NCJ Number
171943
Journal
International Journal of Forensic Document Examiners Volume: 3 Issue: 2 Dated: (April/June 1997) Pages: 154-158
Date Published
1997
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Handwriting samples of 400 arrestees were randomly collected from the files of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department to determine what modes of disguise were used by arrested felons and what percentages of the total examined employed a particular mode.
Abstract
Sixteen modes of disguise were identified, and the study sought to determine whether the arrestee intended to disguise and what form of disguise was adopted. It was determined that changes in slope, size, speed, substitution of block printing and cursive writing and vice versa, and alterations to upper and lower extenders of letters were the predominant modes of disguise used by arrested felons. The author suggests document examiners need to know as much as possible about disguised writing to help them solve problems posed by the many forms of disguises chosen by arrestees. 25 references and 1 figure