Written Statement Analysis: A Valuable Tool in Private Investigation

Written statement analysis is nowadays a valuable discipline within modern investigative agencies. It consists of the methodical examination of a person's remarks - testimonies, correspondence, or various declarations - with the goal of exposing the truthfulness of the account, omissions, inconsistencies, and sometimes implicit admissions or, conversely, false confessions.^[1]

Foundations and Objectives of Statement Analysis

The statement analysis expert stands out for their ability to dissect every word, every sentence, and every linguistic construction in a text. This skill in spotting linguistic subtleties is particularly valuable in investigations where spotting lies, concealment, or manipulation is crucial.

Individuals who lie in written statements often use vague wording and avoid explicitly affirming their innocence, preferring to give more evasive answers that can easily be detected by a seasoned analyst.

Statement analysis goes far beyond the simple content of a text: it also focuses on omitted details, sequence of events, tense changes, and the way actions are described. The slightest shift, superfluous word, or indirect answer can provide investigators with leads to explore, or even redirect an entire investigation.

Concrete Examples in Private Practice

Let's take the case of a statement given in a theft investigation:

“I looked at the jewelry, placed the jewelry box on the desk, and went home.”

Here, the analyst will notice that the person did not specify putting the jewelry back into the jewelry box after looking at them, which could indicate a significant omission.

This level of dissection allows for the discovery, in an otherwise harmless declaration, of elements of suspicion or major contradictions which are important to investigate further.

Another example from one of our recent investigations (names and locations have been changed) illustrates the value of written statement analysis:

“Marc confessed to me that he killed Josée. He supposedly went to pick her up at her home, drove her to a wooded area near his house, and attacked her. She was struggling a lot and screaming at the top of her lungs…”

Two key elements stand out in the analysis of this short paragraph.

First, we notice a change in tense: the writer switches from the conditional to the past continuous. This suggests that they may not only have received the suspect’s confession but could also have been present at the crime scene themselves.

Secondly, there’s reference to two of the five senses, here sight and hearing—the mention of loud screams and the victim struggling vigorously. Generally, this sensory evocation indicates a directly lived experience, not just a repeated account. Indeed, a witness or victim present at a crime scene will naturally report visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, or emotional elements, whereas someone who merely relays what they heard cannot describe these things as precisely.

At the end of the investigation, it was confirmed that the statement’s author was present at the crime scene. He turned out to be not just a witness to a confession but an accomplice directly involved in the event.

Methodology and Professional Approach

Statement analysis is used in various contexts, notably:

• By police forces, attorneys, and private investigators to analyze depositions, confessions, or declarations from witnesses or persons of interest.

  
  

• In human resources, during internal investigations into inappropriate behavior or suspected fraud.

  
  

• In investigative journalism, to evaluate the coherence of testimonies gathered during sensitive or conflicting interviews.

  
  

The analysis process is based on the idea that no written or spoken word is ever insignificant. The brain unconsciously picks the words that best reflect the author's intent. This means that, even in moments of inattention or relaxation, word choices can reveal hidden truths, hesitation, or attempts at manipulation.

To conduct effective analysis, the expert proceeds as follows:

• Complete reading of the document, paying attention to narrative structure.

  
  

• Sentence-by-sentence breakdown to identify register and tense changes, omissions, and redundancies.

  
  

• Systematic questioning of every formulation: “Why this word? Why this timeline? What does it genuinely convey or omit as information?”

  
  

Mastery of statement analysis requires:

• Advanced linguistic and psychological skills.

  
  

• A critical and methodical mindset to discern inconsistencies and articulate findings.

  
  

• Specialized training, often in applied psychology, criminology, or linguistics, allowing rigorous stance regarding the discipline’s inherent limits.

  
  

Analysis is not confined to binary diagnosis (true/false), but explores grey areas, nuances of distortion, omission, or attenuation of the narrative. The words used, their order and frequency, are all data to interpret for further investigation direction.

Limits and Controversies of Written Statement Analysis

Like all disciplines based on interpretation, written statement analysis sparks debate. While this approach has fostered a useful and relevant practice, the scientific reliability of the method remains contested: various empirical studies have demonstrated its limited capacity to distinguish truth from falsehood.

In this context, investigators should maintain and demonstrate critical rigor, treating results as clues, never as absolute proof. Just like polygraph and criminal profiling, statement analysis should support investigations without ever replacing thorough traditional inquiry. It accompanies, guides, and corroborates—but must always be part of a comprehensive investigative approach.

Statement Analysis vs. Graphology vs. Forensic Handwriting Expertise

It’s essential to distinguish written statement analysis, forensic handwriting expertise, and graphology—three often-confused yet radically different fields.

• Graphology: This method mainly examines the personality, character, and state of mind of a text’s author by observing handwriting. The graphologist aims to establish psychological hypotheses by analyzing the shape, slant, speed, or graphic pressure of the writing. Essentially, graphology studies the container more than the content. This technique is generally neither used nor recognized as valid in investigative contexts.

  
  

• Forensic handwriting expertise: The forensic handwriting expert seeks to establish the authenticity of a document and the author’s identity using technical and comparative analysis. Their goal is formal validation or challenge of a document, not psychological profile evaluation.

  
  

• Statement analysis: Focuses on written content, narrative structure, and linguistic clues of deception, omission, or manipulation. It does not analyze handwriting or author personality, but rather the narrative strategy behind the text.

  
  

Practical Application in Investigation

Within an investigative agency or police force, analysis of written documents is a strategic asset:

• Sharpens understanding of a case context by detecting contradictions and inconsistencies from the outset of the written narrative.

  
  

• Helps prepare interviews by identifying weak points to address.

  
  

• Enhances report writing by bringing a critical and rigorous view on the consistency of the facts.

  
  

Investigators must nonetheless keep in mind the indicative, not probative, nature of their conclusions and integrate this limitation when communicating findings to clients or legal partners.

Conclusion

Written statement analysis has become an essential modern technique in private or public investigative practice. It demands rigor, expertise, and discernment, as it sits at the intersection of linguistics, psychology, and narrative strategy. The savvy investigator will benefit from this method while remaining cautious of its scientific and institutional limits.

^[1]For more on false confessions, we refer readers to our article False Confessions: An Unknown Phenomenon and Cause of Judicial Errors

Némésis offers criminal profiling services, polygraph testing, investigation, and investigative analysis to Quebec police forces, legal professionals, as well as any entity or citizen requiring specialized expertise in private investigation.