PPT Slides:

Slide 1

Overview:
 This document is intended to serve as an approach to forensic handwriting examination for
practitioners actively involved in casework, or for those interested in investigating general
aspects of the practice of forensic handwriting examination.

 Like fingerprints, every person’s handwriting is unique and personalized. Handwriting is difficult
to disguise or forge and analysis can provide a useful tool in forensics in excluding persons when
determining a match between known materials (exemplar).

Slide 2

Introduction:
Handwriting & Signatures

Everyone’s handwriting exhibits natural variation due to several factors. Adults show slight variation
because the characters are formed as a result of habit and their brain has been trained.

A Signature is a combined result of cumulative effect of a number of factors such as muscular

control, co-ordination, health, age, frequency of writing, temperature etc.

 Formal Signatures- Used on wills or other important documents.

 Informal Signatures- used on routine documents and personal corresponding.
 Careless Scribble- used for signing credit cards, mail deliveries, autographs, or hotel
registration forms.

Slide 3

Authentic Signature is the combination of writing characters which are consistent with natural
conditions surrounding the signed document.

Characteristics of Authentic Signatures and Writing

 Written rapidly.
 Have Rhythm when written by experienced writer with proper health.
 May miss certain information.
 Introduce certain other forms.
 End Strokes Flourish.
 Smooth.
 Natural free flowing Appearance.
Slide 4

Forged Signatures are practiced illegally and are not genuine are termed as forged signatures.

Characteristics of Forged Signatures and Writing

 Appearance of being slowly written.

 Lack of Rhythm and Individuality.
 Unnatural Appearance.
 Appearance of being drawn.
 Attention towards formation of letters.

Slide 5

Types of Forgeries

 Simple Forgery: the forger does not imitate the signature of the other person but he simply
signs his own signature without any intention to imitate.
 Traced Forgery: the forger traces the original signature on the other document. This may be
done with Carbon tracing, Simple tracing or Using transmitted light methods
 Simulated or Freehand Forgery: the forger practices the genuine signature and tries to
imitate the same signature on the other document.
 Transplanted forgery: it is usually done on the stamps.

Slide 6

Theory of Handwriting:
Handwriting is an acquired skill. It is, therefore, a habitual as well as individualized; this
individualization is basic principle in document examination.

Most of the hand muscles are situated in the lower arm and connect to the fingers by an intricate set
of tendons. Their ability in manipulating a writing instrument is precisely coordinated by a timing
system under a neural controls of movements of the arm the hand and the fingers.

Slide 7

Questioned Document Examination:

When a question is raised about the authenticity of a document or a part thereof, that document
becomes a questioned document, which is sometimes also referred to also ‘disputed’ or contested’
document. Following types of identification are regularly done in handwriting and signatures:
  Is the handwriting Genuine or Forged?
 Is the signature Genuine or Forged?
 Authorship of the Handwriting and Signatures?
 Is the A Handwriting Disguised?
 Is the Handwriting transplanted?

Slide 8

Basic Principles of Handwriting and Signature Identification

The basic philosophy behind Handwriting Identification is comparison of class and Individual
characteristics of the given handwriting sample. The first step is to observe the general appearance
of the questioned writing as compared with the genuine standard writing. By this method the
conspicuous characteristics are determined.

Slide 9

Forensic Handwriting and Signature Identification

Handwriting Identification is completely based on the comparison of class and individual
characteristics. It is similar to that of fingerprint Identification. Characteristics such as bifurcation,
Island, Dot, Short ridge, Core, Delta etc. are compared in fingerprint identification. Similarly there
are class and individual characteristics in handwriting comparison.

Slide 10

The Process of Handwriting and Signature Identification

 Document analysis – examination and comparison of questioned documents with known
material. Experts establish the authenticity of the documents and detect any changes,
erasures, or obliterations that may have occurred.
 Questioned documents – signature or handwritings whose source or authenticity is in
dispute or uncertain. Examples: checks, certificates, wills, passports, licenses, money, letters
etc.
 Document Expert – specially trained person who scientifically analyzes handwriting and
other features in a document, often to detect changes from the original.

Slide 11

Discussion and Conclusion

This paper is an approach to characterize handwriting and signature in forensic point of
view. The detailed characters discussed on handwriting and signatures analysis are essential
to eliminate a suspected signature or handwriting. The alterations made in the documents
are also a kind of forgery so their examination and detection also becomes a very major
aspect of forensic examination. The forensic handwriting examiners have ample knowledge
about the class and individual characters used to identify handwriting. Hence forger must
now think twice before he damages the document.