SCAN (Scientific Content Analysis)

WHAT’S IN A WORD

How to obtain information and detect deception

Chris Hudson

Investigative and Security Consultants

On July 12, 1996, at approximately 7:00 pm Officer XXXXX brought in subject XXX on a warrant. They came up to the bond window and XXX posted the $250.00 cash bond. XXX was needing to change a $20 bill in order to post the exact amount, so I gave him two $10s for his $20. No problem. He then gave me exactly $250.00 in cash and when he gave it to me I filled out the bond envelope with the required information, and also filled out the cash receipt and gave it to XXX. No problem. I then entered the information in the bond book putting the receipt in the envelope as required. I then put the bond envelope in the cash box which is located in the safe. After placing it in the box, putting the cash box in the safe, I secure the safe.

On July 14, I was contacted by Deputy XXX who wanted to know where XXXX bond money was. I explained to him that when XXXX came in that I had followed procedure as I am supposed to do and put everything in the cash box placing it in the safe and securing the safe exactly like I was supposed to do. I am not responsible for what happens after I leave my shift. I do my job and if something happens between when I take someones cash and when the court clerk gets the bond money that is not my fault. They probably need to find a better system to keep track of the money. But that is not my job, that is what they get paid the big bucks for. I just do my assigned duties.

Case Study – Theft of Bond Money

THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE

DON'T LIE!

PEOPLE DON’T LIE BY COMMISSION BUT BY

OMISSION

That is ….

HENCE THE OATH,

TO TELL THE TRUTH

THE WHOLE TRUTH

Recognised and developed by Avinoam Sapir Laboratory for Scientific Interrogation (L.S.I.) , Phoenix, AZ, USA

Former Israel Police polygraph examiner

Introduced to Australia by Hudsons in 1988SCAN is taught in USA, UK, Canada, Israel, Europe,

South Africa, Mexico and Singapore

Linguistic codes have existed since language began.

Q …...A…….

Q.…A…

What did the person tell me?

How can I develop the answer to get more information?

Everyone wants to giveEvery information

To everyone

“I have a boyfriend who is Jewish”

“A boyfriend” v. “My boyfriend”

“Boyfriend” v. “Friend”

“Who is Jewish “ v. “A Jewish boyfriend”

TOTAL BELIEF IN THE SUBJECT

Does not mean we believe the subject to be truthful but by rejecting a statement as deceptive because you consider it to be

“fishy” will prevent you entering the story from the inside or analyse the language to

discover what is really said!(The vast majority do not lie by commission)

Probably the most important SCAN rule.

Do NOT deal WITH PEOPLE

But with WHAT THEY SAY!

The SUBJECT is DEAD!The STATEMENT is ALIVE !

A person does not tell everything

Only what is thought to be important for us.

“Unimportant” information for the reader

Is likely to be doubly important for the speaker/writer!

THE EDITING PROCESS

Could the story be true ….. but

the subject still committed the [crime]?

In most cases we don’t have to search for deception.

Only what the person did NOT say!

I saw the fire, called the fire brigade and waited here”

“I counted the money, put the bag in the safe and proceeded to go home.”

"I was in the living room. I heard a shot. I went to see what happened

and found that he was dead."

WHERE IS THE LIE?

1. Be Truthful

As children we were taught:

2. But don’t say EVERYTHING!

TRUTH v. DECEPTION

TRUTHFUL - builds the statement FROM MEMORY!

Will have connections to other issues outside the incident.

DECEPTIVE – builds the statement FROM IMAGINATION!

The most significant part of speech

For the reader/listener (analyst)

Understood by all – gained at a very early age

If in doubt, listen to kids …..

PRONOUNS

“Mine!”

Identifies the person

and

establishes commitment.

THE PERSONAL PRONOUN “I”

THE USE OF “WE” IN RELATIONSHIPS

A letter from a business colleague

“ ..…during your visit to the States. Ed and I ...........

Ed and I .............…”

NO “WE” = NO PARTNERSHIP

"...after he finished with me

we went back to his car..."

The victim of an alleged rape said:

USING POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS

My house vs the house

My car vs the car

My ring vs the ring

“I went to the ladies’ room, took off the ring and washed my hands.”

“…..my wife had taken off the ring.”

THE MISSING POSSESSIVE PRONOUN

CAUTION – Change in circumstances may justify absence of pronoun by truthful person

" ....I gave him back the ring "

The version must be in PAST TENSE!

TENSE

No one is a prophet!

SUSAN SMITH

‘My children wantED me.

They needED me?

Annette Monstream

Arrested by Niagara Falls police after a televised plea for her husband’s safe

return in which she said,

“John …was a good husband.”

“You know, you would lock the car…..”

“I would never ask anyone to lie for me…”

Avoiding Past Tense:

Parts of Speech/Language

The Golden Rule

FIRST PERSON, SINGULAR, PAST TENSE

* CHANGES IN LANGUAGE. “The yacht…the boat…it…”* PASSIVE LANGUAGE “The car was parked..”*DISTANCE IN LANGUAGE.

“I watched TV with my wife”*OBJECTIVE v. SUBJECTIVE TIME. The longer the event the more detail.* OPEN PURE VERSION Where the subject starts the story.* LINKS – to the main issue.

LISTEN TO/READ

WHAT PEOPLE

REALLY SAY

On July 12, 1996, at approximately 7:00 pm Officer XXXXX brought in subject XXX on a warrant. They came up to the bond window and XXX posted the $250.00 cash bond. XXX was needing to change a $20 bill in order to post the exact amount, so I gave him two $10s for his $20. No problem. He then gave me exactly $250.00 in cash and when he gave it to me I filled out the bond envelope with the required information, and also filled out the cash receipt and gave it to XXX. No problem. I then entered the information in the bond book PUTTING THE RECEIPT IN THE ENVELOPE AS REQUIRED. I THEN PUT THE BOND ENVELOPE IN THE CASH BOX which is located in the safe. After placing it in the box, putting the cash box in the safe, I secure the safe.

On July 14, I was contacted by Deputy XXX who wanted to know where XXXX bond money was. I explained to him that when XXXX came in that I had followed procedure as I am supposed to do and put everything in the cash box placing it in the safe and securing the safe exactly like I was supposed to do. I am not responsible for what happens after I leave my shift. I do my job and if something happens between WHEN I TAKE SOMEONES CASH and when the court clerk gets the bond money that is not my fault. They probably need to find a better system to keep track of the money. But that is not my job, that is what they get paid the big bucks for. I just do my assigned duties.

Case Study – Theft of Bond Money

THE

VIEW

QUESTIONNAIRE

Thank you.

End