The Police Composite Sketch

ISBN-13: 9781607618317 / Angielski / Twarda / 2010 / 222 str.

Stephen Mancusi

Opis

The police composite sketch, one of the most crucial investigative tools in law enforcement, is developed during a composite session-an intense display of communication and art in which the words of a witness are transformed into the features of a suspect. Despite the incredible technological leaps made in investigative work, the forensic science of composite sketching still relies on the basic elements of drawing skill, interpretive ability and the spoken word. The Police Composite Sketch is a comprehensive manual on how to conduct a complete composite session. Through an array of case studies, it details several disciplines that comprise this specialized forensic art, including composite sketching, image modification, age progression, facial comparison analysis, demonstrative evidence and postmortem/skull reconstruction. It also explores how to intuit insights that are often inadvertently revealed by witnesses, victims and perpetrators during the composite session. In addition, this book discusses other relevant topics, such as the three-stage drawing technique, witness and victim types, descriptive terminologies, managing composite sessions. Complete with numerous illustrations and drawing tips, this seminal work offers a general composite session philosophy and specific session strategies to both experienced and aspiring forensic artists as well as any lay reader intrigued by this fascinating skill.

Recenzje

From the reviews:

"I would certainly recommend Stephen Mancusi's text, The Police Composite Sketch, to anyone interested in the process of artistically retrieving a face from memory for investigative purposes. Though not the first book solely devoted to composite sketching, it is the best one. ... This volume serves as a tangible representation of a highly successful career's worth of crime-fighting police composite art. ... The information shared, particularly drawing tips, should be useful to both novice and seasoned police artists." (Karen T. Taylor, Amazon, December, 2010)

Spis treści

Acknowledgements Introduction I. FORENSIC ART and COMPOSITE ART Forensic Art Are court room artist forensic artist? Definitions of forensic art disciplines Becoming a Forensic Artist How do I begin to be a forensic artist? Story1: “Mob Hit” Composite Art Basic Composite Case Study: “A Serial Rapist” Art Materials What kinds of art materials are used? Story2: “Equipment” II. THE COMPOSITE SESSION Basic Concepts Story 3: “First Sketch” The Beginning of the Composite Session Working Case Study: “The Psycho Straphanger” The Interview Does the artist need to get a detective’s experience interrogating suspects and will this help the artist conduct a composite session? Memory Case Study 1: “Impaired Victim” The Composite Session Continues Session dynamics Case Study 2: “Racial Sensibilities” Is there any written record of what a witness or victim says or describes? Concepts before Starting to Draw How long does a composite session last? When the artist is drawing, where should the victim or witness sit? III. DRAWING THE COMPOSITE SKETCH Proportional Stage of the Sketch Average and Normal Rule Realm of Possibility Characteristic Stage of the Sketch Rendering Stage of the Sketch Feature value distinction The Composite Session Ends When assessing the success of a completed composite sketch, should a numerical scale be used such as requesting the victim to rate a sketch from 1 to 10? IV. WITNESSES and VICTIMS Witness and Victim Types Males and Females Case Study3: “Dual Victim Rape” Age What is the youngest age a victim or witness can participate in a composite session? Case Study 4: “Elderly Victim” Case Study 5: “Con Game” Race Case Study 6: Crimes Professions Intelligence Does the intelligence of a victim or witness play a significant role during a composite session? Police Department Supporters and Skeptics Unusual Case 1: “Unique Victims” V. DESCRIPTIVETERMINOLOGIES, RESPONSES and SOLUTIONS Descriptive Terminologies Average, Basic and Shape Words Case Study 7: “Silver Gun Bandit” Age Indications Demeanor, Character and Build Words Facial Feature Terminologies Head and Face Words Eye Words Nose Words Mouth, Lips and Teeth Words Hair Words Facial Hair and Eyebrow Words Ear Words Forehead Words Cheeks and Cheekbone Words Chin and Jaw Words Neck Words Why the artist wouldn’t always include the neck? Special Facial Feature Words Race Terminology African Americans Terms Is it necessary to render an African American suspect very dark in value if described as such? Hispanic Terms Caucasian Terms Asian Terms American Indian Terms Mixed and Unknown Races Color Indicators Imaginative Phrases Accessory Terminology Hats Jewelry Eyeglasses Disguises Case Study 8: “Disguise” Responses of Uncertainty, Positives and/or Negatives Uncertainty Responses Positive Responses Negative Responses Responses of Criticism Body Language Unusual Case 2: “Body Gestures” Miscellaneous Responses Practical Study: Jack the Ripper Terminology Conclusion VI. MANAGING DIFFICULT COMPOSITE SESSIONS Difficult Composite Sessions Five Artist Attributes Should the artist concentrate on making the victim laugh to achieve success? Field Sketches Case Study 9: “Hospitalized Victim” Case Study 10: “Pet Store” Unidentified Dead on Arrival (D.O.A. Sketches) Unusual Case 3: Case Study 11: Difficult Witnesses and Victims Unintentional Difficult Behaviors Case Study 12: “Dentist Shooting” Intentional Difficult Behaviors How does the artist identify deception? Case Study 13: “Baby Abduction” Children The Press Case Study 14: “Central Park Assault” Multiple Witnesses Enhancing a completed sketch Miscellaneous Difficulties VII. GENERAL DRAWING TIPS Composite Sketching Tips Drawing Skill Tips Proportion Drawing Tips Characteristic Drawing