • William M. Bass Page 1 CURRICULUM VITAE NAME
    William M. Bass Page 1 CURRICULUM VITAE NAME: William Marvin Bass, III DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH: August 30, 1928; Staunton, Virginia MARRIED: August 8, 1953. Mary Ann (Owen) Bass, Ph.D. 1971 Kansas State University, Food Science and Nutrition. DECEASED March 27, 1993 Three sons, March 1, 1956; November 2, 1962; July 14, 1964. Married May 21, 1994. Annette C. Blackbourne. DECEASED May 25, 1997. Married December 17, 1997. Carol H. Miles. EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: B.A. 1951 (Psychology) University of Virginia M.S. 1956 (Anthropology) University of Kentucky Ph.D. 1961 (Anthropology) University of Pennsylvania Dissertation title: Variation in the physical types of the prehistoric Plains Indians. Written in connection with the Smithsonian Institution and published as Memoir I of the Plains Anthropologist. D.A.B.F.A. 1978 Diplomate American Board of Forensic Anthropology Psychological (and Anthropological) Research Assistant, (Army), Army Medical Research Laboratory, Fort Knox, Kentucky, 1951-53. Psychophysiologist, (Civilian), Army Medical Research Laboratory, search in applied physical anthropology (Human Engineering), 1953-54. Personnel Counselor, Counseling Office, University of Kentucky, September, 1954 - June, 1955. Administrative Assistant, Counseling Office, University of Kentucky, June, 1955 - November, 1955. Acting Director of Counseling Office (upon death of Dr. Lyle W. Croft, Director, and until a Ph.D. could be obtained to fill the position), November, 1955 - June, 1956. FORMAL TEACHING EXPERIENCE: Instructor in Physical Anthropology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, September, 1956 - January, 1960. Teaching Physical Anthropology and Anatomy and research in growth and development of children. Instructor in Anthropology, Department of Anthropology, University of Nebraska, January, 1960 - August, 1960.
    [Show full text]
  • Personal Identification: Theory and Applications the Case Study Approach
    M01_STEA0735_02_SE_C01.QXD 9/19/08 12:59 PM Page 1 SECTION I Personal Identification: Theory and Applications The Case Study Approach n the summer of 1990, four male friends entered an abandoned farmhouse in Iowa, but Ionly three emerged alive. While one stood watch outside, two of the men shot their friend multiple times and threw his body into a well behind the farmhouse. It remained there until it was recovered nearly a decade later. Could the last moments of his life be interpreted from his mangled bones? In another part of the Midwest, an incomplete, disar- ticulated female skeleton was found scattered along a riverbank. Two women of the same age, height, and ancestry were missing from the area. How could experts determine whether the handful of bones belonged to one woman or the other? Could this also be a case of foul play? No matter in what morose scenario unknown human remains are recovered, every jurisdiction in the United States has statutes requiring a medicolegal investigation of the identity of the individual and the circumstances of his or her death. By virtue of their expertise in skeletal biology, forensic anthropologists may be called upon by law enforce- ment agencies, coroners, medical examiners, and forensic pathologists to assist in the recovery of human remains, conduct skeletal analyses for the purposes of identification, describe the nature and extent of skeletal trauma, and potentially provide expert testi- mony in a court of law. Forensic anthropological services are typically requested when human remains are decomposed, burnt, fragmentary, cremated, dismembered, fully skele- tonized, or otherwise unidentifiable by visual means.
    [Show full text]
  • Testing Reliability of Animal Models in Research and Training Programs in Forensic Entomology, Part II, Final Report
    The author(s) shown below used Federal funds provided by the U.S. Department of Justice and prepared the following final report: Document Title: Testing Reliability of Animal Models in Research and Training Programs in Forensic Entomology, Part II, Final Report Author(s): Kenneth G. Schoenly Ph.D. ; Robert D. Hall Ph.D. Document No.: 192281 Date Received: January 31, 2002 Award Number: 97-IJ-CX-0046 This report has not been published by the U.S. Department of Justice. To provide better customer service, NCJRS has made this Federally- funded grant final report available electronically in addition to traditional paper copies. Opinions or points of view expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Testing Reliability of Animal Models in Research and Training Programs in Forensic Entomology, Part 11. ea2 I NIJ Grant No. 97-IJ-CX-0046 Final Report on Findings Project Director: N. H. Haskell, Ph.D. with Kenneth G. Schoenly, Ph.D. Robert D. Hall, Ph.D. In Collaboration with the: University of Missouri University of Indianapolis University of Tennessee California State University, Stanislaus Duration of Proposed Project: 2 years Proposed Starting Date: October 1,1997 Termination Date: September 30,2001 This document is a research report submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice. This report has not been published by the Department. Opinions or points of view expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official position or policies of the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • The Body Farm”
    Mini Review J Forensic Sci & Criminal Inves Volume-5 Issue 2 - September 2017 Copyright © All rights are reserved by Kayleigh Hart DOI: 10.19080/JFSCI.2017.05.555662 “Human Taphonomy Facility” Aka “The Body Farm” Kayleigh Hart*1, Daryl Ainsworth2 and Anna Williams3 1Forensic Science and Profiling Reeds Certified Crime Scene Investigation, UK 2Research Assistant at University of Glasgow, UK 3Forensic Anthropology, UK Submission: September 22, 2017; Published: September 25, 2017 *Corresponding author: Kayleigh Hart, Forensic Science and Profiling Reeds Certified Crime Scene Investigation, UK, Email: Mini Review Would you donate your body to forensic science? her book entitled ‘The Body Farm’, the fifth book in the Dr. Kay Scarpetta series. The story revolves around an FBI agent In 1971 forensic pathologist Ben Caleb Sturghill [1] along investigating the murder of an 11-year-old girl who turns to a with another pathologist thought up the idea of the “body farm”, “clandestine research facility in Tennessee known as The Body scientifically referred to as a “Human Taphonomy Facility” Farm” to find answers. The story isn’t based on any particular or “Outdoor Anthropology Research Facility”. This idea came real-life case, but the inspiration for a facility in the story clearly about due to how little is understood about what happens to comesOne may from wonder the ARF. where the body farm acquires these our bodies after we die. Although the idea was there it remained bodies? just that until one year on in 1972 Dr. William Bass [2] turned the idea into reality thus opening the first body farm on a 2.5 acre wooded plot surrounded by razor wire fencing in Knoxville, Well, the University of Tennessee in Knoxville have an Tennesse.
    [Show full text]