Forensic linguistic methods for proving threats to public safety, harassment and defamation

Abstract

Forensic linguistics plays an increasingly significant role in criminal investigations, especially when written communication forms part of the crime. Judit Szakácsné Farkas’s study presents a case study that illustrates how linguistic expertise can contribute to identifying offenders. The case involves a teacher who was subjected to a series of threatening, harassing, and defamatory letters and emails, escalating to bomb threats. Through detailed linguistic analysis, the expert concluded that all texts were written by the same person and constructed a linguistic profile that led investigators to the perpetrator. The study demonstrates that linguistic features—despite intentional distortion—inevitably reveal personal traits, proving that forensic linguistics can serve as a powerful evidentiary tool in solving and proving crimes committed through written communication.