1. ASISTM Project Forensic Investigations
Handwriting analysis

2. Procedure
Never work with original documents. Always make copies to work with.
Original documents must be maintained for evidence. Handle original documents as little as possible. Keep them protected in archival sleeves or folders. Any testing for fingerprints must be done after the handwriting and document analysis.

3. Characteristics Handwriting experts look at 12 characteristics of a
person’s writing.
They try and compare a sample of the suspect’s writing
to a known original.

4. On first glance the forgery is quite a good copy.
Original
Forgery

5. Lets take a closer look!

6. Are the lines smooth or shaky?
Line quality
Are the lines smooth or shaky?
Original
Forgery

7. Spacing - words and letters
Is the spacing size consistent?

8. Ratio - height, width, size
Are the letters consistent in shape & size?
Original
Forgery

9. Pen lifts and separation
Are the pen lifts consistent?
Original
Forgery

10. Connecting strokes
Compare how letters are linked.
Original
Forgery

11. Beginning and ending strokes
Are the strokes
straight, curled,
long?
Original
Forgery

12. Unusual letter formation
Unusual letters - letters written backwards, tails
Original
Forgery

13. Shading or pen pressure
Differences in shading = differences in pen pressure
Original
Forgery

14. Slant
Original
Is the slant or
angle of the letters
consistent?
Forgery

15. Baseline habits Does the writing go below the line? Original
There is a tendency for the
top author (original) to write
above the line while the
forgery tends to be on the line.
Forgery

16. Flourishes and embellishments
Any fancy letters?
Original
Forgery

17. Diacritic placement – cross t, dot i
Is the line on the “t” in proportion? Are the “i’s” dotted left or right?
Original
The i dot and t cross tend to
the right of the letter.
Forgery
The i dot is varied.
The t cross is even.
The form of the letter
t is wider at the base.

18. References
Deslich, B & Funkhouser, J Forensic Science for High School.
Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, US
Writing samples from J Dook & T. Hutchison, scanned into Adobe Photoshop
at 400dpi.
Graphic design for slides by T. Hutchison, DUIT Multimedia, UWA