Module 7.8: Handwriting & Typewriting Analysis

I. Handwriting Identification and Comparison

The fundamental principle of handwriting analysis is that no two people write exactly alike. This is because handwriting is a complex motor skill that becomes highly personalized and habitual over time.

A. The Basis of Handwriting Uniqueness

Early Learning: When we first learn to write, we are taught a standard system (e.g., Palmer, Zaner-Bloser). At this stage, our writing is a conscious effort of "drawing" letters, and it exhibits primarily class characteristics.
Development of Habit: As we become proficient, the act of writing becomes a subconscious, habitual process. We develop unique and personal ways of forming letters, connecting them, and spacing them on the page. These are our individual characteristics.
"Handwriting is Brainwriting": The ultimate source of these variations is not the hand, but the brain, which sends the signals that control the muscles of the arm, hand, and fingers.

B. Class vs. Individual Characteristics

Class Characteristics: These are features and dimensions of handwriting that are common to a group of writers. They are the result of the writing system learned.
- Examples: The style of letters taught in a particular school system, the general slant of writing.
- Value: Useful for eliminating a writer if their class characteristics are fundamentally different from the questioned writing, but not sufficient for a positive identification.
Individual Characteristics: These are the unique, repeated habits of a specific writer. The identification of a sufficient combination of unique individual characteristics is what leads to a positive identification.
- Examples:
  - Skill Level: The writer's proficiency and fluency.
  - Slant: The angle of the writing.
  - Spacing: The spacing between letters, words, and lines.
  - Letter Formations: Unique ways of forming specific letters (e.g., the "t"-crossing, the "i"-dot).
  - Connections: The way letters are connected to each other.
  - Pen Pressure and Shading: Variations in pressure that create wider or narrower ink lines.

The Identification Principle: A positive identification in handwriting analysis is made when the examiner finds a sufficient quantity and quality of individual characteristics in common between the questioned writing and the known standards, with no significant unexplained differences.

III. Typewriting Analysis

Before the advent of computers, the typewriter was the primary means of creating official documents. Forensic examiners developed methods to identify the specific typewriter that produced a document.

A. The Basis of Typewriter Identification

Just like any machine, a typewriter is subject to wear and tear. Over time, the individual typefaces (the metal pieces that strike the ribbon) can become worn, damaged, or misaligned.
These defects create individual characteristics that are unique to that specific typewriter.

B. The Examination Process

The examiner compares the questioned document to a known sample (an exemplar) typed on the suspect typewriter. They look for two types of characteristics:

Class Characteristics: These relate to the make and model of the typewriter.
- Type Style: The design of the letters (e.g., Pica, Elite).
- Pitch: The number of letters per inch.
- Example: A document typed in a Pica font could have come from any Smith-Corona typewriter with that font.
Individual Characteristics (Defects): These are the unique flaws that identify a single machine.
- Vertical/Horizontal Misalignment: A character prints consistently above or below the baseline, or to the left or right of its proper position.
- "Off its Feet": A character prints heavier on one side than the other.
- Damaged Typeface: A character has a specific nick, break, or other damage that is reproduced every time it is typed.

The Identification Principle: A positive identification is made when the examiner finds a sufficient number of unique, repeating individual defects in common between the questioned document and the exemplar from the suspect typewriter.

C. Modern Printers

The principles of identifying documents from modern computer printers (inkjet, laser) are different.
Inkjet Printers: Can sometimes be identified by minute imperfections in the spray nozzles.
Laser Printers: Can sometimes be identified by "trash marks"—imperfections on the drum or rollers that leave repeating marks on the printed page.
Watermarks: Some color laser printers embed a secret, nearly invisible pattern of tiny yellow dots on every page they print. This pattern can encode the printer's serial number and the date/time of printing, a feature designed to help track counterfeiters.

Introduction

Beyond the detection of forgery, the core of questioned document examination often involves determining the authorship of handwriting or the source of a typewritten document. Handwriting analysis is based on the principle that every person's handwriting is unique. Similarly, typewriting analysis is based on the fact that, like any machine, a typewriter can acquire unique defects that are transferred to the paper. This module delves into the specifics of handwriting identification and the forensic examination of typewritten documents.

Key Learning Objectives:

Understand the basis for handwriting identification.
Differentiate between class and individual characteristics in handwriting.
Identify various handwriting characteristics used for comparison.
Explain how a typewriter can be identified as the source of a document.
Distinguish between defects in typewriters and printers.

II. Challenges in Handwriting Analysis

A. Natural Variation

No one signs their name or writes a passage exactly the same way twice. Natural variation refers to the normal, slight differences that occur in a person's repeated writings.
An examiner must be able to distinguish between natural variation (which is expected) and a fundamental difference (which suggests a different writer).

B. Disguise

Disguised writing is an attempt by a writer to deliberately alter their handwriting to hide their identity.
Common Methods of Disguise:
- Writing with the non-dominant hand.
- Changing the slant of the writing.
- Writing in all capital letters.
Detection: It is very difficult for a person to suppress all of their individual habits. A sufficient amount of writing will often reveal underlying individual characteristics that can still lead to an identification.

C. Health and External Factors

Factors such as old age, illness, injury (a broken arm), intoxication, or writing in an awkward position can all affect a person's handwriting. The examiner must take these factors into account when comparing samples.

Conclusion

Handwriting and typewriting analysis are classic disciplines within questioned document examination. They are both based on the same core principle: that repeated use, whether by a person or a machine, leads to the development of unique, identifiable habits and defects. While technology has changed, the fundamental task of the QDE remains the same: to find those unique characteristics amidst a sea of common features. By carefully comparing the questioned evidence to known standards, the examiner can answer critical questions about the authorship and origin of a document, providing key insights for an investigation.