Truth Verification

Truth verification techniques assist investigators in determining the veracity of subjects including complainants, victims, witnesses, persons of interest, suspects and charged or accused persons. Although the opinion of the truth verification specialist is not intended for court purposes, the service provides focus to investigations.

The polygraph instrument is a device designed to detect and record physiological functions of the body, such as pulse rate, increase and decrease in blood pressure, respiration rate and change in sweat gland activity. Changes in physiological functions occur involuntarily as a response to a stressful activity. By continuously monitoring body responses, any changes that occur as a response to questioning can be observed. Under controlled conditions, a polygraphist can evaluate physiological changes that determine if they are consistent with truthfulness or attempted deception.

Statement analysis is a scientific approach that combines many disciplines including linguistics, psychology, sociology, criminology and psychiatry to form a systematic method of analyzing speech patterns to determine if statements originated in memory or imagination. The method presents an effective method for obtaining information and detecting deception strictly by means of verbal communication, oral or written. A statement analyst is able to identify areas of truthfulness, deception, sensitivity and withheld information. Since most subjects do not attempt to lie directly, they simply edit or withhold information, most frequently the scope of the search is for what the subject did not say as opposed to actual deception.

Forensic hypnosis is useful in eliciting information from a complainant, victim or witness. Hypnosis is intended to enhance memory recall and not to establish the truth. Since subjects can confabulate during a hypnotic session, the accuracy of all information obtained through hypnosis must be verified and/or corroborated through careful investigation. Hypnosis is not used in relation to suspects or accused/charged persons for the noted reasons.

Voice stress analysis is currently utilized in evaluation and research applications only. It focuses on tiny frequency modulations called micro tremors in the human voice. A deceptive subject’s autonomic or involuntary nervous system causes an audible increase in the micro tremor frequency. The analyzer detects, measures, quantifies and displays the micro tremors, allowing an evaluation of the subjects overall honesty.

Requesting Truth Verification services

Canadian and international police services can contact the RCMP to request the services of a Truth Verification analyst. These services are limited to our policing partners.