- THE POWER OF A PICTURE - FORENSIC ART-

By Annalise Kempen

Facial composites are regular features in local newspapers, and tools that are used by investigating officers to locate and identify a suspect. But not all investigating officers know what process to follow to have a facial composite prepared, nor do all investigating officers know what other services are provided by forensic artists. Once investigating officers have familiarised themselves with the important work done by forensic artists, they will hopefully realise how much value these specialists can add to their investigations.
   
Background
SERVAMUS visited Insp Henrico Visser and Insp Dirk van Eeden, two forensic artists in the Pretoria office, to learn more about their work and the process that is followed to draw up a face of a suspect.  This office with its four forensic artists serves the Pretoria, Bronkhorstspruit and Cullinan areas. In total there are 37 forensic artists located at 25 LCRC offices through-out South Africa.

Due to the trauma that victims experience after a crime, they are not always able to convert their experiences into words. Often they are also not able to explain what their attacker looked like, but rather what has happened. However, a forensic artist is a tool in the investigating officer’s toolkit that will assist him/her in obtaining valuable information through art.

Insp Visser, who is currently busy with his Masters Degree in Criminology, compared a forensic artist to being the medium; the victim being the artist and the composite the artwork.  Although the focus of a forensic artist is to compile a face, it has happened that a victim, especially the younger ones, often draw pictures of what had happened during the crime, revealing important information such as the type of firearms used; whether the victims had been tied up, or the layout of the crime scene in terms of where the victim(s) and the criminal(s) have been situated in a room.  The victims may also decide to draw their own pictures of the suspects which can contain important information for the investigating officer. It is interesting to note that a victim’s sketches may be used in a court of law as a judiciary aid.

Compiling a face
Facial composites can be used for both suspect and/or victim identification, although the general application is for suspect identification.  An example, would be after an armed robbery where the victim had seen the suspect’s face and the investigating officer needs to know what the suspect looks like for further investigation purposes. Once the investigating officer has confirmed that the victim will be able to assist in describing the facial features of the suspect, s/he must contact the nearest LCRC office where forensic artists are located to initiate the process.

The forensic artist will make an appointment with the victim and start the process by obtaining a general profile of the suspect eg: height, race, gender, clothing, and the use of weapons.  The next step is to determine whether the suspect has any outstanding features such as scars; tattoos; ear- or nose rings.  After this information has been obtained, the forensic artist will show different shapes of faces; eyes; ears; lips; noses etc to the victim to start compiling the face, utilising computer software. Once the basic face has been built, special features such as a scar, moustache, beard, or acne marks on the face, are added.  As soon as the facial composite has been completed, it is shown to the victim to determine if that was what the suspect looked like, and make the necessary adjustments if required. Once the victim is satisfied, a print-out of the facial composite is provided to the investigating officer for circulation.  This print-out contains information such as the CAS number; investigating officer’s details; police station; basic description of the suspect such as his/her height and a short description of the crime.

According to Insps Visser and Van Eeden, forensic artists often have a role to play in linking cases if they notice a pattern/modus operandi between crimes or have different victims providing the same description of suspects in different policing precincts.

Once a suspect has been arrested and a positive identification has been made by the victim(s), investigating officers should provide a copy of the photo (taken by the LCRC at the identification parade and to be placed on the docket) to the forensic artists to place on file.  Apart from comparing the photo of the suspect with the facial composite, the forensic artist may also utilise it at a later stage to link cases.

Facial ageing/face progression
Another function that the forensic artists fulfil is facial ageing/face progression.  This is applicable to both suspects who have been wanted for a long period of time, or missing persons. For this process the forensic artist needs a variety of photos, including the latest available photo of the individual and photos of his/her family members to identify similar features/characteristics.  Together with this information the artist will utilise a software program to assist with the progression of the face. It is advisable that the investigating officer uses both the original photo as well as the new, aged image in his/her investigation.

Facial reconstruction
If a body of an unknown person has been discovered and the face is not clearly visible due to the state of decomposition or due to mutilation, the forensic artists will do a 2D reconstruction of the face on a computer for publication and circulation.

Other services
Forensic artists are also able to make sketches of unique items, such as jewellery that have been stolen, or features of suspects such as tattoo marks, which need to be identified.

Traumatic situations could either result in the victim blocking off the experience due to a type of amnesia, or having the opposite reaction by experiencing heightened sensory input, especially in terms of observation. Investigating officers need to be specific in their questions when trying to determine whether a facial composite can be compiled by asking victims if they would be able to give a description of the suspect’s face (eyes, ears, mouth etc), and not only his/her height or clothing.

If a group of victims/witnesses are all able to give a detailed description of the same suspects, the forensic artists will interview all of them simultaneously (unless otherwise requested by the I/O) to provide the most accurate composite, to assist in the investigation. Insps Visser and Van Eeden are also of the opinion that the crisis period often lasts approximately 72 hours during which the victim focuses more on survival and ordering his/her life. It is therefore often more advisable to wait for a day or two after the incident to compile a facial composite. But it depends on the individual victim, and his/her circumstances.

The time that it takes to compile a face is time well-spent, as the outcome is a very effective tool with which an investigating officer can identify a suspect.  And although some people may question the aesthetic value of a facial composite, its value lies in being a clinical sketch with the aim of identifying a suspect, so that that person can be brought to book!