Handwriting and
Document Analysis
Document Analysis
• Defined: examination and comparison of
questioned documents with known material
• So, what is a questioned document?
• Frankly, it’s a document that has any signature,
handwriting, typewriting, or other marks whose
source or authenticity is in dispute.
• Examples: checks, certificates, passports, wills,
money, letters, contracts, suicide notes, receipts,
ransom notes, lottery tickets… etc.
Document Expert vs
Graphologist
• Document experts are specially trained to scientifically
analyze handwriting and other features in a document.
• Many times these professionals are used at crime scenes
or in investigations to determine author of suicide or
ransom notes by comparison of features with known
writings of suspects.
• Graphologists study the personality of the writer based
on handwriting samples… this is not technically part of
forensic science, but there may be value in determining
what the killer’s personality may be.
History of Forensic
Handwriting Analysis
• Even though most of us were taught to write and form
letters in a certain way, most people develop their own
style and have nuances in their handwriting.
• This makes handwriting as unique as a fingerprint. It is
difficult to disguise and forge.
• Handwriting analysis was used in the 1930s to investigate
the kidnapping and murder of the son of famous aviator,
Charles Lindbergh.
• It was handwriting analysis of the many ransom notes that
led to the conviction and execution of Bruno Richard
Hauptmann.
Is it reliable?
• For many years, it was not thought to be
reliable or a credible source of evidence, BUT
• In 1999, the US Court of Appeals determined
that handwriting analysis qualifies as a form of
expert testimony.
• Scientific analysis must be the guiding force
when analyzing handwriting. It’s an important
tool used by FBI, Scotland Yard and Secret
Service.
Factors that Affect
Handwriting
• On any given day, there may be slight
variations to our handwriting. These factors
are:
• Mood
• Age
• Time it takes or time we have to write
something
Characteristics of
handwriting
• Experts examine 12 different categories or
characteristics. These characteristics are functions
of: letter formation, line formation, and formatting.
• Letter formation: shape, curve and angle of letters,
proportional size of letters, are letters written
correctly (dotted I’s and crossed t’s)
• Line Formation: smoothness of letters, darkness of
lines on upward and downward strokes. Influenced
by speed and pressure of writing
Characteristics of
handwriting
• Formatting: spacing between letters, spacing
between words and lines, margins left by
writer, etc.
• 12 characteristics:
• 1) Line quality-do the letters flow or
eratic/shakey?
• 2) Spacing- are letters equally spaced or are
they crowded
Characteristics of
Handwriting
• 3) size-consistency- ratio of height to width consistent
• 4) Continuous- does writer lift the pen?
• 5) Connecting letters- are capitals and lowercase
letters connected and continuous?
• 6) Letters complete- are letters completely formed?
• 7) Cursive and printed- are the letters cursive, printed
or a mixture of the two?
• 8) Pen pressure- is there equal pressure to upward and
downward strokes?
Characteristics of
handwriting
• 9) slant- left, right or variable?
• 10) Line habits- is text on, above or below the
line given?
• 11) Fancy curls or loops-embellishments on
letters
• 12) placement of crosses on t’s and dots on I’scorrect, misplaced, T’s middle, top or bottom?
Analysis of a Sample
• 3 basic steps:
• 1) Questioned document is compared to an
exemplar… it’s best to use an authentic
exemplar, like a note, diary, even a written
police statement.
• 2) Characteristics of each are compared.
• 3) Determination of which characteristics are
valuable for drawing a conclusion.
Conclusions
• If there are obvious differences between the two documents, it is
likely that they were written by two different authors.
• Similarities do not guarantee authorship, since there is the possibility
of common characteristics among people’s handwriting.
• The more characteristics that are in common, the greater the chance
of same authorship.
• Professionals must also be trained to identify conscious authorship,
or those trying to disguise their handwriting.
• To minimize conscious writing efforts: 1) Do not let author see
questioned document.2) Suspect should not be given instructions
about punctuation or spelling. 3) The pen and paper should be similar
to questioned document.
Technology used in
Analysis
• Infrared spectroscopes can determine if different
inks were used.
• Biometric signature pads detect pressure, speed
and rhythm of signing your name. It can easily
detect forgeries by slight differences in either of
the above characteristics.
• FISH- Forensic Information System for
Handwriting is a computerized database used and
maintained by the Secret Service. Handwriting can
be scanned and compared to samples stored in
the database.
