The Basics of Questioned Documents and Handwriting Analysis Questioned Documents 1 Scope of the Science • Generally concerned with three major subjects – Hand written documents – Mechanically generated documents • Typewriters • Printers • Faxes • Photocopiers – Voice examinations Questioned Document Crimes • Forgeries – Wills, contracts, insurance policies, signatures – Currency – Antiques, old books, writings • Ransom notes, kidnapping, and violent crime • Phone conversations, threats, etc. Handwriting Analysis • Most questioned document crimes involve some type of handwriting analysis Nature 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 External Factors • Writing instrument • Writing surface • Writing situation (this creates variety in a single individual) • Special circumstances: drugs, injury, stress, conscious change Characteristics • 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 Handwriting 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 Graphology Which person is crazy? Graphology Thomas Edison Dan Rather Adolf Hitler Elvis Presley Handwriting 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) Handwriting Myths • Can not determine “handedness” • Can not determine gender • Can not determine age Handwriting 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 Handwriting 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 Handwriting 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 Minimizing 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. Minimizing 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 Handwriting 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 Detecting Forgeries • Inconsistencies in handwriting style or techniques are the key Handwriting Analysis • Experts generally examine 12 characteristics of handwriting to establish authenticity 1. Line Quality • Are lines smooth, free flowing, nervous, shaky, wavering? 2. Spacing of Words and Letters • Look at space between letters and words • Look at line margins 3. Sizes of Letters and Words • Look at height, width and size of letters and words 4. Pen lifts and Separations • Check how the writer stops to form new letters and words 5. Connecting Strokes • How do letters connect within words • Connection between capital and lowercase letters 6. 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 7. Unusual Letter Formation • Look for letters written backwards • Letters with a tail or unusual capital letters 8. Shading or Pen Pressure • People use different pressure with pens vs. pencils – Can make lines darker or wider 9. Slant • Does writing slant left or right • Are some letters slanted more than others 10. Baseline Habits • Does writing follow a straight line • Does writing move upward or downward • Is writing above or below lines on paper 11. Flourishes or Embellishments • Are there fancy letters, curls, loops, underlines, etc. 12. 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