Objectives: You will understand: How analyst can individualize handwriting to a particular person. What types of evidence are submitted to the document analyst. Explain what an exemplar is and give examples. Explain the process of chromatography and how it is used in document forgery. Document Analysis

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 OriginalForgery

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