Handwriting & Signature Analysis

• Handwriting and signature analysis are vital in business, social interactions, and criminal justice education.
• Financial institutions are training staff to verify signatures to combat forgery and detect threatening communications.
• It is essential for auditors, lawyers, accountants, adjusters, insurance checkers, managers, payroll masters, storekeepers, and pawnshops to know about handwriting and signature examination.
• Paper documents and signatures remain essential for business even in the age of electronic communication.
• Civil, criminal, domestic, and business cases often hinge on the irregularity of checks, wills, contracts, insurance policies, deeds, and other documents.
• These irregularities are subtle and non-violent means of crime.
• Questioned documents do not inflict physical harm, but they can lead to stealing and security threats.
• Questioned documents are papers scrutinized, attacked, or questioned in legal proceedings.
• Forensic document examiners study questioned documents.
• A "QUESTIONED DOCUMENT" refers to signatures, handwriting, or other marks with disputed or doubtful sources.
• Document examination is the largest single category of scientific examination in law enforcement.

QDE Profession

• Q.D.E., or Questioned Documents Examination, has been a profession since 1870
• It is frequently applied in forgery, counterfeiting, mail fraud, kidnapping, embezzlement, gambling, organized crime, white collar crime, art crime, theft, robbery, arson, burglary, homicide, serial murder, psychological profiling, and deviant sex crimes.
• Document examiners analyze questioned documents.
• They are capable of analyzing more than just authorship.
• Document examiners determine forged signatures, identify typewriting, verify computer printouts, examine disputed ink and writing instruments, and examine alterations.
• Document examiners use scientific methods as expert witnesses in court, offering opinions not necessarily based on absolute certainty, instead offering “qualified opinions”.
• Results are often opinionated.
• Expert witnesses remain fair and impartial, operating within scientific limits without avenging victims or ruining innocents.
• Experts must focus on examining documents and remaining objective.

Preliminaries

• Q.D.E. primarily falls under the Philippine National Police (PNP) Crime Laboratory's Criminalistics Division.
• Other government agencies like the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) can perform examinations.
• Licensed Criminologists may perform examinations if they are certified, trained, experienced, and specialized.
• The PNP or NBI Crime Laboratory receives questioned document cases at the request of law enforcement, government bodies, or private citizens.

PNP Crime Laboratory

• The Criminalistics Laboratory's mission is to provide scientific investigation methods and technical support to the PNP and other government agencies through fieldwork, laboratory services, training, and research.

PNP Crime Laboratory Functions:

• Forensic examination of physical evidence.
• Forensic research and training in criminalistics.
• Expert testimony in court.
• Performance of functions directed by authorities.

Questioned Document Division

• The Questioned Document Division, known as Q.D., examines questioned documents.
• Operates under the PNP Criminalistics Section.

Crime Laboratory Functions

• Examination of signatures seen on sales deeds, receipts, marriage contracts, and land titles
• Handwriting identification to identify authorship in anonymous letters, ransom notes, threat letters, suicide notes, and poison letters
• Examination of altered or erased documents
• Decipherment of secret writings
• Examination of the sequence of entry
• Paper and ink comparison
• Typewriting identification/computer print identification
• Examination of counterfeit documents such as peso and dollar bills, foreign currencies, passports, stamps, labels, and money
• Lectures to PNP, AFP, and other government agencies
• Field laboratory work.
• Court duties

QD Mission

• Assisting government investigative organizations with matters related to questioned documents.

QD Objectives

• Serving as a legal foundation for conducting examinations.
• Ensuring a scientific, systematic comparison of questioned documents with submitted standards.

QDE Alternate Names

• QDE is know as Forensic Document Examination, Document Examination, Diplomatic, Handwriting Examination, and Handwriting Analysis

Five Subject Matters in QDE

• QDE covers Signature Identification (Forgery), Handwriting Identification, Typewriting Identification and computer prints verification, Alterations, and Counterfeit and other Miscellaneous Document Examination.

Key Signature ID Questions

• Determining if signatures are simple, spurious, traced, simulated, freehand imitations, genuine, authentic, or known.

