Reading Between the Lines: An Evaluation of the Scientific Content Analysis Technique (SCAN)

• NCJ Number: 195362
• Author(s): Nicky Smith
• Editor(s): Carole F. Willis
• Date Published: 2001
• Length: 53 pages
• Corporate Author: Great Britain Home Office, Policing and Reducing Crime Unit
• Sale Source: Great Britain Home Office, Policing and Reducing Crime Unit
• Publication Format: Book (Softbound)
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom
• Note: Police Research Series Paper 135

Annotation

This report describes the results of a study designed to assess and evaluate the effectiveness of the Scientific Content Analysis (SCAN) technique in detecting instances of potential deception within written statements.

Abstract

Scientific Content Analysis (SCAN) is an analytical technique that is able to detect instances of potential deception within the language behavior of an individual. SCAN is presently used in several States within the United States, Australia, Canada, and Israel for investigative purposes. This study’s intent was to assess the effectiveness of the SCAN technique within investigative statements and to assess its usefulness as a technique for use by the United Kingdom police forces. The study is divided into five sections that identified the principal problems in detecting deception within the language behavior of an individual, summarized the SCAN technique, examined its effectiveness in discriminating between truthful and deceptive statements, and discussed key findings and implications for the use of SCAN within the United Kingdom. The study sample consisted of 27 statements which were assessed by five groups of assessors. Groups one, two, and three assessed the statements using the SCAN technique and groups four and five assessed the statements using their intuition and experience. The study identified four practical implications affecting the use of the SCAN technique within the United Kingdom: (1) legal implications; (2) procedural and resource implications; (3) training implications; and (4) research implications. The study showed no clear evidence that the SCAN technique significantly improved an experienced investigator’s ability to determine truth or deceit in a written statement. However, it was noted that the technique could be useful during the early stages of an investigation. The conditions under which SCAN should be applied and the legal consequences of its application need to be fully understood. References and tables