Objectives:Objectives:

You will understand:You will understand:

How analyst can How analyst can individualize handwriting individualize handwriting to a particular person. to a particular person.

What types of evidence are What types of evidence are submitted to the submitted to the document analyst. document analyst.

Explain what an exemplar Explain what an exemplar is and give examples. is and give examples.

Explain the process of Explain the process of chromatography and chromatography and how it is used in how it is used in document forgery.document forgery.

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AnalysisAnalysis

Forensic Document Examiner

• Involves the examination of handwriting, ink, paper, etc., to ascertain source or authenticity

• Examples include letters, checks, licenses, contracts, wills, passports

• Investigations include verification; authentication; characterizing papers, pigments, and inks

Comparisons Are Useful Because:

• No two people have identical handwriting• By adulthood, it is exclusive to an individual (we all learned the same techniques to

begin writing in grade school)• Even disguised handwriting will exhibit some

of the person’s individual characteristics

Forensic Document Examiner

Evidence

Evidence:Class characteristics may include

general types of pens, pencils, or paper.

Individual characteristics may include unique, individual handwriting characteristics; trash marks from copiers; or printer serial numbers.

Standard Comparisons

• Include sample to be analyzed called an EXEMPLAR

• Samples from an individual include:– Collected writing comes from prior to the

beginning of the investigation (helps prevent or indicate when a person is disguising their handwriting)

– Requested writing is a dictated text using the same type of paper

– Same type of ink as the sample to be analyzed

Handwriting

Handwriting analysis involves two phases:

1. The hardware—ink, paper, pens, pencils, typewriter, printers

2. Visual examination of the writing

Ink

Chromatography is a method of physically separating the components of inks.

Types:

HPLC—high-performance liquid chromatography

TLC—thin-layer chromatography

Paper chromatography

Paper Chromatography of Ink

Two samples of black ink from two different manufacturers have been characterized using paper chromatography.

A number that represents how far a compound travels in a particular solvent

It is determined by measuring the distance the compound traveled and dividing it by the distance the solvent traveled.

Retention Factor (Rf)

Characteristics

Handwriting experts generally look at 12 characteristics of a person’s writing.

They try and compare a sample (called an EXEMPLAR) of the suspect’s writing to a known original.

1. Line quality

2. Word and letter spacing

3. Letter comparison

4. Pen lifts

5. Connecting strokes

6. Beginning and ending strokes

7. Unusual letter formation

8. Shading or pen pressure

9. Slant

10.Baseline habits

11.Flourishes or embellishments

12.Diacritic placement

12 Characteristics for Comparisons

Line quality - are the lines smooth or shaky? Do the letters flow or are they written with intent strokes?

Original

Forgery

Spacing – both words and letters – is spacing consistent

Ratio - height, width, size – are the letters consistent in size and shape?

Original

Forgery

Pen lifts and separation – are they consistent?

Original

Forgery

Connecting strokes – how are letters linked?

Original

Forgery

Beginning and ending strokes

Are the strokes straight, curled, long?

Original

Forgery

Unusual letter formation – letters written backwards, tails, loops

Original Forgery

Shading or pen pressure – differences in shading = differences in pen pressure

Original

Forgery

Slant – left, right, or pronounced

Is the slant or angle of the letters consistent?

Original

Forgery

Baseline habits

Does the writing go below the line?

There is a tendency for the top author (original) to write above the line while the forgery tends to be on the line.

Original

Forgery

Flourishes and embellishments any fancy letters?

Original

Forgery

Diacritic placement - cross t, dot i; is the line on the “t” in proportion? Are the “i’s” dotted left or right?

Original

Forgery

The i dot and t cross tend to the right of the letter.

The i dot is varied. The t cross is even. The form of the letter t is wider at the base.

Class Practice Activity

• Each student in your group should quickly write the following and place it in a pile.“Forensic handwriting analysis is as easy as 1, 2, 3. Anyone could see.” and sign your name.

• Then write “I think I get it, this is stupid” and sign it “Mr. Stokes” and shuffle these face down

• Select from the second group and compare to the samples to see who forged Mr. Stokes ’s name