NCJ Number
144946
Journal
Security Management Volume: 37 Issue: 9 Dated: (September 1993) Pages: 74,76-79
Date Published
1993
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article is about what forensic document examiners (FDE's) do.
Abstract
FDE's examine, compare, and analyze handwriting and printing marks to determine their authenticity. The information they uncover is admissible in court. Less than 1,000 people in the United States and Canada claim to be practicing FDE's. They are employed in all major crime laboratories. To be certified by the American Board of Forensic Examiners, which was established in 1977 to set industry standards, they must undergo 2 years of training plus 2 years of work under the supervision of a recognized expert. Those wishing to enter the field may receive training from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Secret Service, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, or the Internal Revenue Service. The article includes three stories in which FDE work played a significant role. An employee of the Chicago Transit Authority was busted for falsifying time sheets. A fired airline employee's lawsuit against the airline was rejected when FDE analysis revealed that the employee did, as alleged, maliciously reroute a passenger's baggage.