A digital tool employed by law enforcement, this technology facilitates the creation of facial approximations based on witness descriptions. It provides a structured interface for constructing a likeness through the selection and modification of facial features such as eyes, nose, mouth, and hairline. The process involves a trained professional who guides the witness in recalling and describing the suspect’s appearance, translating those memories into a visual representation using the software’s features.
This method is critical in criminal investigations as it provides a visual aid for identifying potential suspects when other forms of evidence are limited. The resulting image can be disseminated to the public and other law enforcement agencies, significantly broadening the search scope. Historically, physical sketch artists performed this function, but the advent of computerized systems has offered greater precision, efficiency, and the ability to create variations of the image quickly.