Forensic Science Questioned Documents

1. Forensic ScienceQuestioned Documents Documentation

2. Questioned Documents • Involves the examination of handwriting, ink, paper, etc. to ascertain the source or authenticity • Examples include letters, checks, licenses, contracts, wills, passports, etc. • Topics • Handwriting analysis • Ink (and pens) • Paper (and pencils) • Forgery • Codes and Ciphers

3. Forensic Document Examiner--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. Unfortunately, no federal licensing exists. There is certification through the ABFDE. Graphologist--attempts to predict character traits from handwriting examination COMPARISON

4. Handwriting Handwriting analysis involves two phases: • The hardware--ink, paper, pens, pencils, typewriter, printers • Visual examination

5. Line Quality Word and Letter Spacing Letter Comparison Pen Lifts Pen Pressure Lettering Slant Unusual Letter Formation Diacritic Placement Baseline Habits Body Placement Handwriting Characteristics

6. Handwriting Identification • “ACE” • 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.

7. Handwriting Analysis Handwriting Sample of President George Bush According to Sheila Lowe in her book, Handwriting of the Famous and Infamous, President Bush’s handwriting is “fast and highly simplified in fairly well-organized writing field”. Is this a forensic document examiner or a graphologist??

8. 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

9. 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.

10. Ink Chromatography--physically separate mixtures of gases, liquids or dissolved. Types • Gas Chromatography • HPLC--high-performance liquid chromatography • TLC--thin-layer chromatography • Paper Chromatography

11. Paper Chromatographywith Ink Two samples of black ink from two different manufacturers run using paper chromatography.

12. Retention Factor (Rf) • This is 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.

13. Scientific Equipment • Gas chromatograph--separates mixtures on the basis of their distribution between a stationary liquid phase and a moving gas phase. The written record of the results is called a chromatogram. A typical one will show a series of peaks, with each representing one component of the mixture. The time required to go from the injection out of the column is known as the retention. This allows identification of class characteristics.

14. Scientific Equipment • Mass spectrometer--an instrument that connects to the gas chromatograph. The substance to be identified is exposed to a beam of high-energy electrons causing the molecules of the sample to lose electrons and to acquire a positive charge. These positively charged molecules decompose into numerous fragments. These fragments then pass through an electronic or magnetic field where they are separated according to their masses.The unique feature of mass spectrometry is that no two substances produce the same fragmentation pattern, thus producing individual characteristics.

15. Paper • Weight • Color • Water marks • Age

16. 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.

17. Check Fraud Forgery Counterfeit Alterations Paper Money Counterfeit 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 Forgery

18. Codes and Ciphers • Codes--letter combinations or symbols used to represent words or concepts • Interception from terrorists and other war enemies • Ciphers--a message in which letters or symbols replace the actual letters in the message.

19. CRAZY CRIMINALS According to Point of View, a magazine published by the Alameda county District Attorney’s office, a guy walked into an Oakland bank and handed the teller a note reading, “this is a stikkup. Hand over all yer money fast.” Guessing from this that the guy was no rocket scientist, the teller replied, “I’ll hand over the cash as long as you sign for it. It’s a bank policy that all robbers have to sign for their money.” The guy thought this over, then said “Uh, I guess that’s OK.” He signed his full name and address. That’s where the cops found him a few hours later.

20. Used as Evidence 1. Class characteristic--the type of ink may have similar characteristics at the primary and/or secondary crime scene, on the suspect or on the victim. Handwriting may be used to include or exclude a suspect. 2. Individual characteristic--With document analysis, it is difficult to identify to an individual characteristic except with typewriter or printer specific marks.