FS document analysis

Learned in school (Palmer, Zaner-Bloser-D'nealian) by copying. Many students in same class will have similar letter shapes
Habitual shapes and patterns, change over time

Angularity, slope, speed, pressure, letter and word spacing, relative dimensions, connections of letters, margins, spelling, punctations, phrasing, grammar

Analysts must match a sufficient number of personal writing characteristics
Minimal amount of writing, delibrately crude or disguised writing will confuse analysts
Becomes more difficult to change style and maintain it for each word

Authentic writing sample, should include similar writing instrument and paper as questioned document and an adequate number for comparison

Document being studied or analyzed

Deviations found between repeated writing samples, inherent part of natural writing especially over time
Writing should be compared from same time period

Voluntarily or under court order (Gilbert v California, US v Mara)
To minimize deception: Suspect should produce several pages, have comfortable settings without distractions, provide pen/paper similar to those used in questioned document, ideally use prior writing exemplars, not show questioned document to suspect

Can determine make, model of most machines, identify a specific machine to a questioned document

Typefaces: pica and elite (number of letters/inch)
Wear and damage gives individual characteristics (misalignment and defects in characters)
Ink/toners

Identify make and model of machine, 10 minimum examples to compare
Machines are unique because of random debris on glass plate, inner cover, and mechanical portions, resulting in transitory patterns (??)
Fax: transmitting terminal identifier (header of machine?)
Identify printing technology, type of paper, type of toner/ink (chem composition), fusing method (ink-to-paper)

Dot matrix or thermal

Ink jet, laser printer

Removing or changing original writing. Erasing, sand paper, razor blade, chemicals
Disturbs the upper fibers of paper, can use microscope or side lighting. Sometimes so much paper is removed that it is impossible to identify original contents, UV light may make chem changes visible

Property exhibited by some dyes that limit infrared when exposed to UVlack light
Can be used to differentiate ink (original vs changed)

The blotting out smearing over writing or printing to make the original unreadable

Darkened or yellowed due to heat, sun, fire

Impressions left on paper positioned under the paper being written on
Ultrostatic detection device (polarity), non-destructive

Instrument that converts speech into a graphic display

Pictoral representation that includes time on x, frequency on y , relative intesity/volume

Number of crests per time interval

Each voice is unique (debated), based on vocal mechanism, brain, vocal cavity, articulars, vocal chords, lungs, diagram, nasal and oral passage

Separating inks into compounds by using a moving solvent (water) on filter paper to compare
Sample applied to bottom of chromatography paper, paper dipped into solvent and solvent ascends upwards, carrying and separating parts of ink sample. Different substances will move at different rates and stop at different parts on paper

Distance travelled by compound/distance travelled by solvent

Measured slope, height, width, contour of each letter, suggested Hauptmann didn't write ransom note

3D security ribbon woven into paper, not printed
Raised printing
DIstinct paper
Color shifting ink
Microprinting
Watermark

Art forger, mixed own paints, only used pigments/oils used during time of each artist, applied resin to make painting look older, period accurate brushes. Sold forgeries to Nazi leaders, arrested for selling what they though was Dutch properties to Nazis but convinced judges they were fakes

Thought to be one of the oldest maps, showing early version of North America
Experts analyzed map, found titanium compound not used until 1920s and used x ray flurorescence spectroscopy to identify distribution of elements, Raman microscopy to analyze ink

West German magazine announced they bought handwritten diaries of Hitler that portrayed him in a more positive light. Chromatography was used to analyze ink and paper that proved they were written in the previous year, paper aged by staining and handwriting and signature compared. Konrad Kujar was forger

Mailed and delivered bombs. Sent a 35,000 word essay explaining motives. After it was published, David Kaczyski described his brother Ted who had taught at a university where 2 bombs were places and provided letters he wrote that matched handwriting of manifesto

Billionare aviator and film producer, retreated from public life and refused to be photographed. Writer Clifford Irving forged his autobiography while he was still alive, telling his publisher that Hughes wanted Irving to ghostwrite is autobiography, producing forged letters from Hughes. They paid him 760,000 in advance, but Hughes had an interview and said he had never met Irvine

Dennis Rader killed at least 10 people, sent letters to police. Scientists matched handwriting and DNA samples