NCJ Number
146992
Journal
Crime Laboratory Digest Volume: 20 Issue: 4 Dated: (October 1993) Pages: 78-81
Date Published
1993
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This paper discusses two types of aural identification of voices and explains the current nature and capability of the spectrographic laboratory technique for voice identification.
Abstract
Several empirical studies revealed that the accuracy of identification for familiar voice samples heard aurally and lasting 1 second or longer ranged from 92 percent to 100 percent and averaged 95 percent. Recording samples through the telephone or other limited bandwidth systems had little effect on accuracy. Noise also had little effect on accuracy. The identification of unfamiliar voices, such as that in an obscene telephone call, relies on short-term memory. Study of the effects of sentence length, background noise, and sound frequency suggests that most identifications have a 78-83 percent accuracy. The use of expert witnesses does not improve the accuracy rate of aural voice comparisons. The use of the spectrographic technique continues to decline, even with the establishment of new standards in 1992. Tables, figures, note, and 10 references