1. Chapter 10 and 15 Document and Handwriting Analysis
“The handwriting on the wall may be a forgery”
—Ralph Hodgson, British poet
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Document Analysis
Students will learn:
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.
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Document Analysis
Students 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.
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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
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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
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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.
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Handwriting
Handwriting analysis involves two phases:
The hardware—ink, paper, pens, pencils, typewriter, printers
Visual examination of the writing
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8. 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
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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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)
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14. 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)
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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.
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Ink
Chromatography is a method of physically separating the components of inks
Types
HPLC—high-performance liquid chromatography
TLC—thin-layer chromatography
Paper Chromatography
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17. Paper Chromatography of Ink
Two samples of black ink from two different manufacturers have been characterized using paper chromatography.
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18. 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.

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Paper
Differences
Raw material
Weight
Density
Thickness
Color
Watermarks
Age
Fluorescence
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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.
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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.
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22. More about Document Analysis
Chapter 15
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/literary/1.htm
Or forgery cases at:
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The Constitution:
The Fourth 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 their person or things to be seized.”
Ratified: Dec. 15, 1791
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Chapter 10 Handwriting Analysis, Forgery, and Counterfeiting By the end of this chapter you will be able to:
describe 12 types of handwriting characteristics
that can be analyzed in a document
demonstrate an example of each of the 3 types of handwriting traits
identify the major goal of a forensic handwriting analysis
distinguish between the terms forgery and fraudulence
identify several ways that businesses prevent check forgery
describe 4 features of paper currency that are used to detect counterfeit bills
All Rights Reserved South-Western / Cengage Learning © 2009
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Introduction
Read p. 276 (Frank Abagnale)
Document analysts examine and compare questioned documents with known material.
Experts in the field investigate such things as handwriting, computer printouts, commercial printing, paper, and ink.
Document experts may study threatening, ransom, or suicide notes. Their work can help identify a document’s author.
What is graphology?
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26. History of Forensic Handwriting Analysis
In the 1930s, handwriting analysis played a role in the famous Lindbergh case. (Bruno Hauptmann—ransom note)
In 1999, the United States Court of Appeals determined that handwriting analysis qualified as a form of expert testimony.
To be admissible in court, however, scientifically accepted guidelines must be followed.
Handwriting analysis has been used by Scotland Yard, the FBI, and the Secret Service.
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27. Introduction to Handwriting
Everyone’s handwriting shows natural variations. Here are 6 of the 12 major, specific traits. (p )
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28. Introduction to Handwriting
The traits are functions of formatting or of letter or line form. Here are the other 6 of the 12 major, specific traits.
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29. Handwriting Examination
Two writings are the product of one person if their similarities are unique and no unexplainable difference are found. What are forgeries?
Examine the questionable document for detectable traits and record them.
Obtain some writing of the suspect’s (an exemplar) and compare the traits found in the questionable document with it. (what are some good sources of exemplars?)
Draw conclusions about the authorship of the questionable document based on the comparison.
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30. Technology Used in Handwriting Analysis
Biometric Signature Pads
This computerized pad “learns” to recognize how a person signs his or her name based on the speed, pressure, and rhythm of the signing.
Forgeries then are recognized by the detection of even slight differences.
Computerized Analysis of Handwriting
Computers can make objective comparisons between handwritings.
Suspect signatures can be compared with ones stored in databases. (FISH—Forensic Information System for Handwriting)
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31. Handwriting Evidence in the Courtroom
Written report is prepared for the jury
Give expert testimony answering questions from the defense and prosecuting attorneys
Show how procedure was done, similarities, defend your conclusions
Document analysis has evolved and the American Board of Forensic Document Examiners train and certify forensic scientists
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Handwriting
Evidence in the Courtroom
The expert shows how comparisons were made.
The defense attorney likely will cross-examine the handwriting expert.
Shortcomings in Analysis
A particular piece of handwriting can be different from its usual style because of factors such as fatigue.
Experts can miss details.
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Forgery
Forged documents can include such things as checks, employment records, legal agreements, licenses, and wills.
Fraudulence is forgery done for material gain.
Check forgery can include: (27 Million in illegitimate checks are cashed/ day)
ordering another’s checks from a deposit slip.
altering a check.
intercepting another’s check, altering, and cashing it.
creating a check from scratch.
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34. Preventing Check Forgery
These are some methods used to prevent check forgery:
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Literary Forgery
Letters or other documents written by famous people can be very valuable.
The best literary forgers aim to duplicate the original document by using materials similar to those used for the original:
old paper
chemically treated materials to fake an older look
inks mixed from substances that would have been used at the time
watermarks that add the appearance of age
tools and styles that would have been popular at the time
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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. The $20 bill entered circulation on October of 2003, followed by the $50 in September of 2004, and then the $10 in September of Subtle background colors have been added along with other features to discourage counterfeiting.
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Counterfeiting
Counterfeiting money is a crime stretching back into ancient times. Items most often forged today include:
currency
traveler’s checks
food stamps
certain bonds
postage stamps
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Counterfeit Currency
Secret Service: federal felony with up to 15 years in prison
The Secret Service has worked with electronics and software makers to add security features to paper currency that makes forgery extremely difficult.
Scanning cannot reproduce these security features.
The first security feature is the feel of the paper.
Regular printer paper contains starch. Paper bills contain rag fiber instead of starch.
Detection using pens and examination of known features found in real currency
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39. Verifying Authentic Currency
Some features found in the new series bills:
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40. Examine some handwriting and bills
Read p —case studies and Cunningham
Complete the Ransom note Activity 10.2, p Use your own paper, follow all of the directions, including writing up a lab report (you may write it up, instead of typing it) (with a partner)
Complete the bill activity on p , take the pre-test, complete the activities (A,B,C,D) and answer questions on p. 307(with a partner)
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Summary
Handwriting analysis compares questioned documents with exemplars to establish authorship.
Aspects of a person’s handwriting style can be analyzed to accomplish that.
Many new features of paper currency help prevent counterfeiting.
Technological advances have enhanced chances of detecting forged documents.
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