1. Chapter 15 – Document and Handwriting Analysis
Document – Any fixed method of communication between one individual and another.

2. Questioned Document – Any object that contains handwritten or typewritten markings whose source or authenticity is in doubt.
Example: letters, checks, driver’s license, contracts, wills, voter registration, passports, lottery tickets
Exemplar: (specimen) a known sample that is used for comparison.

3. Experts say no two people write exactly the same.
Fact: Writing habits may be altered beyond recognition by the influence of drugs or alcohol.

4. Factors that can affect handwriting
Health – various disorders, arthritis, stroke, Parkinson's, tremors.
Age – Senility
Alcohol – drugs

5. Chapter 16 – Document and Handwriting Analysis
Class characteristics –
features that are typical of a group. The more different class characteristics there are within the subject of attention, the more the size of the group can be reduced until, and ultimately, it is a group of one. It is then unique or individual evidence.

6. Individual characteristics – qualities that cause the subject to be unique.

7. In cursive
The quick red fox jumps over the lazy brown dog.

8. Handwriting and hand printing examine 12 characteristics.
Line quality – lines smooth, free-flowing or shaky, nervous

9. Spacing of words and letters – is spacing consistent with questioned and known documents?

10. Ratio of relative height, width, and size of letters – is overall height, width and size of letters in known and questioned documents consistent?
Pen lifts and separations – forgeries may have lifts or separations in unusual places.

11. Connecting strokes – compare how all letters are connected
Beginning and ending strokes – compare how the writer begins and ends a word, number or letter.

12. Unusual letter formation –
Look for unusual
letter formation
Shading or pen pressure – check for pressure on the downward and upward strokes.

13. Slant – slant to the left or right, or straight up and down
Slant – slant to the left or right, or straight up and down? Most conspicuous feature of handwriting.
Baseline habits – does writing follow straight horizontal line or move downward or upward? Below or above the baseline?

14. Flourishes or embellishments – any fancy letters, curls, loops ect?
Placement of diacritics – check the crossing of t’s and dotting of i’s, j’s.

15. Forgery – an item prepared with the intent to deceive or defraud
Forgery – an item prepared with the intent to deceive or defraud. It can be an autograph, a book, a painting, a baseball card, almost anything.
Types of Forgery:
Blind forgery –
one made without a
model of the signature
or writing being forged.

16. Simulated forgery – one made by copying a genuine signature.
Traced forgery – one made by tracing a genuine signature.

17. Backhand writing – writing in which the slant of the letters is to the left of vertical.
Indented writing – impressions left under paper that has been written on.

18. Obliterate – to remove writing. (through chemical means) Seldom used.

19. Erasure – involves actual removal of writing from a document through mechanical. Most common way to alter a document.
Example: pencil eraser, sandpaper, razor blade or knife.

20. Charred Document – any document that has become darkened and brittle through fire or heat.
Holographic – entirely handwritten document

21. To id Paper, forensic scientist may look at these characteristics:
Material paper is made from
Color
Density
Watermark – a design
incorporated into the
paper during
manufacturing.
Dyes or bleaches
Fluorescence under
UV light
Thickness

22. Types of check fraud
Forgery – when an employee issues a check without proper authorization.

23. Counterfeiting and alteration
Counterfeiting - duplicating a check with advanced color photocopiers.
Alteration – using chemicals and solvents to remove or modify handwriting and information on the check.

24. Paperhanging – writing checks on closed accounts (their own or others) or reordering checks on closed accounts.
Check Kiting – opening accounts at two or more institutions and using “the float time” of available funds to create fraudulent balances.

25. Cybercrime – criminal activity committed on the internet
Cybercrime – criminal activity committed on the internet. Includes: hacking, viruses, web jacking, worm, pharming, piracy.

26. Terms for cybercrime
Piracy – downloading to copy and sell material protected by copyright.
Cyber terrorism – use of computers for communications, propaganda all by terrorist groups.
Extortion/harassment – denial of service, spam, stalking

28. Web jacking – when a hacker gains access to and control over the website of another user.
Hacking – unauthorized access to computer systems or networks.
Malware – software designed to infiltrate or damage a computer system without the owner’s consent.

29. Computer forensics – the application of specialized investigative and analytical techniques to identify, collect, examine, and preserve data from computer systems or networks so that it may serve as evidence in a court of law.

30. Stats
Stolen or forged credit cards are the top sale in underground services
With bank accounts coming in second.