Online Linguistic Polygraph Training in Forensic Statement Analysis for Detecting Deception
- C. Auguste Dupin
For inquiries related to Detecting Deception or our Forensic Statement Analysis techniques, feel free to call us at (510) 697-5675. Additionally, if you're interested in enrolling in our Statement Analysis Course, we are happy to provide more information.
Simply put, forensic statement analysis is a kind of linguistic polygraph that aids in detecting deception.
Let's take a look at the following example in which a father writes about the events surrounding the death of his infant son. "Around 5:00am / 5:30am I, John A. Woods Jr., was in the process of giving my son, John A. Woods III, his scheduled feeding. During this feeding he bucked & fell approx. 2ft. to the floor, hitting his head on the floor. His body landed head first; I attempted to catch him but was unsuccessful. When I picked him up he cried for about 90 sec. then started to gag. His eyes were glazed. I immediately called 911."
If you were the investigator on this case, what would you do? Would you (a) feel sorry for the young dad and have pity for his loss, or (b) interrogate him for murdering his eight-week-old son? To an ordinary citizen, this looks like the description of a tragedy. To an investigator like Detective Ken Driscoll of the Baltimore Police Department, it looks like an inadvertent confession of murder. John A. Woods, Jr. did kill his infant son, and the words he used in this statement allowed investigators the inside knowledge they needed to interrogate him and gain his confession through forensic statement analysis.
Detective Driscoll originally studied statement analysis under Avinoam Sapir of the Israeli Police Department, a man considered a pioneer in this field. After 10 years of study, Det. Driscoll has taken his training a step further, developing an online statement analysis course, and a computer program to aid analysts in marking-up and analyzing statements.
Det. Driscoll notes, "As police officers and investigators, we frequently question people who may be being dishonest or who may have an interest in hiding information." For every pile of lies, an investigator needs a way of sifting out the truth, employing new techniques and methods to help distinguish facts from fiction. "TheirWords: Linguistic Polygraph Training" can help investigators do just that.
Various systems of deception detection have been devised throughout history. Some depend on analyzing the subject's body language; one consists of watching the movements of the subject's eyes. Nevertheless, gestures vary with nationality and culture and can be misleading to someone unfamiliar with the rules and code of the subject's society. Here in the United States, with a population of many cultures, body language and eye movement can be confusing, sometimes even throwing the investigator off track. By contrast, linguistic polygraph training is simple, easy to understand, and comes with lifetime technical support from its instructors.
Let's take a look at how easy this technique can be. In the John A. Woods statement, Mr. Woods said, "Around 5:00am / 5:30am I, John A. Woods Jr. was in the process of giving my son, John A. Woods III, his scheduled feeding. During this feeding he bucked & fell approx. 2ft. to the floor hitting his head on the floor." Notice how the writer is not taking any personal responsibility for this incident. Stating that "he bucked" and "[he] fell," Mr. Woods implies that it is the baby's own fault that he fell to the floor. Maybe this would be more believable if the baby were eight years old, but that's hardly the case here.
Nevertheless, the most telltale statement of all is the next one. Mr. Woods continues by saying, "His body landed head first." When writing, we naturally try to say things in the shortest and easiest way possible. Here we have to ask ourselves why Mr. Woods didn't simply phrase this statement in the shorter, more natural: "He landed head first." Why, at this point, would Mr. Woods describe his supposedly still-living baby as a "body"? The best answer? The baby was dead, or believed to be dead, before he hit the floor...and Mr. Woods knew it.
When re-interviewed, the writer of this statement broke down and cried, telling investigators that his son's crying for more than an hour got to him. He lost control and yanked his son out of his crib by his leg, not realizing that in jerking him so forcefully he had just broken his son's leg, which naturally caused the baby to cry louder and harder. At this point, John A. Woods Jr. became enraged and began shaking his son until his son stopped crying...and breathing. Realizing he just killed his son, he staged the fall by sitting on the edge of his couch and dropping his son's body head first to the floor. This guy nearly got away with murder and might have escaped prosecution altogether if not for forensic statement analysis.
Statement Analysis is crucial for detecting deception and relies heavily on the examination of both written and verbal statements. The fundamental concept is that the structure and content of an individual's statement can indicate attempts at deception. Everyone has unique ways of expressing themselves, using different word choices to shape their reality. When a person lies, they are often caught between the actual events and the fabricated version they present. This internal conflict is reflected in their language, which deviates from their usual patterns.
