1. Questioned Documents Unit

2. Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample using the 12 exemplars
Do Now: What kind of documents will investigators observe in order to connect suspects to a crime?

3. Questioned Documents:
Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample using the 12 exemplars
Questioned Documents:
Any document about which some issue has been raised or that is the subject of an investigation.

4. Examples of Questioned Documents
Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample using the 12 exemplars
Examples of Questioned Documents
Checks
Licenses and Certificates
Passports
(Counterfeit) Money
Receipts
Lottery tickets
Historical documents
Ransom and
suicide notes
Forgeries of Art

5. Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample using the 12 exemplars
Document Examiners:
Mostly examine handwriting to originate its source or its authenticity
Will also examine typed writings, computer printings, photocopies, inks, papers, and forgeries, and decode altered and charred documents
May need to use microscopes, photographs, chromatography, and other lab examinations on the questioned documents
Many work in federal, local, and state crime labs, but they may also work in private practices

6. Two individuals cannot have exactly identical handwriting
Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample using the 12 exemplars
Handwriting:
Two individuals cannot have exactly identical handwriting
Since handwriting is associated with mechanical, physical, and mental functions, it is almost impossible to reproduce exactly
Handwriting can be almost as individual as a person’s fingerprint

7. Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample using the 12 exemplars
A positive comparison must be based on an ample number of common characteristics between known and questioned writings
Collecting a lot of exemplars (known writings) is critical in order to make a comparison
Exemplars should contain some of the same words or combinations of letters that are present in the questioned document(s)

8. Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample using the 12 exemplars
Two writings came from one person if:
their similarities are unique and
no unexplainable difference(s) are found
Examine the questionable document for detectable traits and record them
Obtain a known sample of the suspect’s writing (an exemplar)
Compare and draw conclusions about the authorship of the questionable document
Collecting a lot of exemplars is critical in order to make a comparison. Exemplars should contain combinations of letters that are present in the questioned document(s)

9. Spacing: Are the letters and words equally spaced or crowded?
Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample using the 12 exemplars
12 Handwriting Characteristics (Exemplars)
Line quality: Are the lines smooth, free- flowing? Or shaky and wavering?
Spacing: Are the letters and words equally spaced or crowded?

10. Continuous: Is the writing continuous or does the writer lift the pen?
Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample using the 12 exemplars
Size consistency: Examine the relative height, width and size of letters. Is it consistent?
Continuous: Is the writing continuous or does the writer lift the pen?
Forgeries may have lifts or separations in unusual places, such as within a letter

11. Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample using the 12 exemplars
Connecting letters: Compare the strokes between upper and lower case letters. Are they connected?
Letters complete: Look at beginning and ending strokes. Are letters completely formed? Are parts missing?

12. Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample using the 12 exemplars
Cursive and printed letters: Are there printed letters, cursive letters, or both?
Pen pressure: Differing amounts of pressure used by the writer can make lines light or dark, narrow or wide. Is pressure equal when applied to upward and downward strokes?

13. Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample using the 12 exemplars
Slant: analyzing the writing slant- left, right, straight, or variable?
Line habits: are the writer’s letters on, above, or below the baseline?

14. Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample using the 12 exemplars
Fancy curls or loops: Are there any fancy letters, curls, loops, circles, or other embellishments?
Letter characteristics: Are t’s crossed in the middle, towards the top, or bottom? Where is the placement of the dot (or circle, heart, etc.) above lowercase i’s?

15. Factors that affect handwriting samples:
Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample using the 12 exemplars
Factors that affect handwriting samples:
Position of writer (sitting or standing)
Position of Document (flat, vertical or horizontal surface)
Other Factors (under the influence of drugs, illness or injury)

16. Type of writing instrument Writing surface Underlying surface
Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample using the 12 exemplars
Type of writing instrument
Writing surface
Underlying surface
Mood of writer
Age of writer
Writing speed

17. Complete the handwriting matching activity.
Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample using the 12 exemplars
Complete the handwriting matching activity.
Closure: Which factors do you think currently affect your handwriting at any given moment the most?

18. Do Now: Take out your notes. What does “line quality” mean?
Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample by analyzing tops & bottoms of letters and the Slants of letters
Do Now: Take out your notes. What does “line quality” mean?
Complete the handwriting activity 1.
Closure: Does your handwriting slant to one side? Which side?

19. Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample by analyzing tops & bottoms of letters and the Slants of letters
Do Now: Take out your notes. What does “continuous writing” mean?
Complete the handwriting activity 2. Circle, underline, or highlight at least 6 pieces of proof for your answer to question 1, in addition to the data table.
Closure: What is the most interesting fact about the zodiac killer that you have learned?

20. Closure: Do you have a hard or soft writing pressure?
Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample by analyzing tops & bottoms of letters and the Slants of letters
Do Now: Look at previous answers to your do-nows. Is your handwriting continuous?
Start the handwriting activity 3. You should get at least 3 data tables finished. There will be a total of 7 data tables.
Closure: Do you have a hard or soft writing pressure?

21. Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample by analyzing tops & bottoms of letters and the Slants of letters
Do Now: Look at previous answers to your do- nows. Characterize how you do your “i” and cross your “t”.
Finish the handwriting activity 3. There will be a total of 7 data tables.
Closure: On a scale of 1-10, how much do you like handwriting analysis and would you consider it as a profession?

22. Do Now: Why are “i” and “t” such important letters to analyze?
Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample by analyzing tops & bottoms of letters and the Slants of letters
Do Now: Why are “i” and “t” such important letters to analyze?

