Clarification
Once an image has been captured to tape or disc it has then to be replayed to allow the viewer to see it. The quality and clarity of the image depends greatly on the equipment to do this. The images may hold details that are unclear when viewed and require clarification to extract them sufficiently to be seen and examined. We will carry out this process and create either moving images or stills that will provide you with the maximum detail to assist you in your work.
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Comparisons
We can carry out a comparative analysis of objects such as clothing seen in video images with actual objects, and either show that the two items are not the same or show a level of similarity.
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Compilations
At various stages of an investigation it often becomes necessary to present the video evidence – e.g.: for interview purposes, conferences or at trial. There are often multiple sources of video evidence and these are often of differing formats. It is very useful to have a compilation of all the relevant clips created in a format that can be viewed at the relevant venue. DVD has proven to be the format of choice due to its ease of access and durability.
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Court Presentation
The majority of the cases we work on are destined for court; each task that we undertake is completed to the same high standard and is always presented in a suitable way designed to maximise its impact on your case. It is crucial that every salient point captured by the video or audio needs to be conveyed to the court at a level that everyone can understand.
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Digital CCTV
Problem. Any one or a combination of,
- unable to play image files
- unable to capture still images
- unable to create a compilation from different cameras or different systems
- unable to see detail required

Solution. We have access to an extensive database of software players to enable viewing of the images. See also Still Images, Compilations and Clarification.

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Evidence Review
Problem. Need to establish completeness and robustness of existing work.

Solution. We will carry out a full review of the existing video/audio evidence to ascertain if any other lines of enquiry can be identified or to question any assertions and assumptions made by others in connection with the material.
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Facial identification

We have now partnered with a leading expert in this field and can provide a professional, independent service to Police Forces, solicitors/barristers and corporate clients in the field of image based forensics and specialising in Facial Identification.

As crime levels increase, there is a call to express expert opinions on aspects of human faces in an attempt to identify criminals.

This demand for photographic comparisons is fuelled by the proliferation of surveillance cameras. This technology can catch criminals in the act, but the images caught on film are of little value unless they can be linked with an acceptable degree of certainty to a particular individual. The face is the most individually recognisable part of the human body and it is accepted that each face is unique.

The terms, facial recognition, facial mapping, facial image comparison and forensic photo comparison are all used to describe the activity of assessing the closeness of fit of one facial image against another.

Facial identification is a visual examination and analysis of imagery, moving or still from a variety of formats.

There are three types of examination
1. Morphological analysis; collating and comparing differences or similarity between the features on a face.
2. Photo-anthropometry; measuring similar dimensions of a known person’s photographs with those of the individual in question as a proportion of the face.
3. Photo-to-photo video superimposition; comparing one image against another by overlay or side by side, usually on screen.
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Format Conversion
Sometimes it is necessary to convert footage from its original format to allow for replay on your equipment, we can provide material in the format that you can use. It should be noted that any format that uses compression on the images (such as DVD) will only be used for ease of replay and if any analysis of the images is required the original format should always be consulted.
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Masking & Highlighting
When the video image contains information that is confidential – such as members of the public, test purchasers or u/c operators – we can produce clips with masking applied to the relevant areas to prevent identification of those individuals. We can also distort dialogue and disguise images to protect the location from where they were taken.

It is often necessary to highlight the movements of individuals or objects to help the viewer to distinguish what is relevant. In cases where multiple offenders are in view we can create clips for each individual with their position highlighted by the use of a coloured circle or arrow together with a compilation of all relevant individuals.

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Multimedia Discs
If you have evidence in the form of still photographs, video, audio, documents, maps etc we can compile a multimedia disc containing all of the items which is accessible through menu selections.
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Presentation Equipment

Having spent a large amount of time and money on sourcing, analysing and packaging your evidence it will need to be displayed to the persons in court so that it has the maximum impact.

We can supply, install and support a wide range of presentation equipment for use in case conferences or court hearings.

Photograph, Video, CD & DVD Copying
Problem. Require copies of material which is confidential, sensitive or evidential.

Solution. All work is carried out by staff cleared to work in this field and all property is retained in a secure environment and treated as confidential. We can provide copies for further examination or for distribution as part of the case preparation and disclosure. All items are labelled and appropriately identified for tracking of movements or continuity.
See also Format Conversion and Multimedia Discs
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Reports
A S9 statement or report can be provided covering work carried out, explanation of CCTV system, continuity and producing of exhibits.
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Scene Video
We can visit the scene of an incident and video with or without a commentary, or take stills of the location and surrounding area. This service is especially useful for defence teams who are unable to attend the location but need to understand the layout and views available. It has also been used to allow the defendant/witness an opportunity to explain the incident on camera.
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Scheduling
Whether you use the storyboard method or a text schedule you will need a detailed frame-by-frame written record of the relevant details in each image. For a town centre murder case this document may run to over 100 pages of detailed information that can be referred to by the investigators or defence teams. It can be methodically worked through when presenting the case and, if stored electronically, searched very quickly for salient information and added to HOLMES for cross referencing.
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Speed correction
Problem. When a video tape from a CCTV system is played in a standard VHS video player the images typically play too fast, there might be a jumble of multiple camera views and if the tape is in the S-VHS format you might not see anything at all.

Solution. At Demux we can speed correct the images extract individual camera views if necessary (see Demultiplexing) and reformat S-VHS images, so that you can view each camera view in real time in a standard video player or DVD. See also Format Conversion.
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Stills Images
Problem. Moving images do not allow for detailed and prolonged examination or the necessary equipment to play them is not available.

Solution. We can provide a specific image or series of images as individual A4 size pictures. These allow for more detailed inspection by the viewer and are particularly beneficial in interview and court situations.
See also Storyboards
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Storyboards
When it comes to presenting video evidence the moving images are very important but it is often the case that each frame of video is relevant in its own right. By extracting the images and creating a storyboard with annotations it is possible to put a document before the jury that they can study and write comments on as and when they require, unlike video. This format is also very useful in both suspect and interview situations. We can provide copies for further examination or for distribution as part of the case preparation. All items are labelled and appropriately identified for tracking of movements or continuity.
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Subtitles
If your video contains dialogue which is either difficult to understand or of a foreign language we can add subtitles to the images to improve the viewer’s understanding.
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Text to Video Sync
This service is ideal for video interview or surveillance footage that contains a lot of dialogue and for which a transcript needs to be created. We will synchronise the transcript with the video images and place them on a CD/DVD. There will also be a media player and editor included. This allows for text searching of the transcript which also takes you to the exact place in the video. You can create clips from the video by simply highlighting the text and saving. The advantage of this is that it is possible to edit on the fly and use the clips in case conferences and at court, and export them to presentation programmes.
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Time Sync
When working with images from multiple CCTV systems it is vitally important to establish synchronisation of the times displayed in the images and other relevant equipment that records a time stamp, eg: cash till, ATM, door entry system. We will examine the available data, and where possible create a document that shows the time difference, and demonstrate how we came to our conclusion. Once a benchmark time is established all times can then be adjusted accordingly.
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Video Analysis
We carry out a forensic analysis of the video evidence using scientific methodology. Rather than just process the video evidence, we investigate the image contents to maximise the potential to your case. This may mean that we provide other lines of enquiry such as images of possible witnesses, additional questioning of known witnesses or the obtaining of further material and information. We may also be able to confirm or refute details recounted by a witness which supports their testimony.
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