Purpose Forensic handwriting analysis in Phoenix is a valuable tool in many types of investigations and court cases. It can be used to identify the perpetrators of crimes such as robberies and kidnappings. It can also be used in medical malpractice cases that involve determining the validity of records, as well as instances of contested contracts or wills. Signature analysis is particularly helpful in identity theft investigations. Who Does Handwriting Analysis There are both public and private agencies that specialize in handwriting analysis. A qualified examiner will be certified by the Board of Forensic Document Examiners or Society of Questioned Document Examiners. Certification requires at least two years of training and passing a comprehensive document examination. Continuing education is a requirement for maintaining certification. Factors in Handwriting Comparisons An examiner focuses on both the similarities and the differences among the writing samples. One particular area of concentration is letter form. This includes the size, angle, and proportion of the letters. An examiner will often take digital images of each letter from a known sample and place them next to the same letters from the document in question to make a comparison. In this way the examiner is able to identify what types of natural variations occur within the person’s writing. Line form is another area of concentration. This has to do with writing flow. How smooth and dark the lines flow can indicate the speed at which they were written as well as the pressure applied by the writing instrument. If there are unnatural tremors or hesitations in the writing, this can indicate a forgery. A handwriting examiner will also consider formatting. This includes the space between letters and words, the margins the writer leaves on the page, word placement on lines, and the space between lines. Handwriting analysis involves more than the characters on the page; it also considers word usage, punctuation, and grammar. When there is a large sample of writing available, certain patterns may become apparent. For instance, the writer may always capitalize certain words that don’t require it, or he or she may be prone to using distinct phrases. All of these components help to identify the source of a piece of writing. Requirements for Handwriting Comparisons A sufficient quantity of samples is important for an accurate analysis. While no two people have the same handwriting, no individual will write exactly the same way twice. Each piece of writing by the same author will have slight variations. The key is for the examiner to identify which variations are within the scope of the writer's penmanship and which are by a different writer altogether. By having a large quantity of specimens available, the examiner is able to more accurately identify the variants specific to the writer. In order to make a valid comparison, the writing specimens need to be of similar type. Cursive writing needs to be compared to other cursive writing, printed writing to other printed writing, lowercase letters to other lowercase letters, etc. Signatures oftentimes vary from a writer’s usual penmanship as they are routinely scribbled hurriedly. For this reason, signatures are best compared to a large sampling of other signatures as there is likely to be more discrepancies if compared to other writing. It is also important to have writing exemplars from the same time period as the document in question. A person’s handwriting will vary over the course of a lifetime. This is especially true of adolescence, as motor skills continue to develop, and in old age, where motor skills begin to decline. In Conclusion Forensic handwriting analysis in Phoenix can prove instrumental in authenticating documents and identifying criminals. It is a skill that can only be obtained through training and experience as it is a multifaceted process that continues to evolve with the use of new methods, sophisticated equipment, and growing technology.
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