NCJ Number
178394
Date Published
1998
Length
576 pages
Annotation
This book provides an extensive survey for the entire field of document examination, serving as an instruction manual as well as a historic and technical reference.
Abstract
The opening chapter reviews the requirements of document examination as a career, including needed traits for a document examiner, training, certification, court qualification, and career opportunities. The second chapter focuses on issues related to the development of a sole-proprietorship business as a document examiner. Chapters on basic principles of handwriting consider the history of handwriting, American writing systems, and handwriting basics. A number of chapters address techniques for analyzing handwriting, including exemplars, the identification of types and characteristics, individual characteristics, stroke identification in the forming of letters, factors that affect handwriting, and comparison of writings. Other chapters discuss investigative techniques for document analysis. Topics include exhibits as demonstrative evidence, the management of a laboratory, photography techniques, determining the alteration of documents, the determination of forgery, anonymous writing, ink and writing instruments, paper, and typewriters. Remaining chapters focus on photocopiers, facsimile, and other duplicators; computer-generated documents and the printer; the court and the expert witness; the deposition; questions and answers for cross-examination and depositions; and the future of document examination. A 140-item bibliography and a subject index