For example, specific word choices can help in forensic statement analysis by distinguishing whether a statement is based on memory or imagination. When addressing the central incident, many subjects shift to the present tense, suggesting that they are constructing the statement on the fly rather than reconstructing the actual incident. Additionally, gaps within the narrative can signal deception. Phrases like "I don't remember" often conceal important details that the speaker may prefer to forget or avoid mentioning.
Delay tactics serve as further indicators of deception, as most deceptive accounts (80%-90%) tend to postpone the main issue until the end, often concluding abruptly to avoid telling the core lie. Furthermore, truthful statements typically include emotional elements, while deceptive narratives often lack this emotional depth or rationally allude to feelings only at the most sensitive points. Some individuals even cleverly frame their own questions to obscure information. In summary, while there are countless ways to deceive, each method involves a linguistic choice. A Statement Analysis Course can provide deeper insights into these speech patterns, helping to identify the subtle signs of deception by analyzing both the structure and content of statements.
Experienced investigators know that the most challenging method for detecting deception is the simple question-and-answer approach, which typically leads to the subject giving a "yes" or "no" response. The key to effective forensic statement analysis lies in asking open-ended questions. This technique helps avoid leading the subject and promotes a natural flow, allowing them to provide new information in response to your inquiries.
In a statement analysis course, investigators are taught to ask very few detailed questions to prevent introducing their own information (case facts/findings) into the subject's responses. By offering minimal information and coaching, the investigator aims to capture an uncontaminated version of the events. Most subjects will converse with relatively little encouragement or prompting. Even if there are signs of reluctance, it's often feasible to persuade them to make a statement. Eliciting a statement is not a balanced exchange; a successful interview should have the subject speaking about 95% of the time, with the investigator contributing only 5%. This approach minimizes the investigator's influence on the final statement.
Because forensic statement analysis relies solely on the subject's statement, it is considered a "cold" technique. The bottom line is that with proper training, this method of detecting deception can develop into a precise technique.
Forensic statement analysis is a versatile method as it is free from the constraints that limit other techniques. The subject remains unaware that their statement will undergo specialized treatment and analysis. This technique has effectively been used to uncover false statements related to crimes such as robbery, abduction, rape, and theft, and the best part is that these statements are often practically handed to you by the alleged "victim" without any probing questions.
Regarding the education level of the writer or speaker, it's not a determining factor. What matters more than a subject's grammar and spelling, in comparison to the norm, is their use of language in relation to themselves.
Unlike the polygraph and voice stress analysis methods, forensic statement analysis does not necessitate high-tech equipment—only a pencil and paper. Like other psychological and behavioral techniques, such as body language and profiling, statement analysis serves to focus an investigation. While it cannot stand alone as a conclusive method, it proves to be an invaluable tool for investigators looking to identify vulnerable points in what seems to be a seamless alibi.
In short, enrolling in a statement analysis course and applying this technique will significantly enhance your career.
It's not necessary to see the subject to analyze his statement in the context of detecting deception. The interview is only needed to obtain a statement. The primary tool for forensic statement analysis is the statement itself, combined with the trained investigator's mind. The investigator meticulously reviews the statement word by word, line by line, identifying important and subtle details.
With "Forensic Analysis Software for TheirWords" (F.A.S.T.), a software macro developed by Det. Driscoll to facilitate statement analysis, the process becomes efficient as it can be completed quickly, consistently, and accurately. Det. Driscoll's online course, designed for investigators on-the-go, provides comprehensive training in forensic statement analysis within a concise five-day format. This course offers one-on-one training that can be completed at the student's own pace, requiring an hour or less each day, with available support at every step. Det. Driscoll is always ready to answer your questions, assist with any statements you may have inquiries about, and even include you in his online discussion group—a community of experienced analysts who review statements in minute detail as part of their training and practice.
There is no better way to master detecting deception through statement analysis, and no superior training available. Det. Driscoll is an experienced police detective who understands the needs of investigators. After completing this five-day course, your training doesn't have to stop; you'll receive lifetime technical support, access to the online discussion group, a certificate of completion, and all the benefits of in-person training. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out via email to Donald Bender at Donald.Bender@cal.berkeley.edu.