Davis, Josh P ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0017-7159, Simmons, Stacie, Sulley, Lucy, Solomon, Chris and Gibson, Stuart (2015) An evaluation of post-production facial composite enhancement techniques. Journal of Forensic Practice, 17 (4). pp. 307-318. ISSN 2050-8794 (doi:10.1108/JFP-08-2015-0042)

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Abstract

Purpose: This article describes four experiments evaluating post-production enhancement techniques with facial composites mainly created using the EFIT-V holistic system.

Design/methodology/approach: Each experiment was conducted in two stages. In Stage 1, constructors created between one and four individual composites of unfamiliar targets. These were merged to create morphs, and in Experiment 3, composites were also vertically stretched. In Stage 2, participants familiar with the targets named or provided target-similarity ratings to the images.

Findings: In Experiments 1-3, correct naming rates were significantly higher to between-witness 4-morphs, within-witness 4-morphs and vertically stretched composites than to individual composites. In Experiment 4, there was a positive relationship between composite-target similarity ratings and between-witness morph-size (2-, 4-, 8-, 16-morphs).

Practical implications: The likelihood of a facial composite being recognised can be improved by morphing and vertical stretch.

Originality/value: A greater understanding of the theoretical underpinnings and applied advantage of post-production facial composite techniques should ensure greater acceptance by the criminal justice system, leading to better detection outcomes.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Face recognition, Memory, E-FIT, EFIT-V, Eyewitness, Facial composite, Morphing, Vertical stretch
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > Applied Psychology Research Group
Last Modified:	20 Apr 2017 08:44
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/13004

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