Best practice forensic procedures for holistic facial composite construction

Accurate forensic procedures are fundamental to effective criminal investigations and the identification of offenders by law enforcement. Facial-composite construction is underpinned by a long history of development and a substantial body of empirical research. This considerable research effort has strengthened interviewing protocols, shaped composite construction systems, and progressed techniques that enhance the recognisability of composite faces in police and public settings. In this article, we provide guidance for experimenters who wish to conduct research that upholds established 'gold-standard' forensic procedures. We begin by outlining the history of facial composites, reviewing developments made to holistic systems, and assessing the efficacy of three primary holistic software systems: EFIT6, EvoFIT and ID. Finally, we evaluate the limitations of the holistic approach as well as emerging, generative AI-based methodologies for composite image production.