Publication Date
Fall 2015
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Anthropology
Advisor
Elizabeth Weiss
Keywords
cut mark analysis, knife trauma, osteological trauma, sharp force trauma, skeletal injuries, tool mark analysis
Subject Areas
Forensic anthropology; Physical anthropology
Abstract
Although sharp force trauma is not the most common form of homicide in the United States, it accounts for the majority of violent crimes committed in the United Kingdom, and the frequency of knife related crimes has been increasing over several decades. Despite the prevalence of sharp force trauma in forensic literature, there is still a large gap linking weapons to skeletal injuries. Although there have been forensic studies on the effects of fabric during decomposition, very little data exist on the effects of fabric and bodily coverings on wounds during stabbing events. In a significant number of homicide cases, victims are clothed. Therefore, understanding the effects of bodily coverings is crucial to better understanding a number of forensic contexts. In this thesis, a preliminary pilot study and a skeletal cut mark analysis study with a guided-drop impacting device were used to address this issue by analyzing the effects of fabric resistance during stabbing events. The results indicated that weapon type and fabric type significantly altered kerf mark appearance (p
Recommended Citation
Feldman, Amanda, "From Trauma to Trial: Proposing New Methods for Examining the Variability of Sharp Force Trauma on Bone" (2015). Master's Theses. 4633.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31979/etd.z5kp-9s3j
https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4633
