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Looking for criminals in the olden days was a
difficult task since the police could only rely on the
victim's or witness' descriptions, which would then be
used by professional artists to create the closest possible
picture of the wanted person.
But in 1960,
the Identikit System was developed in the
United States by a person called Hugh Macdonald
that improved this task considerably. Instead of having
someone draw the picture, the portrait was 'put together'
using transparent sheets. The face was divided into different
sections - forehead, eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth, chin
- and numerous pictures were made of each physical feature;
each feature drawn on a separate transparent sheet. These
separate face parts could be put together according to the
witness' description, just like a jigsaw puzzle.
This method was faster and more accurate. Other than linear
drawings, photographs can also be used and this method is
called 'photofit.' |
