ABSTRACT
The last topics to consider before ending this book involve subjects that have not been described earlier and issues, not previously discussed, that pervade all previous chapters. Four such areas can be identified. First, the ethical responsibilities of forensic anthropologists will be described; the main ethic of this discipline is the honest presentation of data and opinion so that the judicial process is neither falsely helped nor unnecessarily hampered. Second, a description of the final report will be presented; because this is the terminus of most skeletal analyses, its general layout and contents deserve explication. Third, forensic anthropologists are being asked to offer expert testimony (by attorneys for both the prosecution and defense), so the aspects surrounding courtroom appearances are explained. Fourth, a discussion of the future of forensic anthropology is presented.