Evidence in the
Courtroom
• The document expert will often be called to
testify in court about his/her findings.
• In addition to a written analysis, they must be
able to cite specific instances in court
regarding the suspect’s guilt or innocence
based on their analysis.
Shortcomings
• The analysis can only be as good as the
standard to which it is compared.
• There have been cases in which a forged
document was compared to a standard that
was also forged.
• Also, remember that age, mood, illness and
fatigue can affect a person’s handwriting as
well.
Forgery
• Defined: process used by criminals to make, alter,
or falsify a person’s signature or another aspect
of a document with the intent to deceive
another.
• When material gain is the motive, it is termed
fraudulence. The primary purpose of most
forgeries is to make profit, so it is deemed
fraudulence.
• Example: Martin Coneely was caught forging
letters by Abraham Lincoln in 1937 and selling
them. He was sentenced to 3 years in prison.
Check Forgery
• More than 70 billion checks are written each year.
• Approximately $27 million dollars in illegitimate checks
are cashed each day!
• How does this occur????
• 1) Ordering checks from the deposit slips of others.
• 2) Directly altering a check
• 3) Intercepting someone’s check, altering it and cashing it
• 4) Creating forged checks from scratch
Frank Abagnale
• Once a master forger, now works in the area of
document forgery and fraudulence, and has consulted
for the FBI.
• He changed his driver license to appear 10 years older.
After getting a small amount of money, he opened a
bank account. He used magnetic ink on deposit slips
and returned them to the bank counter. Before they
figured out his scheme, he made off with $40,000 and
changed his name.
Counterfeiting
• When false documents are copied for the purpose
of deception, it is termed counterfeiting.
• Travelers checks, bonds and currency are often
among the most counterfeited items.
• Counterfeiting is a US federal felony, punishable
by up to 15 years in prison.
• **What measures has the secret service taken to
prevent counterfeiting of US currency?
Forgery Laws in KY
• Prosecutor must prove:
• 1) The writing has legal significance.
• 2) The writing must be false.
• 3) Suspect had the specific purpose/intent of
deceiving an individual or organization.
Forgery Punishment in
KY
• 1) Forgery in the first degree- includes offenses
involving money, stamps, securities or other
government issued papers, also stocks, bonds
or instruments representing interests or claims
in a company…Class C felony, 5-10 years in
prison
• 2) Forgery in the second degree- involves a
will, deed, contract, assignment, credit card…
Class D felony, 1- 5 years in prison.
Forgery and Punishment
in KY
• 3) Forgery in the third degree- catch all
category, those things not included in the first
2… writings or other forged documents not
mentioned above. Class A misdemeanor, fine
up to $500 and 90days to a year in jail.
• Possessing a forged document with intent to
use to defraud is also punishable…this is
punishable based on the charges above,
depending on what type of document is used.
Detecting alterations and
erasures
• Good document analysts will look for erasures
and alterations.
• Example: The lottery ticket would be a winner
if that 3 were an 8… many people try to alter
the document to “win” the big money.
However, the tickets are highly scrutinized.
Something must be erased, either my
correction fluid, or other methods before
altering the digit or writing to read as the
forger intends.
Dyes in ink
• Even though black ink looks like black ink, the
formulations used by each company varies widely.
• Often times pictures can be taken with IR or UV
filters to detect differences that our eyes cannot
detect.
• Chromatography can be used in some cases, but
the document would have to be altered by the
examiner to do this test, so it is not often
performed.
Charred Documents
• When a document is burned, the paper turns
to black or near black and often times
obscures the ink so that it can no longer be
read.
• If the correct filters are used on the camera,
the ink may fluoresce in the UV or IR region,
allowing the document to be read.
Visualizing indented
writing
• ESDA- (electrostatic detection apparatus)
allows a static charge to be put on a thin
plastic film.
• When a vacuum is added, fine particle/dust
powder is placed over it and settles in the
indented areas of the document, making them
able to be read.
• Very sensitive…can read multiple pages, up to
six deep on a pad of paper.
Age Determination
• This type of information might be important
regarding what type of documents?
• Examination of inks, watermarks and composition of
the paper can help aid in age determination.
• The ink solution can be tested through thin-layer
chromatography or high-performance liquid
chromatography to get a break down of dyes used in
the ink present.
• Read about the Kennedy letters…