Handwriting Identification Key Questions

• Comparing the questioned and standard specimens of handwriting to see the similarity in handwriting style (block, cursive, or script).
• Ascertaining whether handwriting samples were written by an individual or multiple people.

Typewritten/Computerized Documents Key Questions

• Comparing the questioned and standard exemplars to check for similarity in size, spacing, and type style.
• Checking if exemplars possess the same unique identifying characteristics
• Determine the origin of data, ink, copy toner, and paper databases, watermarks, computers and computer printouts of the questioned and standard exemplars.

Alterations Key Questions

• Determine whether changes occurred through erasures, obliterations, intercalation, interlineations, or substitution.
• Find if alterations occurred during or after document preparation/execution.
• Identify if a different ink or paper was used for altering the document.

Counterfeiting Key Questions

• Determine the workmanship of each denomination to see whether they are genuine or counterfeit.
• Become more knowledgeable about basic details of bank notes and coins.

Apparatus/Equipment for QD Examination

• Examiners depend on experience and scientific tools for better results
• Recommended tools include:
  • Stereoscopic Microscope
  • Ultra violet lamp
  • Hand lens
  • Transmitted light
  • Shadowgraph machine
  • Paper cutter
  • Compound Microscope
  • Photo enlarger
  • Oblique light
  • Forensic comparator
  • Micrometer caliper
  • Photopaper dryer
  • Typewriter test plate
  • Camera with macro lens
  • Handwriting protractor
  • Infra-red image converter
  • Video Spectral Comparator (VSC)
  • Forensic Optical Comparator
  • Electrostatic Detection Apparatus (ESDA)
  • Excellent Eyesight

Materials

• Documents contains paper, ink, and a writing instrument.

Paper History

• Parchment or vellum, animal skins were the earliest writing surface.
• The word paper originates from papyrus, an Egyptian grass.
• Papyrus plant interiors were sliced, layered, beaten, and pressed to form sheets.
• Letters from 874 A.D. have been discovered in Egypt.
• England's oldest manuscript, written on cotton paper, dates to 1049 A.D.
• 1800: Straw was used in making paper.
• Paper dates back 2,000 years and was invented by the Chinese.
• Iron-tannin and quality papermaking spread in Europe.

Types of Paper

• Common writing paper pads
• Carbon paper with waxy coating to give a transferred impression
• Safety paper designed to minimize forgery by erasure
• Bond paper used for typing and writing
• Colored, perfumed stationary

Ink History

• Vegetable varnish was the earliest form of the ink.
• The oldest ink type was invented by the Chinese
• Chinese ink is known as Indian Ink (amorphous carbon/lamp-black and hide glue).

Types of Ink

• Printing ink - Made by grinding carbon in the form of a vegetable char with natural gums and drying oils
• Canceling ink – Often contains carbon. It is needed to decipher any cancellation marks on postage stamps or wrappers.
• Iron-tannin ink – Discovered when soluble salts of iron mixed with extracts from vegetable material such as tan bark and nut-galls for tanning
• This form of dark liquid more suitable with "quill" pens.
• Record ink - Term for high quality ink; long lasting under reasonable conditions.
• 0.5%-0.6% iron composition, with a minimum acid concentration meets government specs.
• Fountain pen ink – A record ink cut in half to increase dyestuff
• Colored inks- Synthetic dyestuff from the basis practically all colored inks.
• Copying ink - A concentrated record ink with added chemicals like glycerin or dextrin.
• Logwood ink – A type of ink that is rarely seen in todays work.
  • There are around 80 percent of writing ink is dyestuff with the remainder being iron-tannin ink.
• Hectograph ink - Layer of gelatin glycerol mixture or special clay used for documents needing copies. Contains dyestuff, glucose, assist ink transfer.
• Stamp-pad inks - Very close to hectograph inks, contains humectants such as glycerol and glycol.
• Ball-point inks- Ball-point inks depended on the provision of sustainable links.
• Liquid-lead pencil ink – Includes fluid that contains divided carbon, substituting the typical dyestuff for normal ink.

