NCJ Number
53650
Journal
International Criminal Police Review Issue: 322 Dated: (NOVEMBER 1978) Pages: 255-261
Date Published
1978
Length
7 pages
Annotation
GUIDELINES TO AID POLICE OFFICERS CONFRONTED WITH PROBLEMS OF DOCUMENT EXAMINATION, PARTICULARLY TYPED DOCUMENTS, ARE PRESENTED IN THIS CASE STUDY OF THE IMPORTANCE OF PRINTING INK AND COLOR IN TRACE DETECTION.
Abstract
IF NO SUITABLE OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS, SUCH AS A STEREOSCOPIC MAGNIFYING GLASS, ARE AVAILABLE, IT IS STILL POSSIBLE TO EXAMINE A DOCUMENT INITIALLY WITH THE AID OF AN ORDINARY MAGNIFYING GLASS OR THE NAKED EYE TO ASCERTAIN INK COLORING BY REFLECTED NATURAL OR ARTIFICIAL LIGHT. TO DETERMINE IF THE TEXT OF A DOCUMENT WAS TYPED ON THE SAME MACHINE, IT IS NECESSARY TO CONDUCT AN EXHAUSTIVE EXAMINATION OF LETTERS, ACCENTS, AND PUNCTUATION MARKS IN ORDER TO SEE IF THERE ARE ABNORMALITIES OR PARTICULAR CHARACTERISTICS SPECIFIC TO THE TYPEWRITER IN QUESTION. A TRANSPARENT MILLIMETER GRID CAN BE USED TO FIND OUT WHETHER THE WHOLE TEXT OF A DOCUMENT WAS TYPED AT THE SAME TIME. AN ORDINARY MAGNIFYING GLASS CAN BE EMPLOYED TO ANALYZE INDIVIDUAL LETTERS. WHEN THERE IS A QUESTION ABOUT THE LINING UP OF LETTERS, PHOTOGRAPHS CAN BE TAKEN OF THE GENUINE PORTION OF A DOCUMENT AND THEN OF THE SUSPECT TEXT. IF THERE IS SUSPICION THAT A POLYCHROME ARTICLE OR SURFACE HAS BEEN HANDLED OR TOUCHED BY AN OFFENDER OR BY SOMEONE WHO SHOULD BE IDENTIFIED AND IF IT'S NOT POSSIBLE TO USE SUCH TRADITIONAL REAGENTS AS LEAD CARBONATE, IVORY BLACK, AND MAGNETIC POWDER, FLUORESCENT POWDER COMPOSED OF ZINC ORTHOSILICATE AND ANTHRACINE CAN BE EMPLOYED. TRACES DEVELOPED WITH FLUORESCENT POWDER APPEAR CLEARLY WHEN VIEWED UNDER ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT. IF BLACK AND WHITE MATERIALS ARE USED, HOWEVER, DARK COLORS ON POLYCHROME SURFACES MAY APPEAR ON PHOTOGRAPHS AS BLACK. TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM, THE DEVELOPMENT TIME FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS SHOULD BE SHORTER THAN NORMAL BUT STILL SUFFICIENT TO BRING OUT FINGERPRINT PATTERNS. DOCUMENT TEXT AND SURFACE ILLUSTRATIONS ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)