the basics of questioned documents and handwriting analysis questioned documents 1

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The Basics of The Basics of Questioned Questioned Documents and Documents and Handwriting Handwriting Analysis Analysis Questioned Documents 1 Questioned Documents 1

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Page 1: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

The Basics of Questioned The Basics of Questioned Documents and Documents and Handwriting AnalysisHandwriting Analysis

Questioned Documents 1Questioned Documents 1

Page 2: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

Scope of the ScienceScope of the Science

• Generally concerned with three major subjects– Hand written documents– Mechanically generated documents

• Typewriters• Printers• Faxes• Photocopiers

– Voice examinations

Page 3: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

Questioned Document CrimesQuestioned Document Crimes

• Forgeries– Wills, contracts, insurance policies,

signatures– Currency– Antiques, old books, writings

• Ransom notes, kidnapping, and violent crime

• Phone conversations, threats, etc.

Page 4: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

Handwriting AnalysisHandwriting Analysis

• Most questioned document crimes involve some type of handwriting analysis

Page 5: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

Nature of HandwritingNature of Handwriting• Unique to an individual

– Based upon a careful communication between brain, multiple muscles, senses, timing, and feedback through the same chain• Even the same person can not exactly

duplicate his/her own style with 100% accuracy

– Impossible to exactly duplicate handwriting since it requires an understanding of the process described above

Page 6: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

External FactorsExternal Factors

• Writing instrument

• Writing surface

• Writing situation (this creates variety in a single individual)

• Special circumstances: drugs, injury, stress, conscious change

Page 7: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

CharacteristicsCharacteristics

• Handwriting contains both class and individual characteristics– Basic penmanship, cultural symbols, etc.

(class characteristics)– Individual characteristics develop after

years of writing

• Best evidence is obtained when working with the original document

Page 8: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

Handwriting LimitationsHandwriting Limitations

• Requires expert analysis to work as evidence– Often includes use of microscopes,

cameras, and computers

• Description of Personality– Known as “graphology”

• Considered different from questioned documents and represents an entirely different field of study

Page 9: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

GraphologyGraphology

Which person is crazy?

Page 10: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

GraphologyGraphologyThomas Edison

Elvis Presley

Dan Rather

Adolf Hitler

Page 11: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

Handwriting LimitationsHandwriting Limitations• Cursive vs. printed

– Can sometimes be compared if writer has characteristics that carry over into both forms

• Foreign Languages– Cultural nuances of written language must

be understood• “Diacritics” (distinguishing strokes)• Shading of certain characters (Asian)

Page 12: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

Handwriting MythsHandwriting Myths

• Can not determine “handedness”

• Can not determine gender

• Can not determine age

Page 13: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

Handwriting and the LawHandwriting and the Law

• (1967) Obtaining handwriting samples is legal before lawyers are present– Does not violate Fifth Amendment (includes self

incrimination) since it was deemed a physical characteristic of the person

• (1973) Handwriting samples are not considered a violation of the Fourth Amendment (Illegal Search and Seizure)– Failure to comply may result in Contempt charge

Page 14: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

Handwriting SamplesHandwriting Samples• Best to acquire a large number of samples

from a suspect (known as “exemplars”)• The more samples available, the more the

natural variation of the suspect can be identified

• Documents of approx. 2-3 years old are acceptable for most adults– Writing styles in children change much faster

• Samples can be obtained voluntarily or by court order

Page 15: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

Handwriting SamplesHandwriting Samples

• Samples should be as alike as the document in question– Includes type of paper, pen/pencil, etc.

• Styles and habits can naturally change for different types of documents and instruments

• Samples should contain at least some of the same words and combinations of letters as the questioned document

Page 16: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

Minimizing DeceptionMinimizing Deception

• Desired sample should be dictated

• Writer should be comfortable without distractions

• Writer should not be shown the questioned document or assisted with punctuation, spelling, etc.

Page 17: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

Minimizing DeceptionMinimizing Deception

• Writing instrument should be similar to questioned document

• Dictated text should be close to questioned document or contain the same phrases and/or words

• Multiple uses of same words can help establish variations

Page 18: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

Handwriting ForgeriesHandwriting Forgeries

• Blind– Forger uses own handwriting– Easiest to detect

• Simulated– Forger copies a genuine signature– Much harder to detect but requires considerable

effort to achieve

• Traced– Forger traces a genuine signature

Page 19: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

Detecting ForgeriesDetecting Forgeries

• Inconsistencies in handwriting style or techniques are the key

Page 20: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

Handwriting AnalysisHandwriting Analysis

• Experts generally examine 12 characteristics of handwriting to establish authenticity

Page 21: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

1. Line Quality1. Line Quality

• Are lines smooth, free flowing, nervous, shaky, wavering?

Page 22: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

2. Spacing of Words and Letters2. Spacing of Words and Letters

• Look at space between letters and words

• Look at line margins

Page 23: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

3. Sizes of Letters and Words3. Sizes of Letters and Words

• Look at height, width and size of letters and words

Page 24: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

4. Pen lifts and Separations4. Pen lifts and Separations

• Check how the writer stops to form new letters and words

Page 25: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

5. Connecting Strokes5. Connecting Strokes

• How do letters connect within words

• Connection between capital and lowercase letters

Page 26: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

6. Beginning and Ending Strokes6. Beginning and Ending Strokes

• How does the writer begin and end words

• Are strokes straight, curled, long, short

• Are marks made on upstroke or downstroke

Page 27: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

7. Unusual Letter Formation7. Unusual Letter Formation

• Look for letters written backwards

• Letters with a tail or unusual capital letters

Page 28: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

8. Shading or Pen Pressure8. Shading or Pen Pressure

• People use different pressure with pens vs. pencils– Can make lines darker or wider

Page 29: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

9. Slant9. Slant

• Does writing slant left or right

• Are some letters slanted more than others

Page 30: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

10. Baseline Habits10. Baseline Habits

• Does writing follow a straight line

• Does writing move upward or downward

• Is writing above or below lines on paper

Page 31: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

11. Flourishes or Embellishments11. Flourishes or Embellishments

• Are there fancy letters, curls, loops, underlines, etc.

Page 32: The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1

12. Placement of Diacritics12. Placement of Diacritics

• Check the crossing of T’s and the dotting of I’s for instance

• Where are crossed letters crossed

• Where are dotted letters dotted