Forgery: Freehand Simulation and Traced Forgery

• Forgery involves creating, altering, or imitating documents, signatures, or written instruments with the intent to deceive or defraud, a critical issue in forensic document examination due to its potential legal consequences.

Indications of Genuineness

• Forensic experts look for consistency in letter formations and strokes, a natural flow and rhythm, proper alignment and spacing, appropriate writing pressure, and an absence of tremors or unnatural hesitations to indicate authenticity.

Indications of Forgery

• Telltale signs of forgery include unnatural pen lifts and hesitations, shaky irregular strokes, lack of fluency, disguised or unnatural letter formations, and inconsistent pressure application.

Freehand Simulation

• Involves a forger attempting to imitate a genuine signature or handwriting from memory or repeated practice
• Characteristics include: lack of fluency, tremors and unnatural pen lifts, inconsistent letter formation.

Traced Forgery

• The forger copies a genuine signature by tracing it
• Characteristics include even pressure, slow and deliberate strokes, and an absence of natural variations.

Carbon Copy Forgery

• A genuine signature is transferred as a duplicate onto another document using carbon paper
• Characteristics include a lack of depth and pressure variation, inconsistent ink appearance, and superimposed impressions on the paper.

Photocopy Forgery

• A forged document is created by cutting a genuine signature from another document and pasting it onto a new document before photocopying
• Characteristics include: unnatural edges under magnification, possible misalignment with the text, and differences in ink or toner.

Electronic/Digital Forgery

• The use of software to alter scanned documents or create digital signatures
• Characteristics include pixel-level inconsistencies when magnified.

Erased or Altered Documents (Modified Forgery)

• Genuine documents are altered by erasing, adding, or modifying words, numbers, or signatures
• Characteristics include erasure marks visible under UV light, ink variations in altered areas, and changes in handwriting style.

Techniques of the Forger

• The forger uses slow and careful strokes, tracing methods, disguise techniques, and altered or manipulated documents to create deceptive documents.

Techniques Used in Examination of Questioned Documents

• Forensic document examination involves microscopic analysis, ultraviolet and infrared light examination, analysis of ink and paper composition, and detection of erasures, alterations, and additions.

Procedure for Examining Questioned Documents

• A systematic approach includes collecting known and suspected documents, preliminary visual and microscopic examination, comparison of questioned and standard writings, analysis of writing instruments, ink, and paper, and evaluation and reporting of findings.

Instruments and Equipment

• Key tools include a magnifying glass, stereo microscope, video spectral comparator (VSC), electrostatic detection apparatus (ESDA), and infrared and ultraviolet lighting devices.

Photography

• High-resolution imaging captures fine details, ultraviolet and infrared photography reveals hidden alterations, and digital enhancement techniques clarify faded or tampered writing.

Paper History

• Paper was first developed in ancient China around 105 A.D. by Cai Lun

Types of Paper

• Including bond, newsprint, security, parchment and photographic

Examination of Paper

• Thickness and weight analysis determines the type and quality of paper

Additional Paper Analysis

• Fiber composition study identifies the paper's material, watermark identification checks authenticity, and chemical composition testing identifies bleaching and ink reactions.

Writing Instruments

• Pencils are graphite-based, while ink pens have varying drying and permanence properties, and typewriters/printers leave unique marks.

Handwriting

• Handwriting is a unique writing style developed from individual habits and motor skills, with identification determining authenticity and writer.

Handwriting Identification Process

• Collecting samples, identifying unique characteristics, comparing samples, and analyzing pressure, slant, and letter formation.

Handwriting Complexities

• Include slant, pressure, spacing, letter formation, rhythm, and flow.

Handwriting Systems

• Structured writing methods, like cursive or print, which exhibit individual characteristics in stroke patterns, letter connections, formations, and personal habits.

Variations in Handwriting

• Factors include age, health, speed, pressure, mood, emotional state, writing surface and instrument.

Calligraphy

• Calligraphy is artistic writing with elegance, employing specific techniques, with cultures developing unique styles.

Western Calligraphy

• Includes Roman, Gothic, Copperplate, and Spencerian scripts.

Chinese Calligraphy

• Includes Seal, Clerical, Regular, and Running scripts.

Arabic Calligraphy

• Kufic, Naskh, and Thuluth scripts are included.

Indian Calligraphy

• Devanagari and Persian (Nasta'liq) scripts are commonly used.

Japanese Calligraphy

• Kaisho, Gyōsho, and Sōsho scripts are all utilized.

Cacography

• Cacography refers to poor handwriting, spelling mistakes, or sloppy penmanship, whether unintentional or intentional.

Cacography Types

• Illegible, misspelled, and disguised writing, as well as dysgraphia.