Document and Handwriting Analysis The handwriting on the

Document and Handwriting Analysis “The handwriting on the wall may be a forgery” —Ralph Hodgson, British poet

Questioned Documents § 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 Chapter 15 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 1

Related Fields § Historical Dating—the verification of age and value of a document or object § Fraud Investigation—focuses on the money trail and criminal intent § Paper and Ink Specialists—date, type, source, and/or catalogue various types of paper, watermarks, ink, printing/copy/fax machines, computer cartridges § Forgery Specialists—analyze altered, obliterated, changed, or doctored documents and photos § Typewriting Analysts—determine origin, make, and models § Computer Crime Investigators—investigate cybercrime Chapter 15 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 2

History of Forensic Handwriting Analysis ) 1930 s—handwriting analysis played a role in the famous Lindbergh case. ) 1999—the US Court of Appeals determined that handwriting analysis qualifies as a form of expert testimony ) To be admissible in court, scientifically accepted guidelines must be followed ) Scotland Yard, the FBI, and the Secret Service use handwriting analysis 3 Chapter 15 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 3

Document Examination Forensic Document Examination involves the analysis and comparison of questioned documents with known material in order to identify whenever possible, the author or origin of the questioned document. Chapter 15 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 4

Handwriting sample legality )Doesn’t violate the 5 th amendment )Right not to self-incriminate )Doesn’t violate the 4 th amendment )Protections against unreasonable search and seizure Chapter 15 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 5

Handwriting analysis involves two phases: § The hardware—ink, paper, pens, pencils, typewriter, printers § Visual examination of the writing Chapter 15 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 6

The 12 Handwriting Characteristics (#1 -6) 1. Line Quality –are letters erratic or shaky 2. Word and Letter Spacing – spaced or crowded 3. Size consistency – compares ratio of height to width 4. Continuous - pen lifts or continuous writing 5. Connecting letters – are capitals and lower-case letters connected and continuous 6. Letters complete – are letters fully written or partially Chapter 15 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 7

The 12 Handwriting Characteristics (#7 -12) 7. Cursive/Printed – cursive printed or both (when) 8. Pen Pressure – equal ^ and V strokes 9. Slant – left, right, variable, no slant? 10. Line Habits – above line, below line, on line? 11. Flourishes or Embellishments – fancy curls? 12. Diacritic Placement – correct, misplaced, t’s crossed towards top/bottom, i’s dotted? Dotted to the right/left/centered? Chapter 15 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 8

COMPARING HANDWRITING )Overall form )Size, shape, slant, proportion, and beginning and ending strokes of the letters )Line features )Writing speed, fluidity, pen pressure, spacing between letters & words, and how letters are connected )Margins and Format )Width of margins )Content )Grammar, punctuation, word choice, repeated phrases Chapter 15 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 9

Handwriting Identification § Analysis of the “knowns” with a determination of the characteristics found in the known § Analysis of the questioned or unknown writing and determination of its characteristics § Comparison of the questioned writing with the known writing. § Evaluation of the evidence, including the similarities and dissimilarities between the “questioned” and “known” writing § The document examiner must have enough exemplars to make a determination of whether or not the two samples match. Chapter 15 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 10

Technology Used in Handwriting Analysis ) Biometric Signature Pads ) “Learns” to recognize how a person signs ) Evaluates speed, pressure, and rhythm of the signature ) Recognizes forgeries by the detection of even slight differences ) Computerized Analysis ) Compares handwriting samples objectively ) Compared with samples stored in databases Chapter 15 11 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 11

Handwriting )Evidence in the Courtroom )Expert explains how comparisons were made )Cross-examination by defense attorney may follow )Shortcomings in Analysis )Are the base documents real or fake? )Did mood, age, fatigue impact the handwriting? )Did experts miss details any details? Chapter 15 12 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations, Chapter 10 12

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FORGERY )FORGERY = Items prepared with intent to deceive. Forged documents include: checks employment records legal agreements licenses wills Fraudulence—forgery for material gain Chapter 15 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 14

