Chapter 10 Handwriting Analysis, Forgery, and Counterfeiting

Introduction

Document analysts ______and ______questioned documents with known material.

Experts in the field investigate such things as ______, ______, commercial printing, ______, and _____.

They may study threatening, ______, or ______notes.

Their work can help identify a document’s ______.

History of Forensic Handwriting Analysis

In the 1930s, handwriting analysis played a role in the famous ______case.

In 1999, the United States Court of Appeals determined that ______qualified as a form of ______.

To be admissible in court, however, ______guidelines must be followed.

Handwriting analysis has been used by ______, the _____, and the Secret Service.

Introduction to Handwriting

Everyone’s handwriting shows natural variations. Here are 6 of the 12 major, specific traits.

The traits are functions of formatting or of letter or line form. Here are the other 6 of the 12 major, specific traits.

Handwriting Examination

Two writings are the product of one person if their similarities are ______and no ______are found.

  1. Examine the questionable document for ______and record them.
  2. Obtain some writing of the suspect’s (an ______) and compare the ______found in the questionable document with it.
  3. Draw conclusions about the ______of the questionable document based on the ______.

Technology Used in Handwriting Analysis

Biometric Signature Pads

This computerized pad “learns” to recognize how a person ______his or her name based on the ______, pressure, and ______of the signing.

Forgeries then are recognized by the detection of even ______differences.

Computerized Analysis of Handwriting

Computers can make ______comparisons between handwritings.

Suspect signatures can be compared with ones stored in ______.

Forgery

Forged documents can include such things as ______, employment records, ______, licenses, and ______.

Fraudulence is forgery done for ______gain.

Check forgery can include:

–ordering another’s checks from a ______.

–______a check.

–intercepting another’s check, ______, and cashing it.

–creating a check from ______.

Preventing Check Forgery

These are some methods used to prevent check forgery:

Literary Forgery

Letters or other documents written by ______can be very valuable.

The best literary forgers aim to ______the original document by using materials ______to those used for the original:

–_____ paper

–______materials to fake an older look

–inks mixed from ______that would have been used at the time

–______that add the appearance of age

–tools and ______that would have been popular at the time

Counterfeiting

Counterfeiting money is a crime stretching back into ______. Items most often forged today include:

–______

–traveler’s checks

–______

–certain bonds

–______

Counterfeit Currency

The Secret Service has worked with ______and ______makers to add security features to paper ______that makes forgery extremely difficult.

______cannot reproduce these security features.

The first security feature is the _____ of the paper.

Regular printer paper contains ______. Paper bills contain ______instead of starch.

Verifying Authentic Currency

Some features found in the new series bills:

Handwriting

Evidence in the Courtroom

The expert shows how ______were made.

The defense attorney likely will ______-______the handwriting expert.

Shortcomings in Analysis

A particular piece of handwriting can be ______from its usual style because of factors such as fatigue.

Experts can miss ______.

...... Summary

Handwriting analysis compares questioned documents with ______to establish authorship.

Aspects of a person’s ______can be analyzed to accomplish that.

Many new features of paper currency help prevent ______.

Technological advances have enhanced chances of ______forged documents.

Alterations, Erasures, and Obliterations

•One of the most common ways to alter a document is to try to ______parts of it.

•______– the removal of writing, typewriting, or printing from a document, normally accomplished by either ______means or an ______instrument.

•______– a property exhibited by some dyes that emit infrared light when exposed to blue-green light.

•______– blotting out or smearing over writing or printing to make the original ______.

•______– any document that has become darkened and brittle through exposure to fire or excessive ______.

Other Document Problems

•______– impressions left on paper positioned ______a piece of paper that has been written on.

•An ______(ESDA) works by applying an electrostatic charge to a document suspected of containing ______writings.