NCJ Number
91478
Date Published
1981
Length
39 pages
Annotation
This chapter deals with the questioned document examiner as an expert witness and delineates the essential skills required in document analysis.
Abstract
The examination of questioned documents generally requires morphologic examination, determination of age of document, and the examination of paper, involving latent fingerprint and ink or pencil analysis. Detection of alterations and decipherment, as well as overwriting and fraudulent multiple entries, are discussed as special problems in document examination. Handwriting examination is explained in terms of general characteristics of handwriting patterns, identification and matching of handwriting, and special problems of forged signatures and disguised writing. The discussion also explains examination of typed documents, addressing general characteristics of printing by typewriter and identification and matching of typewritten material. It also considers determining age of typewritten documents, analyzing typewriter ribbons, and problems in typewriter examination. Footnotes, tabulated material, a glossary, and illustrations are provided.