Handwriting and Hand
Printing Identification
A short course
Ron Morris
Forensic Document Examiner
Introduction

Who is this class designed for?

What are the goals of this class.

How will it be taught.
This Class Is designed for?

Those who need to know the
principles of handwriting and hand
printing identification for their work.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Investigators
Law enforcement personnel
Lawyers
Bank personnel
Fraud specialists
Class Goals



Become familiar with the principles
of handwriting identification.
Learn how to apply them correctly
and accurately as an investigative
tool.
Have fun during the learning
process.
How Will The
Class Be Taught?


HANDS ON!!!! There is no better
way to learn these principles than
by their application to real
problems.
Will I be an expert after this class?
NO!!! But, better informed.
Topics To Be Covered






How people learn to write
The importance of handwriting
systems
Examples of handwriting systems
Variation in writing
Qualities and features of writing
Attaching significance to features
Topics for Discussion (cont.)





The process of comparison
Reaching a decision about
authorship
Submitting a case to the lab
Report format
Opinion terminology
The Act Of Writing
Writing is a physical or motor activity involving the
combined movements of the fingers, hand, arm, and
occasionally the whole body, interacting to move
the pen in three dimension space.
“Y” Direction:
(Y)
Ranges from vertical
to horizontal above or
below the “X.”
“X” Direction:
(X)
Pen Pressure:
Pen pressure into the
paper.
(Z)
Left to Right
Or
Right to Left.
What Is Handwriting?
Handwriting and hand printing
result from the physical movement of
the writing instrument by a series of
coordinated muscular actions made
by the writer’s fingers, hand, arm, and
body.
How Do People
Learn To Write?

Four impulse levels
1. Stroke
2. Letter
3. Word
4. Sentence or phrase
Stroke Impulse Level

Each component part of a letter is
made as a separate stroke.
Stroke Impulse Level

Each component part of a letter is
made as a separate stroke.
Hand Printing
Handwriting
Letter Impulse Level

The letter is made as a single unit.
Word Impulse Level

Words are written as single units.
Sentence or Phrase Level

A group of words written without
concern for how the letters are
written or are suppose to look.
Skill Level
A writer’s skill level is
determined by the interaction of
his fingers, hand, wrist and arm
as defined by the impulse level
and rhythm of the writing written
at that level.
The Importance of Systems
What is a handwriting system?
1. A formal set of model letter
forms to be copied or
simulated by the student
2. Individual letter forms written
by one writer and adopted by
another
Zaner-Bloser System
Cursive
Zaner-Bloser System
Manuscript
The importance of individuality
Individual Writing
Variation In Writing
Letterforms are written around a “master pattern”
Writing Quality
•The skill and rhythm of the writing
•The line quality
•The relative speed of the writing
The interaction of these determines
the range of the writing quality.
Writing Quality (cont.)
“…is an overall reflection of writing skill,
…governed largely by the movement through which
the writing was produced.” (Ron Dick)
Poor
Just below average
Average to above average
Features of Writing
The combination of characteristics found
in the writing of a single person that are
peculiar to that writer and are the result of his
writing habits. For example:
Slant
Spacing habits
Relative relationships
Pen lifts
Letter/word baseline relationships
Etc.
Attaching Significance
The significance attached to the qualities
and features of a writing are directly related to
the frequency of their occurrence in random
writing. But, one feature alone does not make
an ident or difference eliminate a writer!!
The Process of Comparison
• All qualities and features of a writing must be
carefully examined and considered separately, and
jointly, before, and during a side-by-side comparison.
• Similarities and differences must be considered,
and if the significance of the combination of
similarities is greater than the combination of
differences, the writings could be of common
authorship. If the significance of the combination of
differences outweigh the similarities, the writings
could be by different writers.
• The assumption made here is that the questioned
and specimen writings are naturally written.
Reaching A Decision
• The forensic document examiner
should reach a decision only after
considering every aspect of the writings
being examined, testing hypothesis, and
formulating a clear and convincing result
based only on the evidence contained
within the writings.
• At no time should unrelated outside
information be given significance.
Report Format
1.
Date and case identification
information
2.
Description of exhibit(s)
3.
Examination(s) requested and
conducted
4.
Result(s) of the examination
5.
Remarks and disposition of
evidence
Item Nos. 1 through 3 are basic for the
investigators submission request.
Science v. Law

Science

Digital

Causation
Probabilistic

Universal
replicate

Law
Analogical
individual
particular
normative
socially contingent
 Causation
Individual &
Particular
 Universal…done
one case at a time

