Document Analysis
Document analysis
Write the following:
A guy is driving around the back woods of Montana and he sees a sign in front of a broken down shanty-style house: ‘Talking Dog For Sale.’ He rings the bell and the owner appears and tells him the dog is in the backyard.
The Lab looks up and says, ‘Well, I discovered that I could talk when I was pretty young. I wanted to help the government, so I told the CIA.
In no time at all they had me jetting from country to country, sitting in rooms with spies and world leaders, because no one figured a dog would be eavesdropping.’
Document Analysis
The examination of questioned documents with known material for a variety of purposes; such as authenticity, alterations, erasures, obliterations.
History
One of the first important uses was in the case of the kidnapping and murder of Charles Lindbergh’s young son (1927).
1999: officially accepted as uniquely identifying by the US Court of Appeals
I. Document Examiner
A. Role of the document examiner• Identifies efforts to obscure or alter original
contents of writings/typewritten material• May recover original contents of writings or
typewritten material• Evaluates authenticity of
questioned documents
I. Document Examiner cont’d
B. Questioned document• Any object that contains handwritten or
typewritten markings whose source or authenticity is in doubt
• Examples: letters, checks, contracts, wills
C. Collect Known Writings (Exemplars)• Uniqueness of handwriting makes this type
of physical evidence almost like a fingerprint; a definitive physical characteristic
II. Handwriting comparisons
A. General Style• Education guides early handwriting
development. In the US, two major styles taught:
1. Palmer method (1880)
II. Handwriting comparisons cont’d
2. Zaner-Bloser method (1885)
II. Handwriting comparisons cont’d
B. Variations in handwriting
Combination of mechanical, physical, and mental functions
no single characteristic can be the basis of a positive comparison
Forgery of Abraham Lincoln Letter
II. Handwriting comparisons cont’d
C. Major categories of handwriting analysis
Letter form Line form Formatting
12 Points of Comparison
1. Line quality2. Spacing of words and letters3. Relative height, width, and size of letters4. Pen lifts, separations5. Connecting strokes6. Beginning and ending strokes7. Unusual letter formation8. Shading or pen pressure9. Slant of letters10. Baseline habits11. Flourishes or embellishments12. Placement of diacritics
II. Handwriting comparisons cont’d
D. Collection of exemplars1. Known writings should be as similar as possible to the questioned document.
a. writing implement, paper or other
b. similar words and letter combinations c. enough exemplars to establish
natural variationsd. age of exemplars (+/- 2 years)
II. Handwriting comparisons cont’d
2. Minimize deception Require several pages of writing (dictation) Content similar to questioned document Use same writing implement and medium
3. Physical evidence Handwriting specimens are considered physical
evidence; not protected by 5th amendment Taking handwriting samples does not violate 4th
amendment
III. Paper and Ink comparisons
A. Compare Ink “Tagged” ink (rare Earth Metals)
Analyzed by Microspectrophotometer, Chromatography: TLC, HPLC
Since 1970 Ink dating (since 1968; accurate to
within 6 months) Dye ratio
III. Paper and Ink comparisons
B. Compare paper Fiber identification: characterization of
additives, fillers, and pigments Characterization: appearance, color,
weight, watermarks
IV. Typewritten Comparisons
A. Photocopier, Fax, Printer; Type-writers
1. Photocopiers Transitory patterns
2. Fax machines Header called TTI (transmitting terminal identifier);
3. Computer Printer Printer model technology determination and ink type
are most important Categorized as impact (thermal dot-matrix) and
non-impact (laser, ink-jet) application of toner
4. Type-writers
V. Alterations, Erasures, Obliterations
A. Alterations Erasure is most common
(rubber eraser, sand paper) razor blade, knife In all cases, upper fibers of paper
are disturbed
(apparent under microscope)
V. Alterations, Erasures, Obliterations
B. Obliterations Use of chemicals most common (bleach, or
other strong oxidizing agents) Writings can be recovered by use of
microscope or UV light
V. Alterations, Erasures, Obliterations
IR luminescence can show different inks or residue remaining after erasure
VI. Technology
Biometric pad
Computerized analysis (FISH)
Forensic Information System for Handwriting
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