Issue 4 July — December 2016 Forensic Anthropology & Archaeology Student Newsletter Communications in Australia & New Zealand News & Updates News & Updates Publications The Professionalisation of Forensic Anthropology in Australia – A Brief Overview Thesis Research By Dr Soren Blau Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine ([email protected]) Achievements Over the past 30 years there has been meeting was to bring together & Awards increasing interest in the discipline of practitioners from Australia and New forensic anthropology in Australia Zealand to discuss current techniques, (Donlon 2008; Donlon 2016). Despite limitations and ways to improve Field School this interest, there is confusion about domestic casework practice and Opportunities the qualifications and experience required to gain the title “forensic anthropologist” and practise as an Osteology Quiz expert in the field. The aim of this contribution is to disseminate to the student community details about the Forthcoming Forensic Anthropology Scientific Conferences Working Group (FS SWG), which is the professional body of forensic anthropology practitioners endorsed Editors by the National Institute of Forensic Science (NIFS). Ms Samantha Rowbotham In 2006 The Centre for Human Identification (CHI) at the Victorian PhD Candidate, Monash University information communication. This Institute of Forensic Medicine (VIFM) cross disciplinary symposium formed hosted a two day symposium for Dr Soren Blau the basis for the development of the forensic anthropologists, forensic Forensic Anthropologist, Victorian Medical Sciences Specialist Advisory Institute of Forensic Medicine odontologists and forensic Group (MS SAG). entomologists. The aim of this Forensic Anthropology & Archaeology Student Newsletter Specialist Advisory Groups The Chair of the MS SAG is current techniques (SAGs) were established under the elected by the group and holds the and their auspices of the Senior Managers of position for no more than four years. limitations; the Australian and New Zealand Each SAG has a Mentor whose role is ways to improve Forensic Laboratories (SMANZFL). to provide support for the SAG Chair, casework practice In 2016, the attend the SAG and quality control; management and “...the Forensic Anthropology meeting and the establishment co-ordination of SWG has commenced communicate of regular training; the SAGs was SAG outcomes to increased transferred to the discussions about the need the ANZPAA cooperation National Institute for the development of a NIFS Forum in between and within of Forensic mentoring / training program conjunction with disciplines, and Sciences (NIFS), the Chair. The promotion of services to which is a for young / emerging Mentor of the MS stakeholders (for example directorate within practitioners” SAG is a forensic police, coroners, lawyers the Australian and pathologist. etc.). New Zealand Policing Advisory While membership of the Agency (ANZPAA). NIFS has majority of SAGs has representation Over the past 10 years the reporting accountability to The from each jurisdiction, membership of Forensic Anthropology SWG has Australia New Zealand Forensic the MS SAG represents the disciplines developed and completed a number of Executive Committee (ANZFEC). (rather than the jurisdictions). As projects. The FA SWG has developed SAG disciplines include: outlined by the ANZPAA, each of the National Guidelines for Forensic Biology four disciplines “should have at least Anthropology practitioners in Chemical Criminalistics two representatives with total Australia which define the Crime Scene & Ballistics membership to be limited to 12 qualifications and experience required Documents people. However, each jurisdiction to practise as a forensic Electronic Evidence should be represented on the SAG anthropologist. According to the Fingerprints where possible” (ANZPAA). Guidelines “a practising, professional Illicit Drugs Organisations eligible for Forensic Anthropologist should have: Medical Sciences representation at the MS SAG a) A relevant undergraduate Toxicology meetings are detailed in the below degree for example, a Science table. degree majoring in human The Medical Sciences All of the four disciplines in the anatomy or an Arts degree Specialist Advisory Group (MS SAG) MS SAG have their own separate majoring in anthropology and is made up of practitioners in the Scientific Working Groups (SWGs), archaeology and a PhD in fields of forensic anthropology, each with an elected SWG Chair. The physical / biological anthropology forensic odontology, forensic MS SAG (and therefore the SWGs) or human anatomy; entomology, and mortuary managers. meet once a year to discuss: These four disciplines were brought together to form a single SAG because Table: