What is the primary purpose of forensic anthropology?

The primary purpose of forensic anthropology is to analyze human skeletal remains for identification and determining cause of death. Forensic anthropologists apply their expertise in physical anthropology and osteology to help law enforcement agencies recover and analyze skeletal remains in a legal context. By examining the bones, they can provide crucial information such as the age, sex, ancestry, and stature of the individual, as well as any trauma or pathologies that may indicate the cause of death. This scientific analysis plays a vital role in identifying deceased individuals and assisting in criminal investigations.

The focus on skeletal remains distinguishes forensic anthropology from other forensic disciplines, which may not deal specifically with human bones or may emphasize different aspects of crime scene investigation. For instance, analyzing fingerprints is the domain of forensic fingerprint analysis, while studying crime scene behavior or psychological profiling relates to behavioral analysis or psychology rather than anthropology. Thus, forensic anthropology's unique focus on skeletal remains and the insights it provides is why this answer is correct.