What is forensic linguistics?
Technical description: Forensic linguistics is the
study, analysis and measurement of language in
the context of crime, judicial procedure, or disputes
in law, including the preparation and giving of
written and oral evidence.
Explanation: The study of any text or item of
spoken language which has relevance to a criminal
or civil dispute, or which relates to what goes on in
a court of law, or to the language of the law itself.
Thus the linguist may be called upon to analyse a
very wide variety of documents, e.g. agreements
relating to ancient territorial disputes, the quality of
court interpreting, an allegation of ‘verballing’
(claims by defendants that their statements were
altered by police officers), a disputed will, a suicide
note, a ransom demand, etc.
Anonymous letters
Hate mail
Suicide notes - genuine and false
Ransom demands
Threat letters
Terrorist threats
Wills
Mobile phone texts in
missing persons cases
Chat logs, emails
and many other text types
Types of forensic text
Types of crime
We investigate documents of all kinds in
practically all types of criminal allegation,
including:
murder
robbery
burglary
taking without consent (TWOC)
assault, including sexual assault
child molestation and child pornography
malicious communications
terrorism
conspiracy
witness intimidation
mental abuse
libel
elder abuse
product contamination
blackmail
narcotics distribution
organized crime
driving under the influence
smuggling
crimes committed in prison
Have you received hate mail or anonymous texts?
Consult the Forensic Linguistics Institute.
Books
News
Forensic Texts
© Forensic Linguistics Institute, 2000-2009.
We also enhance and transcribe
covert surveillance tapes, CCTV
and police interview tapes
About the Director of the Institute
