One tool available is statement analysis, which involves: the parts of speech, extraneous information, lack of conviction and the balance of the statement.

There are other components to statement analysis, but investigators should be able to use these basic techniques to gain insight into an insured's information prior to conducting an interview or recorded statement.

Statement analysis follows a two-step process. The fire investigator must determine what is typical of a truthful statement, referred to as the norm, and then look for any deviation from this norm in the statement. The truthful statements can differ from fabricated ones in content and quality because the person is trying to make the story up and tie the events together.

The investigators inexperienced in statement analysis will find it easier to begin by examining written statements. If it is a recorded statement, investigators can make transcripts of oral statements. Statement analysis is most effective if the person handwrites a statement detailing what he did from several hours prior to the event until one or two hours after the event occurred. The account provides a version of the day's events and increases the validity of the analysis. What we want to do is let the person lock himself into his own account of the day. In addition, statement analysis is an aid that can be used to obtain information that can later be used in a recorded statement, so the investigator should analyze the statement before interviewing the person. Spoken words can be analyzed, but it is easier to begin with the written statements or transcriptions.

It's all in the words

The parts of speech form the foundation of statement analysis and the investigator will need to examine the individual parts of speech. We are particularly interested in pronouns, nouns and verbs, and how they are used to establish the norm for each. If a deviation from the norm appears, the investigator should ask, “Why is there a deviation?”

A pronoun is a part of speech that takes the place of nouns. In Statement Analysis, particular attention should be given to the personal pronouns “I” and “we” and all possessive pronouns, such as my, our, your, his, her, etc. As you are reading the statement, circle all of the pronouns.

When giving statements, most truthful people use the first person, singular pronoun “I.” If there is any deviation from this norm, it deserves a closer examination, as it could indicate that the person is not completely committed to the facts he or she has placed in the statement and could indicate deception.

We must look for a clear commitment in the statement, and then determine if that commitment remains throughout the story. The person should be providing the narrative in first person singular by using the pronoun “I”. By circling the pronouns, we look for any change in the use of pronouns. In many cases of deception, the person will ultimately begin leaving himself out of the story at some point where he does not want to be involved.

Using the first person, singular pronoun is the norm for truthful statements, so the investigator should look for a lack of the pronoun “I” and overuse of the pronoun “we,” which is first person, plural. The changing pronouns are an indication of deception.

In studies of speech and the written word, we have learned that the shortest way to say or write something is the easiest and clearest way to communicate. The pronoun “we” is a short, clear way to describe one's self and others. The pronoun “we” denotes togetherness; it indicates a relationship between persons. The omission of the pronoun “we” is significant, particularly when the individuals are spouses or close friends.

In many cases, the guilty person who denies complicity may find it difficult to keep the pronoun “we” out of a statement. The investigator needs to search the written statement for “we.” During the interview, focus on the transaction described with “we,” since this pronoun indicates that the writer and another individual were involved.

The possessive pronouns we look for are my, our, your, his, her, and theirs, as they show an attachment the person acknowledges toward a person or object. If the person changes the pronoun, or drops the pronoun completely, it may be to show no possession, or admit association with a particular object or person.

Although we use nouns to denote persons, places and things, nouns take on different meanings, depending on the individual. When we examine the words used by a person, the investigator should note any changes. A “change of language often reflects a change in reality.” When you examine a statement written by a person, if he refers to someone using a pronoun and then suddenly switches to using the person's name, you should look to see if this occurred at a significant point in the narrative and why.

Verbs express action, either in the past, present, or future. In statement analysis, the tense of the verb is of utmost importance. When analyzing statements, the investigator should concentrate on the tense of the verbs used. A person providing a truthful statement will use the past tense as the norm because by the time a person relates the event, it has already occurred.

If the investigator notes a shift in the statement from past tense to present tense, this can be significant because events recalled from memory should be stated in the past tense. The change to present tense may indicate deception.

If the person provides extraneous information in a statement, it can provide clues to possible deception, since a person who is being truthful will have nothing to hide when asked the questions. The truthful person can recount the events as they occurred because the truth is easy to recall. In many cases, a deceptive person might provide information that does not answer the question, this is extraneous information and they may feel the need to justify their actions. The information they provide may not follow a logical timeline or will provide false information as to what actually happened. They may include more information than is necessary to tell the story. In an extended sentence, people may include qualifying words or statements which may provide important information.

Selective memory

Conviction is very important in a truthful statement, and as such, a lack of conviction in the person's statement is a sign of deception. During a verbal statement, the investigator should note if the person suddenly has a lack of memory, “I don't remember” or “I cannot recall.” In a deceptive statement, they may fake this loss of memory to avoid being associated with the events that occurred. Keep the questions open ended and back the person up in their story. If the person uses phrases like “I think,” “I believe,” “to the best of my knowledge,” these phrases, serve to lessen the activity about to be described, and serve to discount the message before it is provided, thereby, avoiding commitment.

Every story has a before, during and after the incident. When analyzing the statement look for the overall balance of the story. The first part should detail what was going on before the incident occurred, since it places the event in context and should be 25% of the entire story. The second part of the statement and should provide the details of the incident and is the majority, representing about 50% of the entire story. The last part, or after incident segment of the statement includes the actions and emotions of the person, and should be at least as long as the first part. The greater the balance in the statement, the more probability that the statement is true.

There can always be some degree of variation from a perfect balance to be expected, but if any part of a statement is incomplete or missing altogether, then the statement is most probably false.

Statement analysis is a tool used to get to the truth. The more it is practiced, the more it is able to be implemented into daily investigative practices. The analysis of someone's words involves examining structural and linguistic features to discover insight and identify areas of possible deception. It is a tool to help investigators conduct thorough interviews as they work toward obtaining the truth. The person's statement can often contain a wealth of information beyond what the person intends to communicate and investigators can use this information to their benefit.

This article is based on class material from Mark McClish, “Statement Analysis” at Advanced Interviewing Concepts. www.StatementAnalysis.com.

T. David Harlow had a 31-year fire service career in Ohio, and after retirement, he moved to south Florida to serve as a Fire Chief until entering the private sector. He has an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Fire Science Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Fire Administration; Master of Science in Urban Administration. He is a Certified Forensic Consultant and has attained Diplomat Status with the American College of Forensic Examiners Institute (ACFEI), and has completed the IAAI-ATF Complex Arson Investigation for the Insurance Industry class. He owns and operates TDH Investigation, Inc. www.tdhinvestigation.com.