TRENDS IN THE FIELD OF QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EXAMINATION

• NCJ Number: 65109
• Journal: Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 25 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1980) Pages: 132-140
• Author(s): N G GALBRAITH
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 9 pages
• Corporate Author: American Soc for Testing and Materials
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PRESENTED AT THE 31ST ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF FORENSIC SCIENCES, ATLANTA GA., FEBRUARY 1979

Annotation

EMPHASES IN THE FORENSIC DOCUMENT EXAMINATION FIELD ARE TRACED BY AN INVESTIGATION OF ARTICLES IN THE JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES FROM 1956 THROUGH 1978.

Abstract

THE JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES WAS CHOSEN SINCE ARTICLES ON DOCUMENT EXAMINATION HAVE APPEARED IN EVERY VOLUME, BEGINNING WITH ITS FIRST PUBLICATION IN 1956. ARTICLES WERE DIVIDED AMONG THE FOLLOWING MAJOR CATEGORIES: THE DOCUMENT EXAMINER, THE DOCUMENT EXAMINATION, MEANS OF IDENTIFICATION, DIFFERENCES IN WRITING, METHODS OF IDENTIFICATION, ILLUSTRATIONS, AND OTHER. ARTICLES FOCUSING ON THE DOCUMENT EXAMINER (QUALIFICATIONS, INSTRUCTION, COURT TESTIMONY, COURT RULINGS, AND VALUE RESEARCH) WERE MOST FREQUENT BETWEEN 1956 AND 1960. ATTENTION TO DOCUMENT EXAMINATION (HANDWRITING, HAND PRINTING, TYPEWRITER, INK, PAPER, ADHESIVES, AND COPY EQUIPMENT) REACHED A PEAK BETWEEN 1966 AND 1970. ARTICLES REGARDING THE MEANS OF IDENTIFICATION (CHARACTERISTICS, PRESSURE, SEQUENCE, EXEMPLARS, AND CLASSIFICATION) WERE MOST NUMEROUS BETWEEN 1961 AND 1965. THE FOCUS ON DIFFERENCES IN WRITING (DISGUISE, DETERIORATION, GEOGRAPHIC AREAS, AND FORGED DOCUMENTS) REACHED A HIGH IN THE 1966-70 PERIOD. METHODS OF IDENTIFICATION (ELECTRONICS, INFRARED AND ULTRAVIOLET, CHEMICAL ANALYSIS, CONTROLLED RESEARCH, AND INFERENTIAL STATISTICS) WERE DISCUSSED MOST OFTEN BETWEEN 1976 AND 1978. EMPHASIS ON ILLUSTRATIONS (GRAPHICS, PHOTOGRAPHY, AND SINGLE CASES) WAS MOST APPARENT IN ARTICLES PUBLISHED FROM 1966 AND 1970. MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS WERE PREVALENT IN THE FIRST VOLUMES OF THE JOURNAL (1956 TO 1960). THESE TRENDS CAN GIVE AN INDICATION OF THE DIRECTION THE FIELD IS TAKING; I.E., THE EMPHASIS IN SCIENTIFIC METHODS AND EQUIPMENT NOTED IN THE FIRST TIME PERIOD GAVE WAY TO OTHER INTERESTS, ONLY TO REAPPEAR DRAMATICALLY IN MORE RECENT VOLUMES. THE PRESENT TREND IS TOWARD MORE ADVANCED METHODS AND TECHNIQUES AND IF IT CONTINUES, THE APPLICATION OF CURRENT TECHNOLOGY, TOGETHER WITH THE FREE EXCHANGE OF NEW IDEAS AND PROGRESS, WILL PROPEL THE DOCUMENT EXAMINATION FIELD EVEN FURTHER INTO THE ARENA OF MODERN SCIENTIFIC METHODOLOGY. TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)