Organisations eligible for representation at the MS SAG meetings there are a relatively small number of Victoria Police Forensic Services practitioners in Australia and New Victoria Department (VPFSD) Zealand in each discipline. While Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine (VIFM) forensic anthropology, forensic odontology, forensic entomology and NSW Police New South Wales mortuary management are diverse Forensic and Analytical Sciences Service disciplines, practitioners often find themselves working together to ACT Australian Federal Police (AFP) investigate and manage discovered remains. They all serve the Coronial Queensland Queensland Police Forensic Services and greater justice system and are often involved with Disaster Victim Northern Territory NT Police Forensic Services Identification (DVI). Many of the members of the MS SAG are also Western Australia WA Police Forensic Services Fellows of the Faculty of Science, The SA Police Forensic Services Branch Royal College of Pathologists of South Australia Australasia (RCPA). This membership Forensic Science SA (FSSA) highlights the importance of the integration of the disciplines with the Tasmania Tasmania Police Forensic Services work of forensic pathologists. New Zealand New Zealand Police Communications in Australia & New Zealand b) Formal association with a known individuals; Expert Evidence in Criminal recognized ANZFEC approved Trials Practice Directions for completed a workshop to identify institute, forensic anthropology, and a series of non-human bones using c) Current casework experience, actual cases of skeletal remains commenced discussion about and which were originally handed into accreditation(Image courtesy of forD. Franklin) forensic d) Publications in relevant peer police in the belief they were anthropologists. reviewed journals on the subject human; of physical / biological/ forensic While there are many students anthropology are also desirable”. developed a roster of forensic interested in the study of the human The National Guidelines document anthropologists which is skeleton and the potential application is currently being revised for a synchronised with the forensic of this information in legal settings, second edition. pathologist‟s roster for national there are currently limited formal The Forensic Anthropology SWG and overseas deployment; courses offered in forensic has also: anthropology in Australia. This is examined new and emerging predominantly due to the limited job developed a Code of Ethics technologies, specifically CT, and opportunities to practise as a forensic for Australian forensic the applications to forensic anthropologist (as defined by the anthropology practitioners; anthropology. A workshop on CT Forensic Anthropology SWG). completed a trial proficiency for anthropologists was held at Nonetheless, the Forensic testing (PT) as part of a VIFM in April 2015. The Anthropology SWG has commenced general Quality Assurance workshop consisted of a practical discussions about the need for the Programme (QAP). Because demonstration of the VIFM development of a mentoring / training accessibility to appropriate scanner, lectures, and program for young / emerging reference collections of familiarisation with CT imaging practitioners. individuals of known age and using case examples and sex in Australia is discussion; Additional information about the problematic, the trial was Medical Sciences SAG or the Forensic worked with NIFS to develop a Anthropology SWG can be obtained by undertaken using Computed secure web page for the contacting the National Institute of Tomography (CT) generated dissemination of confidential case images of skulls. The aims of Forensic Science (NIFS): email - materials; the PT were to examine the [email protected]. reviewed the role of forensic concordance of practitioner responses for the estimation of anthropology in disaster victim sex and estimation of age and identification (DVI) and the References in doing so, comment on the lessons learned following major ANZPAA.https://www.anzpaa.org.au.Article suitability of CT images for disasters such as the 2009 Documents/514/Criteria%20for%20SAG% general anthropological Victorian bushfires; 20Meetings.pdf.aspx?Embed=Y (accessed 08/01/16). assessment. A poster completed a workshop with the Blau, S., Buck, A., Donlon, D., Simpson, E., summarising this QAP was forensic odontology SWG presented at the 21st and Wilson-Wilde. L. 2012. Forensic examining terminology used when anthropology in Australia: working towards International Symposium on providing age estimations; improved practice (Poster). 21st the Forensic Sciences (Blau et International Symposium on the Forensic al. 2012). The second stage of discussed the effects of contextual Sciences.