Portrait Parle via Bertillon System By G S Shaktawat

The individualization of the human is very hard thing from the ages. People had done or invented certain ways for the proper individualization of the person. The Bertillon System is the first anthropological technique for individualization invented by Sir Bertillon.

This PPT contains the content mainly from the history to the decline of the Bertillon system. And the center point of the PPT is the Portrait Parle or Bertillonage.

1. PPT by :- Giriraj Singh Shaktawat [email protected] B.Sc (Forensic Science) Portrait Parle (Bertillon System) Topic:-

2. CONTENTS INTRODUCTION HISTORY OF PORTRAIT PARLE CATEGORIZATION TRAITS USED IN SYSTEM ADVANCEMENT OF BERTILLONAGE BERTILLON CARD BERTILLONOAGE IN INDIA DECLINE OF BERTILLONAGE FORENSIC SIGNIFICANCE

3. PORTRAIT PARLE: These two French words mean “ speaking likeness ”. Verbal description of physical characteristics of the subject. It is based on the Bertillon method of criminal identification by measurements of the human body.   INTRODUCTION

4. T o recognize individuals who were repeatedly arrested, Bertillon developed means by which portraits could be sorted by common morphological characteristics. This classification is known as the “portrait parlé” or spoken portrait. INTRODUCTION

5. In 1882, Alphonse Bertillon, also called “Father of Scientific Detection” said that anthropology could be used in the recognisation and identification of criminals. 11 skeleton measurments for indentification. Alphonse Bertillon (1853-1914) HISTORY OF PORTRAIT PARLE

6. His classification provided a basis for modern recall system that would aid the artist in producing sketches. Made for identification aid for recognition of local prisoners but later it obtaining description of unknown suspects also. Observation states, human bone structure absolutely fixed by the age of 20 . HISTORY OF PORTRAIT PARLE

7. The portrait parle system also known as Bertillonage. No opppertunity till 1882 for validation of system. After 3 month trial period, he was able to identify a repeat offender by proving that the man, who had just been caught on the scene of theft, had indeed been arrested sometime before. Despite using a false identity, the criminal was betrayed by his own body measurements and quickly confessed. HISTORY OF PORTRAIT PARLE

8. CATEGORIZATION It describes under four category- Determination of colour :- Eye, Beard , Skin colour. Morphological determination :- Size , Shape & Direction of the different parts of the body. General determination :- Language, Voice, Dress etc. Description of incredible marks:- Scare Marks , tattoo marks.

9. Eyelash length Mouth size Lip thickness Nose size Nose shape Nostril shape Earlobe attachment Ear pits Hairy ears Cheek freckles Forehead freckles Widow’s peak TRAITS DESCRIBED IN BERTILLON SYSTEM Gender Face shape Chin shape Skin color Hair type Hair colour Color of eyebrows Eyebrow thickness Eyebrow placement Eye color Eye’s distance apart Eye size Eye shape

10. EXAMPLE OF TRAIT DESCRIPTION Widow’s peak (a)Natural (b) Hair Style

11. EXAMPLE OF TRAIT DESCRIPTION

12. Whereas the anthropometric system made it possible to distinguish between two distinct individuals . It did not bring irrefutable proof of an individual’s identity. While not fully managing to fix this major flaw, Bertillon designed an incremental physical description card also called the Bertillon card, comprising of four areas: A nthropometry- a field he enriched with new topological descriptions of ear, nose and iris. An incremental- a detailed physical description method which formed the basis of portrait parle. ADVANCEMENT OF BERTILLONAGE

13. P hotographic description- which he continually enhanced by defining a general protocol for face. An inventory and precise mapping of all specific marks to be found on the body- scars, tattoos, moles and the like. ADVANCEMENT OF BERTILLONAGE

14. Some marks develop due to the kind of occupation performed by an individual. Some examples are given below: Tailor: marks of pin pricks. Dish washer: hands are rough, soddy and bigger in shape due to continuous exposure to water. Truck driver: Corns on palm. OCCUPATIONAL MARKS

15. The Bertillon card included two photographs, one face-on and one in profile. BERTILLON CARD Attitude Voice Language Habiliments Hair growth pattern Eyebrows Eyeballs and orbit Mouth Neck The Bertillon card included spaces for description of the prisoner’s. Eyes Ear Lips Beard Hair color Skin color Ethnicity Forehead Nose Chin Inclination of shoulders

16. BERTILLON CARD

17. The Koenigstein-Ravachol affair made headlines all over Europe, added luster to Bertillon’s fame, and spread the adoption of anthropometry to other nations.  In 1892, India became the first country outside of France to adopt  bertillonage  nationwide .  Five years later, during which time 2,50,000 Indians were measured. BERTILLONAGE IN INDIA

18. Portrait Parle for Ravachol BERTILLONAGE IN INDIA

19. The “portrait parle” method remained prestigious for quite a while, as it was believed that experienced police officers were able to draw on it to “identify with certainty a suspect who mingled with the crowd”. However telegraphic transmission of data was difficult- despite the invention of several dedicated codes- and no agreement was ever reached on the universal terminology, which proved fatal to the portrait parle, whose use gradually declined in the inter war period. DECLINE OF BERTILLONAGE

20. The complexity of the Bertillon system- the very thing that provided it with such accurate and reliable data- also proved to be its downfall: it was simply too cumbersome with sufficient accuracy. A fingerprint is a physical sign that cannot be falsified or disguised, and the mathematical likelihood of two individuals having identical fingerprints is infinitely small. BERTILLON STAR’S KILLER

21. Helpful in individualization among suspects. Can establish connection between evidence & suspect. It can narrow down the examination by having traits value. Examiner can have standard of individual for matching. It made the categorization easy. FORENSIC SIGNIFICANCE

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