Forensic Statement Analysis

Forensic statement analysis is not a handwriting analysis but an examination of the written word provided by accusers, defendants, victims or witnesses, to describe an event. Dissection of a written statement to examine the parts of speech, context, order and possible underlying meaning can reveal when someone is truthful, deceptive or omitting information.

Would you want to know if –

• The workplace harassment occurred?
• The domestic abuse is real?
• An injury claim is valid?
• A sexual assault charge is truthful?
• A robbery really happened?
• The victim or defendant is telling the truth – the whole truth?

Who can benefit from this service?

Attorneys

Civil Litigation | School & College Law

Law Enforcement | Human Resource Professionals | Insurance Providers | Audit Professionals

Skilled attorneys, law enforcement investigators, insurance adjusters and human resource professionals pour over written statements but information is often missed. The truth of the matter may be found in a single word or phrase within documentation you currently have on hand. Sometimes reality is one sided or somewhere in the middle. It has been noted, “actions speak louder than words” – in reality, words ARE actions or the lack thereof.

Linguistic Analysis | Analyzing Statements

Linguistic analysis and analyzing statements have existed for many years; however, it is still an undervalued and underused discipline that can add clarity to both civil and criminal investigations.

The written statement from a party in a criminal or civil matter which outlines an event often provides linguistic clues. The clues come from the writer’s personal account of what happened and can reveal rich information which should be explored further, or information which may be truthful or deceptive. While the process of linguistic analysis is imperfect, it brings with it a high degree of unbiased accuracy. There is no traditional interviewing involved but only the writer’s discourse. There are a few considerations which must be taken into account; however, it can be applicable in most any situation.

False Accusations | He Said She Said

Currently in our society accusations abound, particularly in the area of sexual harassment or assault. What if a false accusation resulted in a criminal prosecution OR there was a failure to prosecute for a crime? What if a serial workplace harasser went unpunished for years? Think of a method to assist with the old, “he said, she said” conundrum.

If you’re an attorney perhaps you’ve had cases where parties withheld information or failed to mention something which casts doubt on their story. Unfortunately, it may have occurred during a trial or deposition. It may have been an omission which was inconsequential (or very critical), but magnified by the opposing side. Again, you’re skilled at your profession, but a linguistic analysis can be a tool to better assist you. Would you want to know about potential issues before hand?

• In a motor vehicle accident, a plaintiff was less than candid about her reason for being in a particular area. Although it had nothing to with the accident, it was used to impugn her testimony.

• Two employees claimed they were robbed while transporting a bank deposit. The supposed robbery was a hoax, detected by their written statements.

• The fiancé of a missing woman was suggested to be involved in her disappearance, but the linguistic analysis was consistent with the truth. The woman appeared a few days later.

• A sports figure is accused of sexual assault. The analysis of the accuser’s statement revealed no indications of an assault. Ultimately, no charges were filed.

• In an insurance matter, one word in the claimant’s written statement revealed an act of premeditated arson.

Forensic Statement Analysis | Justice Served

It should be noted that primarily a portion of a statement may be true, but the writer may wish to lead us to a conclusion which is not factual. If you have read our previous information, you will understand we are not interested in helping anyone escape justice or avoid consequences. Just the opposite, we want justice served. The goal is and should always be to explore and gather facts. Our experience can cause unconscious bias for or against a case. Before making an assumption consider Forensic Statement Analysis. At minimum it can show us where to inquire further and ultimately better serve the cause of justice.

Testimonial

“Forensic Statement Analysis is an extremely powerful investigative tool. I know because I have been trained in it and have used it when I was in law enforcement. I see various benefits that such a tool can be applied to within the private sector. Unlike a polygraph, FSA is less obtrusive and covert if you will, because all the analysis is done behind the scenes. Yet, functionally, it is akin to a polygraph, from a linguistic and forensic perspective.”

Bruno Pavlicek, PhD, CFE – Adjunct Faculty Professor, Kennesaw State University / Southern New Hampshire University

Zane Kinney, CFE, PI is linguistically trained and has spent his entire adult life in the protection field. He provides Forensic Statement Analysis as one of many investigative services. His background exceeds 30 years in Law Enforcement, Loss Prevention, Corporate Investigations, Physical Security, Private Investigations & Forensics. He is a Certified Fraud Examiner, Licensed Private Investigator, and the Principle Consultant for Astinel Security & Forensics. Zane is a past Board Director for the Atlanta Chapter of Certified Fraud Examiners and frequently speaks on Fraud Prevention.

Zane Kinney speaks to the CT Chapter of Certified Fraud Examiners on the benefits of FSA

Forensic Statement Analysis – Linguistic Analysis

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