Forensic Document

ExaminationSFS2. Students will use various scientific techniques to analyze physical and trace evidence.

d. Identify methods used for the evaluation of handwriting and document evidence.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS1. How can you individualize handwriting?2. What steps must be taken to recover

good exemplars?3. How can you distinguish the types of

forgery?4. What techniques can be used to examine

a questioned document?

FYI:We will not be using graphology to interpret handwriting samples, as this is not a psychology course. We are only interested in the ability to distinguish origin and veracity of a questioned document.

Basic Information Penmanship is the technique of writing

with the hand using a writing instrument.

The various styles of writing are called hands (e.g. “print” and “cursive”).

Handwriting is an individual personal style of penmanship. This does NOT develop until your brain and

muscles have “learned” how to form the letters.

What do examiners look at? Document experts will testify to the

fact that no two individuals write exactly alike.

Examiners look at margins, spacing, crowding, insertions, alignment, and looping of letters.

Each examiner must be skilled at looking at challenges that occur, for instance someone trying to sign a check with a broken finger.

Line quality Generally handwriting is smooth and free flowing when

written at “regular” speed. Spacing of words and letters Ratio of relative height, width, and size of letters

This is difficult to simulate accurately and consistently. Pen lifts and separations

Forgeries typically indicate inconsistency in this area. Connecting strokes Beginning and ending strokes

12 Characteristics of Authenticity

Unusual letter formation This is difficult to forge, as it is a learned habit.

Shading or pen pressure Because this results, in part, from the weight of the arm and

hand, this is difficult to forge. Slant

Even disguising your own writing usually doesn’t change this.

Baseline habits Flourishes or embellishments Placement of diacritics

How are the “i”s dotted and “t”s crossed?

12 Characteristics of Authenticity

Collection of Handwriting Exemplars There must be an adequate amount

of exemplars for a true comparison to be made, and there must be accountability for the natural variations that occur.

There is a 7 step method to ensuring a good exemplar.

7 Step Method to a Good Exemplar1. The writer should be allowed to write sitting

comfortably at a desk or table without distraction.

2. The suspect should not under any conditions be shown the questioned document or be provided with instructions on how to spell certain words or what punctuation to use.

3. The suspect should be furnished a pen and paper similar to those used in the questioned document.

4. The dictated text should be the same as the contents of the questioned document, or at least should contain many of the same words, phrases, and letter combinations found in the document.

7 Step Method to a Good Exemplar5. Dictation of the text should take place at least

three times.

6. Signature exemplars can best be obtained when the suspect is required to combine other writings with a signature.

7. Before requested exemplars are taken from the suspect, a document examiner should be consulted and shown the questioned document.

Methods of Forgery Forgery is the process of making,

adapting, or imitating objects, statistics, or documents with the intent to deceive.

Fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual. Forgery is one of the techniques of fraud

The most commonly forged documents are signed checks.

Methods of ForgeryThree types of forgery: Blind forgery

Forger uses his/her own handwriting Simulated forgery

Forger carefully simulates other’s handwriting

Traced forgery Forger traces a genuine signature onto

document

Examples of Forgery

Typescript Comparisons Typed-written documents must be checked

under a microscope for typing and dot formation.

Different Types: Typewriter Printer

As the type of printer becomes more technical the harder it is to distinguish. Hopefully there will be a repeating mistake, like inkblots or offline setting, that will make it easier to find.

Typescript Comparisons The two requests most often made of the

examiner in connection with the examination of typewriters and printing devices are: whether the make and model of the typewriter

and printing devices used to prepare the questioned document can be identified.

whether a particular suspect typewriter or printing device can be identified as having prepared the questioned document.

Typescript Comparisons In order to do this, the individual type

character’s style, shape, and size are compared to a complete reference collection of past and present typefaces. Arial Comic Sans Calibri Times New Roman Verdana

Characteristics From Use As is true for any mechanical device, use of

a printing device will result in wear and damage to the machine’s moving parts.

These changes will occur in a fashion that is both random and irregular, thereby imparting individual characteristics to the printing device.

The document examiner has to deal with problems involving business and personal computers, which often produce typed copies that have only subtle defects.

Another area of investigation relates to the typewriter ribbon, which may contain type impressions.

Digital Technology In the cases of photocopiers, fax machines,

and computer printers an examiner may be called on to identify the make and model of a machine or to compare a questioned document with test samples from a suspect machine.

A side by side comparison is made between the questioned document and the printed exemplars to compare markings produced by the machine.

Examiners compare transitory defect marks, fax machine headers, toner, toner application methods, and mechanical and printing characteristics.

Changes in DocumentsDocument examiners must deal

with evidence that has been changed in several ways, such as through alterations, erasures, and obliterations.

Changes in Documents Erasures remove writing or typing from a

document by using rubber erasers, sandpaper, razor blade or knife, or chemicals The fibers of the paper are easily disturbed

(torn, wrinkled) and the changes are readily apparent when examined with a microscope

Using oblique lighting can often detect shadows from the indentations

IR or UV lighting can detect thinner paper A mixture of baking soda and toner powder

visualize surface abrasion

Changes in Documents Obliteration is the overwriting,

covering, or crossing out to hide the original writing. It can be revealed by IR light, which may

pass through the upper layer of writing while being absorbed by the underlying area.

Changes in Documents An alteration is made to a document

when writing or typing is changed but the original remains visible When ink differing from the original is

used, it can sometimes be detected due to differences in the IR reflectance or luminescence properties of the inks.

Other Document Problems Indented writings are impressions left on

papers positioned under a piece of paper that has been written on. Usually can be seen using oblique lighting.

Often effective, but oblique lighting techniques are unable to recover microscopic indentations- those which occur three or four sheets down.

Other Document Problems

Electrostatic Detection Apparatus (ESDA) can be used to prevent destruction of the original document.

Writing can be revealed from three or more pages beneath the original – very sensitive.

A suspect page is covered with a cellophane material and vacuum sealed.

The document and cellophane are then subjected to a high voltage static charge by waving a wand over the surface.

Black toner, similar to that used in photocopiers and laser printers is then cascaded over the cellophane.