Soil and Glass Analysis

Objectives, continued You will understand: The difference between physical and chemical properties. How glass can be used as evidence. How individual evidence differs from class evidence. The nature of glass. How to use the properties of reflection, refraction, and refractive index to classify glass fragments.

Characteristics of Glass Hard, amorphous solid Usually transparent Primarily composed of silica, with various amounts of elemental oxides Brittle Exhibits conchoidal fracture

Common Types Soda-lime—used in plate and window glass, glass containers, and electric lightbulbs Soda-lead—fine tableware and art objects Borosilicate—heat-resistant, like Pyrex Silica—used in chemical ware Tempered—used in side windows of cars Laminated—used in the windshield of most cars

Physical Characteristics Density—mass divided by volume Refractive index (RI)—the measure of light bending due to a change in velocity when traveling from one medium to another Fractures Color Thickness Fluorescence Markings—striations, dimples, etc.

Density Type of Glass Density window 2.46–2.49 headlight 2.47–2.63 Pyrex 2.23–2.36 lead glass 2.9–5.9 porcelain 2.3–2.5

Fracture Patterns Radial fracture lines radiate out from the origin of the impact; they begin on the opposite side of the force. Concentric fracture lines are circular lines around the point of impact; they begin on the same side as the force. 3R rule—Radial cracks form a right angle on the reverse side of the force.

Sequencing A high-velocity projectile always leaves a wider hole at the exit side of the glass. Cracks terminate at intersections with others. This can be used to determine the order in which the fractures occurred.

Glass as Evidence Class characteristics: physical and chemical properties such as refractive index, density, color, chemical composition Individual characteristics: if the fragments can fit together like pieces of a puzzle, the source can be considered unique

Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company Chapter 15 Document and Handwriting Analysis Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company Kendall/Hunt

Objectives You will understand: Chapter 15 Objectives You will understand: That an expert analyst can individualize handwriting to a particular person. What types of evidence are submitted to the document analyst. Three types of forgery. How to characterize different types of paper. The types and impact of computer crime. Kendall/Hunt

Objectives, continued You will be able to: Chapter 15 Objectives, continued You will be able to: Analyze handwriting using 12 points of analysis. Detect deliberately disguised handwriting. Detect erasures and develop impression writing. Design an experiment using paper chromatography to determine which pen altered a note. List safeguards against the counterfeiting of U.S. currency. Recognize some of the methods of internet fraud. Kendall/Hunt

Chapter 15 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 Kendall/Hunt

Chapter 15 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 catalog 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 model Computer crime investigators—investigate cybercrime Kendall/Hunt

Chapter 15 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. Kendall/Hunt

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

Handwriting Characteristics Chapter 15 Handwriting Characteristics Line quality Word and letter spacing Letter comparison Pen lifts Connecting strokes Beginning and ending strokes Unusual letter formation Shading or pen pressure Slant Baseline habits Flourishes or embellishments Diacritic placement Kendall/Hunt

Handwriting Identification Chapter 15 Handwriting Identification Analysis of the known writing 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. Kendall/Hunt

Chapter 15 Handwriting Samples The subject should not be shown the questioned document. The subject is not told how to spell words or use punctuation. The subject should use materials similar to those of the document. The dictated text should match some parts of the document. The subject should be asked to sign the text. Always have a witness. Kendall/Hunt

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

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

Chapter 15 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) Kendall/Hunt

Famous Forgers and Forgeries Chapter 15 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) Kendall/Hunt

Chapter 15 Forensic Linguist Expert who looks 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. Kendall/Hunt

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

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

Chapter 15 Document and Handwriting analysis 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. 18 Kendall/Hunt

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

Chapter 15 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 ..., 3B, 2B, B, HB, F, H, 2H, 3H, 4H, ..., with the standard “number 2” pencil being of hardness 2H. Kendall/Hunt

Chapter 15 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. Kendall/Hunt

Chapter 15 Counterfeiting In 1996 the government starting adding new security features to our paper money due to the advanced copying technologies that have raised the incidence of counterfeiting. The $20 bill entered circulation on October of 2003, followed by the $50 in September of 2004, and then the $10 in September of 2005. Subtle background colors have been added along with other features to discourage counterfeiting. Kendall/Hunt

Internet Crimes Computer intrusions Identity theft Chapter 15 Internet Crimes Computer intrusions Identity theft Transmission of illegal items Extortion and harassment Piracy Cyberterrorism Kendall/Hunt

More about Document Analysis Chapter 15 More about Document Analysis For additional information about document and handwriting analysis, check out truTV’s Crime Library at: www.crimelibrary.com/criminal_mind/forensics/literary/1.htm Or learn about forgery cases at: www.crimelibrary.com/criminal_mind/scams/lincoln_forgers/index.html Kendall/Hunt