Investigating Suicide Declaration using LVA

By : Prajwal Rastogi, P. Paul Ramesh

Page No: 293-302

Abstract
The research delves into the realm of suicide declarations, aiming to uncover the emotional patterns revealed through the individual’s voice during such declarations. It seeks to identify which emotions are most prevalent and to determine if false declarations are common among those who have committed suicide. To achieve this, a Layered Voice Analyzer (LVA) was employed to identify the emotions of the sample through their voice, gathering both primary and secondary data from open sources and laboratory databases. Thirty voice samples were collected, converted from MP3 to WAV format, and then analyzed by the LVA for emotional parameters. The findings, significant at the 0.05 level, indicate that individuals making suicide declarations predominantly convey the truth while exhibiting high levels of tension and stress. The forensic application of this instrument protects an individual from the risk of being falsely accused by a person with fake suicide ideas and attempts and hence lowers the risk of false conviction. 

Authors:
Prajwal Rastogi : Forensic Professional, Forensic Psychology Division, Central Forensic Science Laboratory, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India New Town, Kolkata. 
Dr. P. Paul Ramesh : Scientist, C/Assistant Director, Physics Division, Central Forensic Science Laboratory, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, New Town, Kolkata.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.32381/JPR.2024.19.02.9