Document analysis Flashcards
Who is responsible for the acceptance of document analysis as scientific evidence in court?
Albert S. Osborn
Forensic document examiner determines the source or authenticity of documents such as:
1- wills 2- company's book 3- altered checks 4- lottery tickets 5- medical malpractice 6- art forgeries
Forensic document examiner examines documents and other written/printed materials to determine:
authenticity age authorship alterations age and source of paper/ink
Forensic examiners will compare _____ (4) and expose _____ or _____ writing.
handwriting, signature, typewritten or photocopied
damaged or obliterated
An individuals writing is _____, ______ and ______.
personal, unique and automatic/unconscious
true or false: an individual always writes the exam same way. Explan.
False
never write the exact same way twice
Handwriting is affected by many factors, name 3:
Positions: desk or wall
writing instrument
time (changes as you age)
Who is responsible for determining the writer’s personality type? Is it accepted in FS?
graphologist
no
What is the name given to a document whose authenticity is questioned?
questioned document
What is a standard?
writing sample
What is needed to perform an analysis?
several standards
The writing sample would ideally have been written:
1- the approximate same time as the questioned document
2- similar type of paper
3- the similar writing instrument
What is the name of a sample that already exists?
nonrequested sample
What is the name of a sample that is asked of a suspect? What are the 5 things that must be done in this case?
requested sample
similar writing instrument
similar paper
words found on the questioned document( dictation)
words written in cursive/not depending on questioned document
upper and lower case letters
What are the advantages of a requested writing sample?
authenticity and authorship are established automatically
What are the disadvantages of requested writing samples?
changes can be done in the writing because of nervousness or on purpose to alter.
When comparing the overall form of the letters, what are we comparing? 5
size shape slant proportion beginning and ending stroke
When comparing the line features, what are we comparing? 5
writing speed fluidity amount of pen pressure spacing between letters and words how are letters connected
When comparing the margins and format, what are we comparing? 4
width of the margins
consistency of the spacing
slant between lines
overall form and layout of the document
When comparing the content, what are we comparing?
How does this help us?
grammar
punctuation
word-choice
Help find consistent errors, repeated phrases: ethnicity and education
What are the 2 handwriting databases?
FBI and FISH (forensic information system for handwriting)
What is a forgery? What is the role of the forensic document examiner v. judge or jury in a case like this?
intent to alter or writing a document to defraud.
FDE= determining if altered
Judge jury= intent
What are the 3 most common methods of forgery?
1- freehand simulation (copy)
2- Tracing (Décalquer)
3- disguised writing (camouflage or change writing)
Instruments used for document examination? 6
microscopes digital imaging instrumentation infrared ultraviolet light source ESDA analytical chemistry (ink)
Clues that give away forged writing? 7
1- evidence of previous drawing 2- forgers tremors 3- uneven writing speed or pen pressure 4-hesitation 5- unusual pen lifts to check handiwork 6- patching or retouching 7- blunt beginnings and endings
What are the 2 main reasons people alter documents?
alibi or profit
What are the ways to erase parts of documents?
rubber eraser
knife point or other sharp instrument
sandpaper
fingernail
What are the ways of unveiling erasures?
naked eye
magnifying glass
microscope
UV or IR light will show fragments or eraser or ink
Lycopodium powder (exposes tiny rubber particles)
What are the two ways of obliterating documents?
chemicals (oxidizing or bleach)
fire
If the document burns completely, what happens to document analysis?
What can we do if paper only charred?
writing gone forever.
reflecting light - expose the contrast between paper and charred paper. Then photograph
What is an alteration?
When perpetrator replaces word or changes thing.
What are the two ways we can see alterations?
1- Microscope: subtle color difference in ink, line thickness, pen pressure and double lines.
2- UV or IR light: presence of different inks.
What is the other way of forging a document?
Overwriting.
What is “indentation”?
When writing over two or more sheets of paper. Latent writing impressions.
Name a reason why Indentation is helpful (other than having info didn’t have before)?
Can see parts of the document that have been added
What are the two ways of recovering indentation?
Photographically using oblique light
ESDA
How does photographically using oblique light works?
oblique light - sends light at an angle to reveal furrows of indented writing. We can move the source to have all the information.
What are the disadvantages of photographically oblique light?
1- doesn’t work if writing is microscopic
2- long process.
What does ESDA stand for?
ESDA is a ____ way of recording writing?
electrostatic detection apparatus
permanent
What are the 3 situations in which we cannot use ESDA?
1- documents processed for fingerprints
2- thick cardboard
3- saturated with fluids
What are the steps to use ESDA?
1- cover the page with cellophane and make it stick the paper with a vacuum.
2- send high voltage in paper and high charges will go inside the indent (even micro ones)
3- black toner is put on the cellophane.
4- the black toner will go in a higher charged indent.
5- photograph and place in an adhesive plastic sheet.
What are the advantages of ESDA?
very sensitive so works with micro
non-descriptive
Why would the forensic document examiner analyze the paper and the ink?
see if pages have been added
know if the document was created at a specific time.
paper is made of ____ and ____ and often have _____ that affects: (5)
wood and cotton
chemical additives
opacity, colour, brightness, strength, durability
What are the 3 chemical additives and their use?
Coatings: appearance and surface properties.
Fillers: colour, strength and surface texture
Sizings: surface less porous to ink.
What are the two things a forensic document examiner would like to know about ink?
1- same ink for each page/word
2- particular ink existed when document was written
What are the 2 ways of analyzing ink?
1- microspectrophotometry: light transmission, absorption, reflection
2- Thin-Layer chromatography (TLC)
small cuttings from documents placed in a solvent and analyzed.
When the document is made with technology and not by hand, the examiner will examine:
make, model of machine
known standards
available accessories
machine itself
Other documents can be questioned such as:
rubber stamps
embossed seals
watermarks
mechanically printed marks
The device suspected will need to produce sample of other documents such as:
writing instruments paper rubber stamps sealing device printing device
