This study investigates the use of personal description as an investigation technique to identify suspects. The study entails qualitative data obtained from interviews with investigators, literature, as well as case studies. The study found that personal description can be used as an investigation technique to identify suspects. There are eight techniques that the investigator should apply in order to identify suspects or perpetrators of a criminal act. To conduct effective investigation, it is important for the criminal investigators to be familiar with the techniques of identification and the application thereof. The description of offenders plays an important role as far as arresting offenders is concerned. The methods used - or to be used - by investigators to describe a person were also discussed. It is important that the investigators should work with other government departments, private investigators and security officials, to implement this technique in order to identify and arrest offenders. / Police Practice / (M. Tech (Forensic Investigation))

This study investigates the use of personal description as an investigation technique to identify suspects. The study entails qualitative data obtained from interviews with investigators, literature, as well as case studies. The study found that personal description can be used as an investigation technique to identify suspects. There are eight techniques that the investigator should apply in order to identify suspects or perpetrators of a criminal act. To conduct effective investigation, it is important for the criminal investigators to be familiar with the techniques of identification and the application thereof. The description of offenders plays an important role as far as arresting offenders is concerned. The methods used - or to be used - by investigators to describe a person were also discussed. It is important that the investigators should work with other government departments, private investigators and security officials, to implement this technique in order to identify and arrest offenders. / Police Practice / (M. Tech (Forensic Investigation))

The research attempts to review the significance of personal description in the investigation of armed robbery cases in the Paarl policing cluster and to explore the value of identifying armed robbery suspects. The purposes of conducting this research were to evaluate the existing procedures that investigators use regarding personal description of armed robbery suspects with the intention of determining its strengths and weaknesses as well as by looking at how this procedure can be improved. Also, this research explored how investigators utilised the personal description as a technique in identifying the armed robbery suspects internationally, thereby establishing the best practices. Moreover, to recommend new procedures in obtaining a personal description of armed robbery suspects. Furthermore, to empower the South African investigators and other investigators in terms of how personal description can be recorded accurately in the case dockets and be effectively used in tracing the suspects of armed robbery cases. / Criminology and Security Science / M.A. (Criminal Justice)