Writing Instruments

• Paper and ink must be composed using markings of writings, known as writing instruments

Examples of Instruments:

• Roman Beaver
• Goose-Quill of our great grandfathers
• Reed Pen
• Steel Pen
• First Successful Fountain Pen and Early Type of Fountain Pen

Appearance of a Document

• Documents can vary wildly in form and condition

Descriptions Present:

• Folds and Creases on documents are typical signs of a paper.
• Impressions from paper clips or stamp pads may affect the text.
• Stamps of authentication may obscure the writing.
• Surface areas that are rubbed until thin are signs of an attempted erasure.
• Examine the surface for chemical erasures under strong light.
• Blots are not to hide forgers intent, while smears and smudges result by with other writings.
• Trimming shows that there are common practice practices to commit forgery.
• Tearing leads to irregularities that may offer value to the examiner.
• An examinination of the stamps gives unsymmetrical outlines due to perforations.
• Holes and Tears may have a suspect in a document that may cover the acts of forgery.
• Wire marks and water marks are the identifying features used during production.

Definition of Terms

• A document is any material with visible or invisible marks, symbols, or signs conveying a message, originating from the Latin "Documentum" (lesson) and French "Docere" (to teach).
• Visible marks, symbols, or signs are clearly seen and decipherable.
• Partially visible marks may be a result of obliteration, wear and tear, folding, or old age.
• Invisible writings need chemicals to bring it back.

Common invisible ink formulas include:

• Calamansi Juice, Milk, Coffee and Brown Sugar which need heat, chemicals, or water to show.
• Questioned document - A material or document with raised issues, scrutiny, or doubtful origins, like signatures, handwriting, or typewriting.

Concrete Examples of Questioned Documents:

• Letters, checks, licenses, contracts, wills, voter registrations, and passports.

Less Common Examples:

• Petitions, threatening and Suicide letters, and Lottery Tickets

Non-Concrete Examples:

• Disputed and Standard.

Document Term:

• Holographic Document, Reference Collection - Material. Questioned Document Examination or Q.D.E. – is a term used to refer to the act of making a close and critical study of any document-questioned, disputed or attacked, material compiled and organized to find out the data from the documents to prove them.

Examinations Utilizes:

• Microscopic
• Visual
• Photographic
• Chemical
• Ultra Violet
• Infra-Red.

Document Exam:

• Comparison is a process to equate with juxtaposition and weighing their identifying qualities, not just with visual but the mental act between items.
• Collation is an ordering that assembles the results as it creates a unified result after the detailed comparisons.

Documents

• A Technical Term the refers to an examiners conclusion.
• The expert also has to demonstrated the reasoning.
• Natural Variation refers to normal deviations that show up within the handwriting.
• Natural Writing is when the writing is performed as usual.
• Forensic Document Examiners check docs for their accuracy and then comes a conclusion.
• It is then later demonstrated in court for judges to approve.

Document Types in The Philippines

• Here are the documents under the Philippine Law

Laws:

• Public Document – Documents signed by a notary.
• Official Document - documents from officers with authority.
• Private Document - The writing of any person without notary interference.
• Commercial Document - Papers in agreement with the code of commerce.
• Electronic Documents documents that exist in virtual storage.

Writings Not Included in Documents:

• Unapproved municipal pay roll will not be approved from a member.
• Unfilled government forms in any way.
• Pamphlets of books are not documents.

Document Sub-Classes:

• Signatures in dispute
• Forged document contents
• Uncertain Holographic wills
• Notorized written by a known testator
• Documents and their origin
• Writings from production
• Hand written identities
• Anonymous letters with their registration.
• Documents that are fraudulently tagged.

Document Examining

• Forensic people check a document back to it's source and then become an expert witness.
• Paper handwriting is compared to machinery's like typewriters

Document Qualities.

• It show up before being erased.
• The examiner is gifted with correct vision.
• They pass their vision tests.
• They understand every color shade.
• The experts study in objective means with physical chemistry knowledge.
• Training makes the experts correct and ready to perform duties.

QD Examiner Responsibilities

• Examiner has a responsibility to the documents validity and performs their tasks very well
• An examiners expertise should be high priority and needs education.
• A conclusion is true when the evidence agrees and uncovers.
• Expert opinions should be fair and not persuaded by clients to be accurate.
• Protect the innocent and convict those in question as well.

