STUDY UNIT 3:
INFORMATION THROUGH COMMUNICATION
1
, ORIGIN OF PERSONAL DESCRIPTIONS:
-Alphonse Bertillon is considered the founder of personal descriptions as a means of identification
in criminal investigations.
-Used Quetelet’s suppositon of uniqueness to develop the anthropometic method of identification.
-This method of identification entailed measurement of 11 key points of the body plus the
perpetrator’s eye, hair and skin colour.
-The odds are small that two persons would have similar descriptions (4 194 304 to 1).
-In modern criminal investigation it remains an important starting point for an investigation and
finds operationalisation in practise in various forms.
WHAT DO PERSONAL DESCRIPTIONS (PDs) ENTAIL?
1. It Is An Oral Description Of The Physical Features Of An Alleged Perpetrator (A
Physical Description):
The items of a physical description are:
(i) Surrounding features (e.g. race, age and sex)
(ii) The head (e.g. size and shape, nose, mouth, chin, hair, eyes, cheeks, teeth and ears)
(iii) The rest of the body (e.g. neck, shoulders, arms, hands, chest, stomach, hips, legs
and feet)
(iv) Physical peculiarities (e.g. abnormalties, gait (way you walk), voice, speech traits and
language)
2. Supplementary Techniques Form Part Of PD’s:
Used to ensure descriptions are as accurate as possible and enhances the criminalistic value of
PDs:
i. Comparisons and corresponding descriptions.
-The witness is asked to compare what they saw and what they remember to
something that is currently known.
ii. Criminal photograph albums (Rogue’s Galleries)
-The purpose is to point out similar facial features.
-Call your witness or your victim to pick out similar physical features that
correspond with what they saw.
iii. Sketches by police artists.
2
INFORMATION THROUGH COMMUNICATION
1
, ORIGIN OF PERSONAL DESCRIPTIONS:
-Alphonse Bertillon is considered the founder of personal descriptions as a means of identification
in criminal investigations.
-Used Quetelet’s suppositon of uniqueness to develop the anthropometic method of identification.
-This method of identification entailed measurement of 11 key points of the body plus the
perpetrator’s eye, hair and skin colour.
-The odds are small that two persons would have similar descriptions (4 194 304 to 1).
-In modern criminal investigation it remains an important starting point for an investigation and
finds operationalisation in practise in various forms.
WHAT DO PERSONAL DESCRIPTIONS (PDs) ENTAIL?
1. It Is An Oral Description Of The Physical Features Of An Alleged Perpetrator (A
Physical Description):
The items of a physical description are:
(i) Surrounding features (e.g. race, age and sex)
(ii) The head (e.g. size and shape, nose, mouth, chin, hair, eyes, cheeks, teeth and ears)
(iii) The rest of the body (e.g. neck, shoulders, arms, hands, chest, stomach, hips, legs
and feet)
(iv) Physical peculiarities (e.g. abnormalties, gait (way you walk), voice, speech traits and
language)
2. Supplementary Techniques Form Part Of PD’s:
Used to ensure descriptions are as accurate as possible and enhances the criminalistic value of
PDs:
i. Comparisons and corresponding descriptions.
-The witness is asked to compare what they saw and what they remember to
something that is currently known.
ii. Criminal photograph albums (Rogue’s Galleries)
-The purpose is to point out similar facial features.
-Call your witness or your victim to pick out similar physical features that
correspond with what they saw.
iii. Sketches by police artists.
2
