Characteristics of Handwriting

Characteristics of Handwriting

What do Document Examiners do?

• Verify that handwriting belongs to a person

• Authenticate documents - making sure they are real - not forgeries

• Characterize paper - see how old it is or if it matches paper owned by a suspect  

• Characterize ink - see if someone changed a document by writing on it with a different ink 

• Restore documents and determine the age of documents

Multiple Select

What are 3 things Document Examiners do? (Select 3)

• Verify that handwriting belongs to a person

• Characterize ink to see if someone changed a document

• Determine personality by handwriting style

• Restore documents that have been damaged

Is handwriting class or individual evidence?

• Class Evidence can only be linked to a group of people, like a t-shirt

• Individual Evidence can be linked to one specific person, like DNA

• Even though handwriting shares some common habits, there are distinct features that are found in each person’s writing

Multiple Choice

Is handwriting class or individual evidence?

• Class

• Individual

Analysis of Handwriting

• There are 12 characteristics of handwriting.

• For the next set of slides, answer the following question:

• What is different between the samples of writing?

Multiple Choice

What is different between the samples of writing in the image on the left?

• Placement of diacritics = Crossing of t's and dotting of i's

• Line Quality = smooth or shaking handwriting

Multiple Choice

What is different between the samples of writing in the image on the left?

• Spacing between words or letters

• Flourishes or embellishments - fancy letters, curls, and loops

Multiple Choice

What is different between the samples of writing in the image on the left?

• Ratio of relative height, width, and size of letters

• Baseline habits - the writing is straight across or moves up or down

Multiple Choice

What is different between the samples of writing in the image on the left?

• Slant - letters may slant to the left or right

• Pen lifts and separations - how words begin or end

Multiple Choice

What is different between the samples of writing in the image on the left?

• Connecting Strokes - how letters are connected

• Pen pressure - writing is darker or lighter

Multiple Choice

What is different between the samples of writing in the image on the left?

• Letter completion - beginning and ending strokes of letters

• Cursive and printed

Multiple Choice

What is different between the samples of writing in the image on the left?

• Letter completion - beginning and ending strokes of letters

• Cursive and printed

Multiple Choice

What is different between the samples of writing in the image on the left?

• Connecting Strokes - how letters are connected

• Pen pressure - writing is darker or lighter

Multiple Choice

What is different between the samples of writing in the image on the left?

• Slant - letters may slant to the left or right

• Pen lifts and separations - how words begin or end

Multiple Choice

What is different between the samples of writing in the image on the left?

• Ratio of relative height, width, and size of letters

• Baseline habits - the writing is straight across or moves up or down

Multiple Choice

What is different about the sample of writing in the image on the left?

• Spacing between words or letters

• Flourishes or embellishments - fancy letters, curls, and loops

Multiple Choice

What is different between the samples of writing in the image on the left?

• Placement of diacritics = Crossing of t's and dotting of i's

• Line Quality = smooth or shaking handwriting

What is a forgery?

• an item prepared with the intent to deceive.

3 types of forgery:

• Blind Forgery – made without model of signature 

• Simulated Forgery – made by copying a genuine signature

• Traced Forgery – made by tracing a genuine signature

• THINK: Which of the above types of forgery has the highest success rate in capturing the criminal?

Multiple Choice

Which type of forgery has the highest success rate in capturing the criminal and why?

• Blind Forgery

• Simulated Forgery

• Traced Forgery

Which type of forgery has the highest success rate in capturing the criminal and why?

• Blind Forgery; because the person uses their own handwriting