The Find Madeleine website, Tannerman & the e-fits

[AnneGuedes]

It was the PJ who produced and released the Tannerman 'egg with hair' e-fit !

The PJ might have lots of defaults, but they certainly have a high sense of humour !

[AnneGuedes]

Doublethink, triplethink.

I fake to fake in order to cheat better.

[AnneGuedes]

Is it a mega issue when I ask fairly simple questions to which no one has an answer?

If so, why?

[Sherlock Holmes]

I still find it hard to comprehend the idea that an e-fit based on a vague description of a person could be in any way useful.

A fleeting glance of an unknown person is unlikely to produce an artist's impression that is worthy of much.

Why produce a bland-looking e-fit of a 'white male, with dark hair, of medium build, and of average height' unless there are some distinguishing features?

The sad part of this whole e-fit saga is that the pictures themselves are unlikely to be of any assistance whatsoever in finding Madeleine and resolving the case.

[AnneGuedes]

I still find it hard to comprehend the idea that an e-fit based on a vague description of a person could be in any way useful.

A fleeting glance of an unknown person is unlikely to produce an artist's impression that is worthy of much.

Why produce a bland-looking e-fit of a 'white male, with dark hair, of medium build, and of average height' unless there are some distinguishing features?

The sad part of this whole e-fit saga is that the pictures themselves are unlikely to be of any assistance whatsoever in finding Madeleine and resolving the case.

I guess everybody will agree with this. Then why exhibiting/hiding those, as you said, floating heads ?

[AnneGuedes]

Some might say they were being assisted by clowns !

They hardly could take for granted the words of a person who saw a blank face but the type of shoe and the heel's height.

[Sherlock Holmes]

I guess everybody will agree with this. Then why exhibiting/hiding those, as you said, floating heads ?

The e-fit system seems to be standard police procedure in a lot of countries, doesn't it.

Just found this fascinating tidbit regarding the success of e-fits. I looked this up because I remember hearing on a crimewatch episode a long time ago the claim that e-fits had assisted the police on many occasions.

The E-FIT and Pro-fit systems used in the UK have been subjected to a number of formal academic examinations. In these studies, composites were correctly named,[clarification needed] either immediately or a few hours after construction, approximately 20% of the time.[1][2][3] In one study in which witnesses were required to wait two days before constructing a composite, which matches real use more closely, naming rates fell to only a few percent.[4][/b]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-FIT

[Sherlock Holmes]

So-called 'Evolutionary systems', a very recent technique (not apparently used here), produce vastly better results.

The images are composed differently (rather than making a composite of facial features, the witness responds to various pictures they are shown, and a 'holistic' picture is created consisting of a composite of the images they select).

The resulting picture is also in 3-D giving a far more realistic aspect.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facial_composite

[ferryman]

But they undoubtedly would if absolutely certain of a suspect.

No they wouldn't.

At least not if they were obeying their own rules.

[ferryman]

But some people keep saying that publicising details of a missing person is illegal or detrimental in Portugal.

I agree that e-fits of a suspect are not the same thing as the details of a missing person, but some seem to insist that details of a missing person should not be divulged either... How on earth would the PJ be expected to help find them?

I find that incomprehensible.

The PJ website gives details about missing people, including any distinguishing features. (It might be useful if they updated the site... but, anyway.)

In theory (and strictly adhered to) the secrecy laws preclude absolutely any information being released into the public domain about an on-going investigation ...

[Carana]

I'm afraid you misunderstand, Carana. The police, and not only in Portugal, are aware that publishing details on a missing child possibly abducted for ransom or for some kind of slavery is putting its life in danger.

Ok, one may as well forget about any missing child alert in the golden hours then...

[Carana]

In theory (and strictly adhered to) the secrecy laws preclude absolutely any information being released into the public domain about an on-going investigation ...

I can understand that to a certain extent (if it had been respected, which it wasn't),  but what did the PJ have in place to alert the public to phone in about potential sightings with relevant details in the early days? 

How would that have been efficient if no distinguishing features had been made public?

[Carana]

I'm not sure what you find amusing.

[AnneGuedes]

Ok, one may as well forget about any missing child alert in the golden hours then...

This isn't the point, Carana.
Read on another thread :
In the village of Souk-el-Arba-des-Beni- Hassan, men gathered round to view posters of Madeleine and an artist's impression image of a moustached man of north African appearance who had been a possible suspect.
He has since been ruled out of the case. The drawing produced almost hysterical laughter.
“There are a million men who look like this,” said Mustafa Ben Dris, who was about the only man there without a moustache.

[AnneGuedes]

I'm not sure what you find amusing.

Aren't you ?