Computer Voice Stress Analyzer

In 1500 B.C., Priests in India used a donkey to detect liars. A donkey’s tail was covered with carbon residue from an oil lamp and placed in a dark room. The suspected criminals were sent into the room and told that pulling the “magic” donkey’s tail would reveal if they were lying about committing the crime. When the suspects came out, the priests examined their hands. Those with clean hands had not touched the donkey’s tail. They had no knowledge of the carbon on the donkey’s tail; therefore, they did not risk touching this “magic donkey’s” tail for fear of their guilt being discovered.

Lie detection has come a long way since 1500 B.C., today’s state-of-the-art technology in the CVSA allows a properly trained examiner to clip a microphone on the subject, and ask “yes” or “no” questions.  The results are confirmed by the Final Analysis Confirmation Tool (F.A.C.T), an automatic scoring algorithm that confirms the results of the examination.

Micro tremors are tiny frequency modulations in the human voice. When a test subject is lying, the automatic, or involuntary nervous system, causes an inaudible increase in the Micro tremor’s frequency. The CVSA® detects, measures, and displays changes in the voice frequency. As the subject speaks, the computer displays each voice pattern, numbers it and saves each chart to file. Unlike the polygraph, drugs do not affect the results of the exam and there are no known countermeasures that will cause the ubiquitous “inconclusive” results associated with the polygraph.

Introduced to the law enforcement community in 1988, the original analog CVSA® was an instant success at every agency that purchased it. In some cases, the original analog CVSA® lead to those agencies solving crimes that, in some cases, had languished for years (cold cases). In other cases, individuals that had previously been untestable, or produced an “inconclusive” result after taking the old polygraph test, agreed to be re-tested which lead to receiving confessions for the crimes they had committed. With such results, it wasn’t long before word-of-mouth spread the CVSA®’s reputation like a wildfire blazing through the law enforcement

Today’s CVSA® has been digitized and incorporated into a powerful multi-functional notebook computer. The latest version of the CVSA® is currently known for being one of the most effective investigative tools to be introduced into the law enforcement community within the past three decades.

It’s not uncommon for law enforcement to arrive at a residence to find both parties have injuries, but both claim the other was the aggressor. Without the ability to determine the aggressor, most police officers simply arrest both parties and force the prosecuting attorney to sort it out. What can be equally frustrating is when the victim of a domestic violence assault claims the injuries occurred accidentally. The CVSA® can change a coin flip prosecution into a solid case against the responsible party. If you have been charged with domestic violence or wrongfully accused of other crime, contact our office and ask us how we can help you clear your name.

Child abuse cases are very complex legal and emotional issues. Often child victims, because of their young age, are unable to communicate the circumstances of their injuries or name the responsible party. In addition, there are usually several people who may have had custody or control of the victim. The mother blames the father, the father blames the babysitter, and the babysitter blames the grandparents. Even worse is when the parents claim that the child’s injuries were accidental as opposed to an abusive situation. The CVSA® can quickly resolve these issues by identifying which parties are responsible for the injuries or abuse and under what circumstances they may have occurred. Also, it can exonerate an individual suspected of abuse, helps reunite families, and remove the cloud of suspicion.

The stakes in sex crime cases are extremely high for defendants and victims. Defendants face prison time, oftentimes as much as a life sentence, followed by the stigma of having to register as a sex offender. Victims face physical, emotional, and psychological trauma. Another factor that weighs heavily on sexual violence crimes is when an innocent person is sent to prison. Charles Moles-El spent 28 years behinds bars for a rape he didn’t commit. He was released after DNA confirmed that he did not commit the crime. It is precisely circumstances like these that a CVSA® examination can work as an invaluable investigative tool.

Federal judge approves computer voice stress analysis to monitor sex offenders

Tue, 2014-03-11 08:55 PM

A recent ruling from a U.S. Federal court judge may require sex offenders to submit to a Computer Voice Stress Analyzer (CVSA) examination throughout the post-release supervision process.

Northern District of New York Chief Judge Norman Mordue ruled that the CVSA® examinations are comparable to the polygraph examinations that are accepted as means of monitoring sex offenders under post-release supervision by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

“As an investigative and decision support tool the CVSA® has proven itself to be invaluable to law enforcement,” said Lt. Kenneth Merchant, a member of the Erie, PA police department and legislative affairs director for the National Association of Computer Voice Stress Analysts (NACVSA).

It’s estimated that in the U.S. a burglary occurs every 15 seconds. As a home or business owner, one of the most frustrating things that can happen is learning that someone has burglarized your property or committed another felony crime. With other crimes taking priority, many thefts and burglaries go unsolved. When the suspect is prosecuted, it’s usually a slap on the risk. Without physical evidence or eyewitnesses to put the suspect at the scene, possession of stolen property may be the best outcome you can hope for. The CVSA can provide answers to the questions “who went inside a structure?”, “what was taken?”, “what was done with the property?”, and “is the suspect lying about finding or receiving the property?”.

Intellectual property theft comprises everything from trade secrets, proprietary products and parts to ideas, inventions, creative expressions, and software. In today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world, more and more businesses are creating products and services that make life easier and more enjoyable. Unfortunately, there are those who believe that the rules for success don’t apply to them. They work to make a fast buck by stealing ideas and products created by others. While no one can promise that such theft will never happen, the CVSA is a powerful tool to ferret out the culprit and provide the evidence you need to win your case.

The stakes in sex crime cases are extremely high for defendants and victims. Defendants face prison time, oftentimes as much as a life sentence, followed by the stigma of having to register as a sex offender. Victims face physical, emotional, and psychological trauma. Another factor that weighs heavily on sexual violence crimes is when an innocent person is sent to prison. Charles Moles-El spent 28 years behinds bars for a rape he didn’t commit. He was released after DNA confirmed that he did not commit the crime. It is precisely circumstances like these that a CVSA® examination can work as an invaluable investigative tool.