Forensic Document Examiners’ Skill in Distinguishing Between Natural and Disguised Handwriting Behaviors (original) (raw)

Forensic analysis of characteristic features of disguised writing in fixing authorship

Forensic Medicine , 2019

Questioned Document Examiner deals with various types of criminal cased for fixing the authorship. Among them examination of disguised writings has thrown a serious challenge in solving the criminal cases in order to fix its authorship. Forensic analysis of handwriting characteristic features in disguised nature of writing content is not an easy task for questioned document experts to understand the detail characteristic features of writing content for fixing authorship. The present write-up is an attempt to unfold the journey of critical examination of disguised writings in order to reveal the authorship of written content. A large number of disguised writing has been examined for the purpose of detailed study of its characteristic writing features. The experimental evidence of disguised writing examination and analysis in identifying characteristic features related to disguised nature of writings content is discussed in detail in this research paper.

Properties of a Forensically Significant Handwriting Characteristic

International Journal of the Scientific Association of Forensic Examineers, 2019

How do we identify an individual writer? What makes handwriting unique and therefore identifiable? Forming an opinion regarding handwriting authorship is based on using a complex of forensically significant characteristics. As an aid to the lay person and/or the fact finder in conceptualizing and understanding the foundation of our work, I consider it important to explain the properties of the characteristics that I use to form my opinion regarding authorship. In building and defending a reliable opinion of authorship, we seek fact-based evidence that can stand up to the challenges of cross examination far beyond simply relying on "form matching" during the comparison process. To better know the chances of being mistaken or mistook, Albert Osborn provides a list of twelve causes of error in forming one’s opinion (including "basing an opinion on common qualities alone" (Osborn 388)). To convey an understanding of how we identify an individual writer to the lay person and/or the fact finder, I have found it effective to give a brief foundation by explaining handwriting from the point of view of the writer’s behavior in moving an implement (i.e., pen, pencil, lipstick, paint, etc.) on and off the surface (i.e., a piece of paper, a wall, a mirror or any substrate). In doing so, I portray handwriting as an artifact of the writer’s behavior which attributes the written to the writer.

Forensic Document Examination: Who Is the Writer?

Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2018

This work presents a baseline system to automatic handwriting identification based only on graphometric features. Initially a set composed of 12 features was presented and its extraction process demonstrated. In order to evaluate the efficiency of these features, a selection process was applied, and a smaller group composed only of 4 features (GS = Goodness Subset) present the best writer identification rates. Experiments were conducted in order to evaluate the performance, individually and in group, of the graphometric features; and to identify the number of writers that significantly affect the accuracy of the system. The accuracy of the system applied to 100 different writers taking account the GS features set were 84% (TOP1), 96% (TOP5) and 98% (TOP10). These results are comparable to others in the literature on graphometric features. It can be observed that gradually the relation between the number of writers and accuracy is stabilized, and with 200 writers the results are maintained.

The authorship of disguised handwriting written with the unaccustomed hand: A preliminary study

Sometimes, a writer may try to disguise their normal handwriting to hide their identity. One of the most effective and less frequent modes of disguise is to write with the unaccustomed hand. In this type of disguise, due to a sudden loss of pen control, pictorial appearance of handwriting changes to such an extent that the writer assumes success and gets convinced that the disguised handwriting they have produced cannot be attributed to them by comparison with their normal writing style. In the present study, handwriting samples of several persons, both with the normal hand and the unaccustomed hand, were obtained and an attempt has been made to find out and identify those features that

A Survey of Forensic Handwriting Examination Research in Response to the NAS Report

2015

Advances in technology and scientific development in forensic handwriting examination (FHE) require a review in response to the challenges published in the NAS Report. This survey summarizes the advances made in theoretical and methodological approaches to handwriting examination including a review of research on the proficiency of FHEs. Technology has impacted FHE including analysis of e-signatures and use of technology for signature and handwriting authentication. A review of legal cases in the U.S. confirms how research and technological advances have met legal challenges and impacted decisions in the courtroom.