The value of whole-face procedures for the construction and naming of identifiable likenesses for recall-based methods of facial-composite construction

Abstract

Traditional methods of facial-composite construction rely on a witness recalling features of an offender’s face. We assess the value of (1) the addition of a trait-recall mnemonic to a Cognitive-type Interview, and (2) perceptually stretching presented composites, to aid image recognition. Participant-constructors intentionally or incidentally encoded a target face, were interviewed about its facial features 3-4 hours or 2 days later, made a series of trait attributions (or not) about the face and constructed a feature-based composite. Regardless of encoding manipulation, faces constructed after 3-4 hours were twice as likely to be correctly named (cf. after two days) both when the trait-recall mnemonic was applied and composites were viewed stretched. Thus, the research indicates that benefit should be afforded when trait-recall mnemonics are employed for feature composites constructed on the same day as the crime, and composites are presented to potential recognisers with an instruction to view the face side-on.