Care Principles

• The document is not to be trusted as evidence as it is in question.
• Follow safety rules.
• Don;t ruin items.

Negative Directives

• Do not ruin an item beyond little damage.
• Avoid erasers,pens and other items that could disturb parts.
• Avoid any folding.
• Avoid liquids.
• Pointing should only be at skill-level.
• A person should not trace.
• It should not be emphasized with writing

Protection Laws

• Protection should always exist under its proper conditions.
• The document should never be assumed.
• They should all be placed in celluloid.

Phases of Examination

• The handwriting's recognition and characteristics.
• The writings need allowances to show that this is an occurrence
• Comparison after instrumentation is performed and dissolved against confusion.
• Examiner presents documents with photo evidence.

Stroke Characteristics

• Distinguishing letters with the identifying details which is done in the style used to learning.

Style Classifications

• Communal style where someone's writing will adapt depending on the particular time.

Traits. of Style:

• Common book forms.
• Usual spacing and systematic slant.

Individual Traits

• Those consciously or unconsciously introduced as personalized touch.
• Is often a unique expression that has various unique outcomes like mental aptitude.

Exam:

• Right and hooked letters.

Qualities:

• Distinct initial Pressure.
• Space and letters all vary.

Terms:

• Arcs are letters in line form.
• Beards are curved and initial usually in capital letters.
• Blunt ending and initials begin as forgery.
• Buckle knots are loops from letters.
• Centrals with oval to small lines are lines of writing.
• Eye loops are stroking to divergence.
• Any base of descending letters are the baselines.
• Elements that complete Letters
• A small stroke that connects the initials.
• Sharp bends is how a letter shifts in small letter.
• Small letters like humps and rounded tops.
• Small begin or end strokes.

Body Types:

• All bodies are similarly examined in the letters and consider the following
• O clock?
• Tendency.
• Loops.
• How high are the terminal strokes.
• Are the letters straight?
• The height
• Projection to a hook or loop.
• Is the stroke a base line?
• How far to the line.
• Height and size.
• Shapes and curves on baselines?

TypeWriter:

• IBM select is an electric typewriter.
• A text processor is an advanced unit of machine with stored processes.
• Escapements are the character pitches.
• Characters show the identification.
• Platen is where the back shows through letters.

Face Types:

• Wheels can rotate the position of a letter.

Clogged Fonts

• Typefaces that have tints and dirt

Parts of face:

• A condition of the fonts.
• The surface are then connects to an arm
• The type is then designed with it's slant.
• Damage can cause the typeface to slant on the wrong way.
• Impressions can be applied through a carbon sheet or a film ribbon.
• All machines have the same production.
• Cloth types over time will degrade.

TypeWriting Class:

• Common Class
• Accidental Defect
• Defects that reflect with any adjustment in type
• Anything is all about the adjustments
• Horizontal or Vertical mal position of defects

A Mechanincal Defect :

• Irregular left
• Letter Alignment
• The plate will then be mal adjusted.
• Horizontal.

Transitory Defect:

• A Type of typeface is removed using ribbon.
• When hollowing letters it occurs because dirt and debris.
• There are dirty type fonts
• A font can wear over time.
• The size that fits over is the horizontal inch.
• Same causes are made due to its attributes.
• An action of a typo can prevent erasures.

Examination of The Ques

• Most cases that are at the examination and discussing preliminary cases
• Preliminary to most examinations.
• Is a misunderstood action in any dispute for its misleading properties and how experts understand their value as genuine.
• An expert makes the case with examination.
• Time can make a case jeopardized so time is crucial.
• Examination stages can be skipped.

Results can yield:

• Pro's

• Cons

• Data

• Proof

• Is it safe to feel the results but follow the investigation.

The Expert.

• They can be made with a case
• When they are questioned, they need to have celluloid cover.
• To then follow it all, and should not start confusion with documentation.

Evaluation.

• Examiners must know if there was a forgery as a main check.
• Is that time for something in certain conditions, and there needs be the
• Has to be something that needs to be done with paper and ink.

The Examiner

• Their writing has to have the similar style if done previously.