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This book, "Forensic Anthropology in Crime Investigation and the Administration of Justice", written by Dr. J.R. Gaur and Dr. V. Bhalla is the outcome of more than thirty years of experience of the authors in Forensic Anthropology. It is believed that this book will serve as a ready reference for the Police, Prosecution, Judiciary, Medical Officers, Lawyers and the students and teachers of Forensic Medicine, Anthropology, Human Biology and the allied disciplines. We hope and trust that this venture will prove to be an asset in the dissemination of justice to the common masses through the aids of Forensic Anthropology. It is also expected to serve as a ready reference in Forensic research in Medical colleges and the universities. About Author : Dr. J. R. Gaur was born on 15th August, 1954 in District Karnal of Haryana State, India. He graduated in Science (Medical Group) from Dayal Singh College Karnal in the year 1974 and obtained the degree of Master of Science in Physical Anthropology in the year 1976 from Punjab University Chandigarh. He did his Ph.D. in the faculty of Science from Punjab University Chandigarh while in service in 1990. He is working in the field of Forensic Science since June, 1978 and Director, State Forensic Science Laboratory, Himachal Pradesh, Junga (Shimla) since January 1998. Thus, Dr. Gaur has worked in the field of Forensic Science for about twenty-nine years in various capacities and is a well known Forensic Scientist in India and abroad. He has extensively worked in the laboratory, at the scenes of crime and for evidences in the courts of law. He has taught forensic science to all the wings of criminal justices system since 1980 and also worked for public education in Forensic Science through radio and doordarshan. He has been associated with a few universities as a member of several scientific academies and societies and has published work of high merit to his credit. Recently, his book "Nayayalic Vigyan-Ek Parichay" has been awarded with National Award under Pandit Govind Vallabh Pant Awards of Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, New Delhi for the year 2005. On five occasions Dr. Gaur has been given letters of appreciation by his seniors in the State Government for his excellent and meritorious performance in Forensic works. He has also received Union Home Minister's National Award for meritorious services for the year 1998 in Biological Sciences and Forensic Science Excellence National Award for the year 2003. He has also been honoured in the XVth. All India Forensic Science Conference for providing excellent services to the society through the aids of Forensic Science. He has been a thorough and meticulous examiner of scientific evidences at the Scene of Crime and a meticulous laboratory investigator. He has worked in the fields of Forensic Anthropology, Forensic Biology, Forensic Serology and Scene of Crime examinations during his service and solved a number of tiklish cases in the country. Dr. V. Bhalla, M.Sc. (Anthropology), Ph.D. (Serogenetics) was, formerly, a Professor and Head of the Department of Anthropology, Punjab University Chandigarh. He received his formal training in Anthropology at Delhi University and later in 1962, left his Alma Mater to join the faculty of Anthropology at Punjab University Chandigarh. His distinguished career in Anthropology, stretching over four decades, is marked by comprehensive teaching and research activities. He pursued, zealously, the study of man with informed interest and expertise, in the field of Biological Anthropology, and dealt with problems relating to morphogenetic variation, ethnic differentiation, adaptive adjustments, forensic applications etc. During the tenure of his service, he has handled several independent, as well as, collaborative research projects, conducted population surveys based on extensive field work, especially in the North-Western Himalayan Region, attended International meets (conferences/seminars/workshops etc.), held visiting assignments abroad and interacted with experts in allied fields, to strengthen his teaching and research competence. He taught and guided the research work of 35 batches of postgraduate students and 20 Ph.D. Scholars, on problems of basic and applied significance, in areas such as population genetics, seroanthropology, dermatoglyphics, morphometrics, cytogenetics, forensic serology etc. Prof. Bhalla has to his credit scores of publications in the form of research papers invited articles, reviews, books etc. His researches have appeared in national and international journals of repute. Prof. Bhalla has held positions of distinction, in advisory capacity, with several organizations. He was actively associated with the monumental project 'people of India' of the Anthropological Survey of India, a Govt. of India organization, providing critical inputs, to achieve it's laudable objectives. Emanating form this massive survey of 'the human surface of India', were a series of national volumes published by Oxford University press, New Delhi. Prof. Bhalla co-authored the National Series volume X titled 'The Biological Variation in Indian Population' and co-edited volume XVII titled 'People of India-Chandigarh'. He was also instrumental in preparing the chapter on 'Biological Traits' in the National Series Volume XI titled 'Anthropological Atlas'. Prof. Bhalla has been associated as a member/life member/member of editorial/advisory board of several national and international societies/journals of repute. He is recipient of the prestigious 'Emeritus Fellowship', awarded to his by the University Grants Commission in 2001. Contents : Acknowledgements Foreword Preface Anthropology and Forensic Science Forensic Anthropology in the Contemporary Society Examination of Human Skeletons for Establishing Identity Anthropometry Human Identity from Footprints Human Identity from Fingerprints Forensic Odontology and Human Identity Trace and Miscellaneous Evidence in Establishing Human Identity Serological Methods in Forensic Science DNA Profiling in Forensic Science Dowry Death Investigations in India Forensic Medicine and Medico-legal Examinations Individuality of Handwriting Expert Evidences in the Courts of Law Bibliography Index