NCJ Number
50500
Date Published
1977
Length
10 pages
Annotation
THE FORENSIC FUNCTIONS AND TRAINING OF DOCUMENT EXAMINERS IN AUSTRALIA, THE ROLE OF DOCUMENT ANALYSIS IN CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS, AND AUSTRALIAN RESEARCH IN DOCUMENT ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
THE POLICE TECHNICIAN ENGAGED IN DOCUMENT EXAMINATION HAS SEVERAL FUNCTIONS: HANDWRITING ANALYSIS, TYPEWRITING ANALYSIS, IDENTIFICATION OF METHODS OF PRINTING, AND PAPER ANALYSIS. ALTHOUGH FORGERY AND RELATED OFFENSES CONSTITUTE A SIZABLE PORTION OF THE EXAMINER'S WORKLOAD, DOCUMENT EXAMINATION ALSO PLAYS A PART IN OTHER TYPES OF CASES (E.G., EXAMINING MEDICAL RECORDS IN ILLEGAL ABORTION CASES, MATCHING MATERIALS FOUND AT THE SCENE OF A FIRE WITH MATERIALS FOUND ON AN ARSON SUSPECT, EXAMINING LISTS OF STOLEN PROPERTY PREPARED FOR POTENTIAL RECEIVERS IN BURGLARY CASES, EXAMINING DOCUMENTS IN CONSPIRACY CASES, ANALYZING KIDNAP NOTES). IN MOST AUSTRALIAN POLICE SERVICES, OFFICERS ARE CHOSEN FROM THE RANKS AND TRAINED OVER A 4- TO 6-YEAR PERIOD IN A TYPE OF DOCUMENT EXAMINER APPRENTICESHIP SYSTEM. MOST SERVICES MAINTAIN HANDWRITING, TYPEWRITER, AND PRINTING REFERENCE FILES. THE DOCUMENT EXAMINATION SECTION OF THE VICTORIA POLICE FORENSIC SCIENCE LABORATORY HAS CARRIED OUT SEVERAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1969, INCLUDING WORK ON METHODS OF INK ANALYSIS AND ON TECHNIQUES FOR DETECTING ALTERATIONS ON SUPPOSEDLY TAMPER-PROOF PAPERS. BETTER ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS PROBABLY WILL BE REQUIRED OF DOCUMENT EXAMINERS IN THE FUTURE. THE BEST APPROACH FOR POLICE DEPARTMENTS APPEARS TO BE TO HIRE COLLEGE GRADUATES AND THEN TRAIN THEM IN DOCUMENT ANALYSIS. THERE IS ALSO A NEED TO MAKE THE SERVICES OF TRAINED DOCUMENT EXAMINERS MORE READILY AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE OUTSIDE POLICE AND GOVERNMENT CIRCLES, PARTICULARLY TO PARTIES IN CIVIL LITIGATION AND TO CRIMINAL DEFENDANTS. (LKM)