Handwriting Samples § The tested subject should: § not be shown the questioned document § not be told how to spell words or use punctuation § use materials similar to those used in the original document § be asked to sign the text § always have a witness Chapter 15 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 15

Methods of Forgery § Simulated forgery—one made by copying a genuine signature § Traced forgery—one made by tracing a genuine signature § Blind forgery—made without a model of the signature Chapter 15 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 16

Types of Forgery § Check Fraud § Forgery § Theft of card or number § Counterfeit § Art—imitation with intent to deceive § Alterations § Paper Money § Microscopic examination § Electromagnetic radiation § Counterfeit § Chemical analysis § Identity § Social Security § Driver’s license Chapter 15 § Credit Cards § Contracts—alterations of contracts, medical records Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 17

Document Alterations § Obliterations—removal of writing by physical or chemical means can be detected by: § Microscopic examination § UV or infrared (IR) light § Digital image processing § Indentations can be detected by: § Oblique lighting § Electrostatic detection apparatus (ESDA) Chapter 15 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 18

Forensic Linguist § Experts that look at the linguistic content (the way something is written) of a questioned document. § Language that is used can help to establish the writer’s age, gender, ethnicity, level of education, professional training, and ideology. Chapter 15 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 19

Graphology )Junk science that determines personality based on characteristics of handwriting )You will read an article about the Jon Benet Ramsey case and the graphology of the ransom note found at the crime scene Chapter 15 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 20

Ink Chromatography is a method of physically separating the components of inks Types § HPLC—high-performance liquid chromatography § TLC—thin-layer chromatography § Paper Chromatography Chapter 15 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 21

3 FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN ANALYZING INK CHROMATOGRAPHY 1. SOLVENT 2. INK 3. PAPER Chapter 15 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 22

Paper Differences § § § § Chapter 15 Raw material Weight Density Thickness Color Watermarks Age Fluorescence Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 23

Pencils § Lead § Hardness Scale—a traditional measure of the hardness of the "leads" (actually made of graphite) in pencils. The hardness scale, from softer to harder, takes the form. . . , 3 B, 2 B, B, HB, F, H, 2 H, 3 H, 4 H, . . . , with the standard "number 2" pencil being of hardness 2 H. Chapter 15 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 24

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. Chapter 15 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 25

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Famous Forgers and Forgeries § Major George Byron (Lord Byron forgeries) § Thomas Chatterton (Literary forgeries) § John Payne Collier (Printed forgeries) § Dorman David (Texas Declaration of Independence) § Mark Hofmann (Mormon, Freemason forgeries) § William Henry Ireland (Shakespeare forgeries) § Clifford Irving (Howard Hughes forgery) § Konrad Kujau (Hitler Diaries) § James Macpherson (Ossian manuscript) § George Psalmanasar (Literary forgery) § Alexander Howland Smith (Historical documents) Chapter 15 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 27

Paper Chromatography of Ink Two samples of black ink from two different manufacturers have been characterized using paper chromatography. Chapter 15 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 28

Retention Factor (Rf) § 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.

Counterfeiting )In 1996 the government starting adding new security features to our paper money due to the advanced copying technologies that have raised the incidences of counterfeiting. )Subtle background colors have been added along with other features to discourage counterfeiting. Chapter 15 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 30

DISTINGUISHING FROM COUNTERFIT Chapter 15 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 31

$ AT THE CHEKOUT COUNTER • How $ is Tested • Iodine solution pen )Pass )Turns yellow Chapter 15 )Fail )Black or dark brown Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 32

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4 th amendment )The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. Chapter 15 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 35

More about Document Analysis For additional information about document and handwriting analysis, check out Court TV’s Crime Library at: lwww. crimelibrary. com/criminal_mind/forensics/literar y/1. htm Or forgery cases at: www. crimelibrary. com/criminal_mind/scams/lincoln _forgers/index. html Chapter 15 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 36