Forensic Anthropology is the application of anthropological methods and theory - particularly those relating to the recovery and analysis of human remains - to resolve legal matters.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Defense Central Identification Laboratory (DOD CIL) cosponsored the creation of the Scientific Working Group for Forensic Anthropology, or SWGANTH in 2008.

The purposes of SWGANTH are:
To develop consensus best-practice guidelines and establish minimum standards for the Forensic Anthropology discipline; and
To disseminate SWGANTH guidelines, studies, and other findings that may be of benefit to the forensic community.

The objectives of SWGANTH are:
To recommend and disseminate discipline guidelines for quality assurance and quality control;
To provide guidelines and identify minimum standards and not to mandate policy;
To discuss, share and exchange ideas regarding forensic analytical methods, protocols and research;
To bring together organizations and/or individuals actively pursuing relevant analytical methods for the purpose of exchanging and disseminating information; 
To cooperate with other national and international organizations in developing relevant standards; and
To monitor and disseminate research and technology related to the discipline.  

To achieve this end, the SWGANTH has created Committees, which are populated by U.S. and international forensic anthropologists, to examine targeted issues for the purpose of identifying what is best practice today and what paths should be followed in the future.  Individuals wishing to participate as Committee Members may indicate their interest to either of the SWGANTH’s officers.

Site last updated 5/7/2013