Although police departments are increasingly switching from sketch artists to software for creating composites of crime suspects, many experts believe that machines are no match for the human hand. In a recent example, the computer proved inferior at creating a sketch that accurately reflected the suspect's ethnicity. The computer's rendition ended up looking more Asian or Hispanic, while the drawing created by police officer and sketch artist Philip Yahnke more accurately reflected a white male , the Wisconsin State Journal reported. Victims who provided input also agreed that the artist's sketch was more accurate. Yahnke said that although the software allows the user to specify race, individual components like the eyes or nose may have been modified to create more of an Asian appearance.
Victims select characteristics from a database of thousands of facial features.
The officer then touches up the image to the witnesses' specifications. But despite the fact that forensic sketch artists are more highly regarded in the law enforcement community than the computer method, technology seems destined to replace them. The profession will shrink further as composite software technology is improved, she said. Punter said the software is beneficial for smaller departments that may not have the money to hire a forensic artist. This is a great substitute.