CHY 183 Lecture Notes - Lecture 17: Fax, Toner, Sandpaper
Document Summary
Questioned document: any object w/ handwriting/print, whose source or authenticity is unknown. Document examiners compare individual characteristics of questioned and known writing. Gathering of documents of known authorship/origin is critical to the outcome. Many factors comprise total character of a person"s writing. Early stage of learning handwriting = conscious effort to copy standard letter forms. As writing improve, nerve and motor responses associated w/ writing becomes subconscious. Unconscious writing of 2 different individuals can"t be identical. Angularity, slope, speed, pressure, spacing, relative dimensions of letters, connection, pen movement, writing skill, and finger dexterity. Arrangement of writing on paper; margin, crowding, insertions, alignment. Note: writing style can be altered beyond recognition by influence of drugs/alcohol. No single handwriting characteristic can be the determinate for similarity. Final conclusion must be based on sufficient # of common characteristic btwn known and questioned sample. No rules for sufficient # of characteristics; judgement call made by expert examiner.
