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The art of handwriting analysis has been around for decades, but with the advance of technology it has become a more precise science. Handwriting is much like a fingerprint. Everyone has a distinct way of writing. Forensic analysis of handwriting can be useful in cases of disputed documents, threatening letters, ransom notes, suicide letters, checkwashing, signature forgery, and other types of cases. Find out what you can learn from forensic handwriting in Phoenix. Forensic Document Examination When looking at a questioned document, a forensic handwriting analyst can look at many different factors. Depending on the reason the document is being questioned and examined, the analyst might try to evaluate who wrote the document, when the document was created, and what materials were used in the creation of the document. While many documents today used printed type and are not entirely handwritten, handwriting analysis can still be an important part of forensic document examination. Comparisons of thousands of handwriting samples in government databases have shown that no two people have the exact same handwriting. While there is a range of variation in every person's own handwriting, no writer can exceed their skill level. For example, this means that a beginning writer will not be able to even mimic flawlessly formed cursive letters. Visible and Invisible Clues Forensic analysts use both what is easily visible and invisible clues to examine documents. Analysts will often use infrared light and other tools to look for evidence that isn't visible to the naked eye, such as impressions left on paper from other documents. When someone writes a note on top of another piece of paper, indentations of the writing are often left behind. Sometimes these impressions are so faint that they are invisible to the naked eye, but by using an electrostatic detection device or EDD, the impressions can be read. Invisible impressions can be found even under multiple layers of other paper. Alterations to documents can also be discovered using infrared radiation. If it is suspected that a document, like a check, has been altered, viewing the document with infrared radiation can highlight differences between different inks that have been used, even if the ink is the same color and no difference is visible in regular light. Through detailed forensic analysis, scientists may also be able to track ink, paper, and other materials used on the document to specific makes and models of products or to specific locations. Evaluating Handwriting Examining handwriting can reveal authorship, expose fraudulent documents, link different documents to the same author, or prove documents were produced by different authors. Analysts look at different facets of handwriting in order to determine distinctions. The spacing of words and letters, the slope of the writing, speed, embellishments, distinctive letter shapes, use of capitalization, punctuation usage, legibility, direction and position of the pen, left or right handedness, and other features are all characteristics that forensic handwriting analysts use to determine authenticity. They may also look for irregularities in a document or signature that might show it has been forged, such as hesitations, tremors, or other unnatural signs that signal that the document has been tampered with or forged. No one writes exactly the same each time, but someone trained in forensic handwriting in Phoenix can distinguish between natural variations in the same handwriting and writing produced by another person. The more writing that the analyst has to compare, the better the results are likely to be. This way more natural variations can be studied and identified as particular to that person's handwriting. If there is too little evidence to be studied, a complete forensic analysis of handwriting may be difficult. Spectrum Forensic For experts in forensic handwriting analyses and document examining in San Diego, Phoenix, or Albuquerque call Spectrum Forensic International, LLC today. Visit our page on http://www.spectrumforensic.com/ to see our page today!
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