NCJ Number
65809
Date Published
1977
Length
0 pages
Annotation
POLICE INVESTIGATORS ARE GIVEN A BASIC OUTLINE OF WHAT THEY NEED TO KNOW TO MAKE USE OF THE DOCUMENT EXAMINER'S SPECIAL ABILITIES IN THIS POLICE TRAINING SLIDE PRESENTATION.
Abstract
DOCUMENT EXAMINATION CAN EITHER SOLVE A CASE OR PROVIDE VALUABLE LEADS THAT POINT THE WAY FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. BECAUSE THE MOST COMMON TASK OF DOCUMENT EXAMINERS IS TO DETERMINE WHETHER A PARTICULAR SIGNATURE IS GENUINE OR A FORGERY, SEVERAL HANDWRITING CHARACTERISTICS ARE NOTED. THE FORGER MAY FAIL TO DUPLICATE A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF THE INCONSPICUOUS CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ORIGINAL WRITING AND OFTEN LACKS A FLUID WRITING MOTION. A FORGER IS LIKELY TO RETRACE STROKES OR FAIL TO SHOW A FIRM STEADY HAND. DIFFERENT MAKES OF TYPEWRITERS SHOWING CONSPICUOUS DIFFERENCES IN THE STYLE, SHAPE, AND SIZE OF THE LETTERS AND THEIR SPACING CAN ALSO BE ANALYZED. EXAMINERS CAN OFTEN IDENTIFY THE MAKE AND MODEL OF THE MACHINE BY COMPARING THE QUESTIONED DOCUMENT WITH A FILE OF KNOWN TYPEWRITER SAMPLES. OTHER SPECIAL TECHNIQUES OR CLUES AVAILABLE TO EXAMINERS INVOLVE USING ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT TO REVEAL ORIGINAL FIGURES, ESTABLISHING THE SEQUENCE OF THE WRITING, COMPARING TYPES OF PAPER, USING OBLIQUE OR SIDE LIGHTING TO REVEAL LATENT IMPRESSONS OF THE ORIGINAL WRITING, EMPLOYING THIN LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY TO DETERMINE TYPES OF INK USED, AND COMPARING RUBBER AND METAL STAMPS WITH THEIR IMPRESSIONS. WHEN QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS ARE INVOLVED, POLICE MUST SUPPLY THE EXAMINER WITH HANDWRITING EXAMPLES WHICH BELONG TO THE SUSPECT. THESE ARE CALLED CONTROL STANDARDS. ANOTHER TYPE OF STANDARD IS THE REQUEST SPECIMEN WRITTEN BY THE SUSPECT FROM POLICE DICTATION. OFFICERS SHOULD TRY TO DUPLICATE THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH THE DOCUMENT WAS WRITTEN WHEN TAKING THE REQUEST SPECIMEN. GUIDELINES ARE ALSO GIVEN FOR THE KINDS OF TYPED STANDARDS MOST USEFUL TO EXAMINERS AND THE MANNER OF HANDLING AND TRANSMITTING QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EVIDENCE. AN INSTRUCTOR'S GUIDE AND STUDY NOTES ARE INCLUDED. (WJR)