ENVELOPE ASSOCIATION THROUGH MANUFACTURING CHARACTERISTICS

• NCJ Number: 57783
• Journal: Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 22 Issue: 4 Dated: (OCTOBER 1977) Pages: 815-818
• Author(s): M P BERTOCCHI
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 4 pages
• Corporate Author: American Soc for Testing and Materials
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PRESENTED AT THE 29TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF FORENSIC SCIENCES, SAN DIEGO, CA, FEBRUARY 15-18, 1977

Annotation

METHODS OF IDENTIFYING ENVELOPES THROUGH GUMMING PATTERNS AND THROUGH MANUFACTURING CHARACTERISTICS ARE ANLAYZED.

Abstract

WHEN AN UNDERCOVER AGENT PURCHASED ILLEGAL NARCOTICS IN TWO COIN ENVELOPES, HE SUBMITTED THE TWO QUESTIONED ENVELOPES AND A BOX OF 244 ENVELOPES FOUND IN THE ACCUSED SUBJECT'S RESIDENCE TO POLICE. AN INVESTIGATION ENSUED TO DETERMINE IF THE 2 SETS OF ENVELOPES WERE MANUFACTURED BY THE SAME COMPANY. SAMPLE ENVELOPES FROM THE BOX WERE SUBJECTED TO LONG-WAVE ULTRAVIOLET LIGHTS. AS WITH THE QUESTIONED ENVELOPES, THE PAPER STOCK AND THE GUM REACTED WITH DIFFERENT INTENSITY. THE IRREGULARITIES AND DISTINCTIVE PATTERNS FOUND ON THESE ENVELOPES MATCHED THOSE FOUND ON THE 2 QUESTIONED ENVELOPES. THE NEXT PROBLEM WAS TO DETERMINE IF THE PATTERNS WERE DISTINCTIVE ENOUGH TO PLACE THE QUESTIONED AND KNOWN ENVELOPES TOGETHER. ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT WAS AGAIN EMPLOYED. THE CONCLUSIONS WERE THAT ENVELOPES FROM DIFFERENT MANUFACTURERS EXHIBIT DIFFERENT CHARACTERISTICS, AND THESE CHARACTERISTICS ARE A VALID TOOL FOR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATORS. PHOTOGRAPHIC DATA ACCOMPANY THE TEXT. (MJW)