1
Burden of Proof
1. Legal standard—“The duty of a party in a suit
to persuade the judge or the jury that enough
facts exist to prove the allegations of the case.
Different levels of proof are required,
depending on the type of case….”1
“Beyond A Reasonable Doubt”
“Clear and Convincing”
“Preponderance of the Evidence”
“Substantial Evidence”
Burden of Proof, cont.
2. The Experts Standard—“To a degree of
scientific certainty.”
“Scientific” means proceeding in a systematic
and methodical way.
“Certainty” means having complete confidence
in the truth of something, a conclusion or
outcome that is beyond doubt.
Opinion Terminology
• The opinion should state his degree of belief using
the fewest qualifying words and phrases possible.
• Some qualifying words/phrases he could use:
“very probably,” “probably,” “indications,” etc.
• When used, they have very specific definitions that
do not correspond to the burden of proof standard
required by the courts, and are not mathematical
statements.
• The opinions expressed by the FDE should only
be one component of a case. He can, and ethically
should, only testify as to his degree of belief based on
a scientific examination of the evidence examined.
Opinion Terminology, cont.
The typical opinion statement begins:
“It has been concluded that…”
A. “John Doe wrote…”
B. “John Doe very probably wrote…,” “In all
probability John Doe wrote…,” or “It is highly
probably that John Doe wrote.”
C. “John Doe probably wrote…”
Opinion Terminology, cont.
D. “There is some evidence to suggest that John
Doe wrote…”
E. “It could not be determined whether John Doe
wrote…”
F. “With the material available for comparison, no
evidence was found to suggest that John Doe
wrote…”
G. “There is some evidence to suggest that John
Doe did not write…”
Opinion Terminology, cont.
H. “It has been concluded that John Doe probably
did not write…”
I. “It has been concluded that in all probability
John Doe did not write…”
J. “It has been concluded that John Doe very
probably did not write…”
K. “In all probability John Doe did not write…”
L. “John Doe did not write…”
Opinion Terminology, cont.
What do they mean?
A. “John Doe wrote…”
“Unequivocal, positive identification, …”
As far as the document examiner is
concerned “it is a fact that the questioned
and specimen writings are by the same
writer.”
Opinion Terminology, cont.
B. “John Doe very probably wrote…,” “In all
probability John Doe wrote…,” or “It is highly
probably that John Doe wrote.”
The document examiner has some slight
reservation. Possible reasons:
Lack of sufficient individuality
Lack of adequate, or need for more,
specimens
A problem in the questioned writing
Opinion Terminology, cont.
C. “John Doe probably wrote…”
The evidence points rather strongly, but falls
short of what is necessary for a highly probable.
Possible reasons:
The presences of significant similarities and
irreconcilable differences not explainable
with the existing writings
Lack of adequate, or a need for more,
specimens
A problem in the questioned writing
Someone else could be the writer
Opinion Terminology, cont.
D. “There is some evidence to suggest that John
Doe wrote…”
Possible reasons:
A minimum of individuality
Disguised or un-natural writing
Lack of adequate, or a need for more,
specimens
Problems in the questioned or specimen
writing
“Keep this writer in mind”
Opinion Terminology, cont.
E. “It could not be determined whether John Doe
wrote…”
When the document examiner begins his
examination he starts from a position of
neutrality. Sometimes, even after he
completes the examination he still does not
know whether the specimen writer wrote the
questioned material.
Possible reasons:
Insufficient writing
Tracing or simulation
Extreme disguise or un-naturalness
Etc.
Opinion Terminology, cont.
F. “With the material available for comparison, no
evidence was found to suggest that John Doe
wrote…”
Possible reasons:
Lack of individuality
Opinion Terminology, cont.
G. “There is some evidence to suggest that John
Doe did not write…”
Possible reasons:
Different writer
Differences out weigh similarities
Opinion Terminology, cont.
I. “It has been concluded that in all probability
John Doe did not write…”
J. “It has been concluded that John Doe very
probably did not write…”
K. “In all probability John Doe did not write…”
L. “John Doe did not write…”
Possible reasons:
Different writer
Differences increasingly out weigh
similarities
Opinion Terminology, cont.
L. “John Doe did not write…”
This is the opposite of an identification. When
the examiner renders this opinion he is saying
that the specimen writing absolutely did not write
the questioned writing.
To reach this level of certainty the examiner has
to be certain that at no time in the writers writing
career did he ever have the skill, ability, and the
same individuality characteristics necessary to
write in this manner.
How Many Writer’s?
Q-1
Q-2
Q-3
Q-4
Q-5
Q-6
The Answers
Q-1 “Could not be determined…” (Written
by writer S-1 as disguised writing.)
Q-2 “Probably written by S-1.” (Written with
the unaccustomed hand.)
Q-3 “Written by S-1”
Q-4 “Written by S-2”
Q-5 “No evidence to suggest…” (Written by
S-2 using the unaccustomed hand.)
Q-6 “No evidence to suggest…” (Written by
S-2 while disguising his writing.)
How Many Writer’s? ONE
Rapid
Normal
Disguised