23. Analysis of the Tops & Bottoms of Letters and the Slants of Letters
Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample by analyzing tops & bottoms of letters and the Slants of letters
Analysis of the Tops & Bottoms of Letters and the Slants of Letters
Draw a dot at the top of each letter and connect the dots
Draw a line through the center of each letter (maintaining the slant of the letter)

24. Complete the handwriting activity 4. And hand it in.
Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample by analyzing tops & bottoms of letters and the Slants of letters
Complete the handwriting activity 4. And hand it in.
Closure: Can you still analyze handwriting efficiently if the writer writes in all capital letters?

25. Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample by analyzing tops & bottoms of letters and the Slants of letters
Do Now: Before the extensive use of computers like now, serial killers often (and still do) write letters to the police in their own handwriting. What ways could they disguise their writing sample?
Complete the serial killer handwriting worksheet and hand it in. Do not write on the group handout.
Closure: What do you feel were the most obvious similarities between the serial killers writing samples?

26. Do Now: Give an example of a “fancy letter” used in our 12 exemplars.
Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample by analyzing tops & bottoms of letters and the Slants of letters
Do Now: Give an example of a “fancy letter” used in our 12 exemplars.

27. Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample by analyzing chromatography results
Analyzing Ink
Chromatography is a method of physically separating the components of inks.
Types
HPLC—high-performance liquid chromatography
TLC—thin-layer chromatography
Paper chromatography

29. Paper Chromatography of Ink
Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample by analyzing chromatography results
Paper Chromatography of Ink
Example:
Two samples of black ink from two different manufacturers have been characterized using paper chromatography.

30. Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample by analyzing chromatography results
Retention Factor (Rf)
Rf is a number that represents how far a compound travels in a particular solvent
It is determined by measuring the distance the compound traveled and dividing it by the distance the solvent traveled.

31. Objectives: Determine the origin of a writing sample by analyzing chromatography results
Closure: Which spot below (A-D, i-iv) has the greatest retention factor?

32. Objectives: Determine the measures used to prevent forgery and counterfeiting
Do Now: What are some measures the government uses to try to make counterfeiting checks and money difficult or impossible?

33. Forgery Forged documents include: checks employment records
Objectives: Determine the measures used to prevent forgery and counterfeiting
Forgery
Forged documents include:
checks
employment records
legal agreements
licenses
wills
Fraudulence—forgery for material gain

34. Check forgery can include:
Objectives: Determine the measures used to prevent forgery and counterfeiting
Check forgery can include:
ordering another’s checks from a deposit slip
altering a check
intercepting another’s check, altering, and cashing it
creating a check from scratch

35. Objectives: Determine the measures used to prevent forgery and counterfeiting
Check Forgery
Americans write 70 billion checks per year – approximately $27 million worth of illegitimate checks are cashed each day.

36. Preventing Check Forgery
Objectives: Determine the measures used to prevent forgery and counterfeiting
Preventing Check Forgery
Chemically sensitive paper
Large font size requires more ink and makes alterations more difficult
High resolution borders that are difficult to copy
Multiple color patterns
Embed fibers that glow under different light
Use chemical wash detection systems that change color when a check is altered

37. Objectives: Determine the measures used to prevent forgery and counterfeiting
Literary Forgery
Forgery of a piece of writing such as a historic letter or manuscript is literary forgery.

38. Objectives: Determine the measures used to prevent forgery and counterfeiting
When false documents or other items are copied for the purpose of deception, it is called counterfeiting.
This is a criminal activity existing since antiquity
Items commonly forged today include:
Currency
Traveler’s checks
Food stamps
Certain bonds
Postage stamps

39. Objectives: Determine the measures used to prevent forgery and counterfeiting
Counterfeit Currency
Security features are added to paper currency that scanning cannot reproduce
Regular printer paper contains starch; Paper currency contains rag fiber instead of starch.
Number one reason people suspect fakes is because it doesn’t feel right.

40. Objectives: Determine the measures used to prevent forgery and counterfeiting
Intaglio Printing
Intaglio printing process is used for the black print on the front side of the notes and the green print on the back side.
Treasury seal, Federal Reserve seal, and serial numbers are printed by a typographic or letterpress process

41. Objectives: Determine the measures used to prevent forgery and counterfeiting
Intaglio
Photocopied

42. Objectives: Determine the measures used to prevent forgery and counterfeiting
Serial Numbers
Two serial numbers printed in green ink on the face of each note.
No two notes of the same series, bank, and denomination have the same serial number.
The Federal Reserve banks are designated by a letter and a corresponding numeral. The first character of the serial number is a letter that designates the Federal Reserve Bank and matches the letter in the Federal reserve seal.
Corresponding numerical designation of the Federal Reserve Bank is printed in four locations on the face of each note.

43. Objectives: Determine the measures used to prevent forgery and counterfeiting

44. Objectives: Determine the measures used to prevent forgery and counterfeiting
Currency is always being redesigned to make it more difficult to counterfeit.
New bills:
$20 – October 9, 2003
$50 – September 28, 2004
$10 – March 2, 2006
$5 – Early 2008

45. Authentic vs. Counterfeit
Objectives: Determine the measures used to prevent forgery and counterfeiting
Authentic vs. Counterfeit
The tiny, intricate lines and details on paper money do not always print well in counterfeit bills.

46. Verifying Authentic Currency
Objectives: Determine the measures used to prevent forgery and counterfeiting
Verifying Authentic Currency
New Security Features:
Portrait stands out and appears raised off the paper
Contains clear red and blue fibers woven throughout the bill
Has clear, distinct border edges
Treasury seal is shown with clear, sharp saw-tooth points
Watermark appears on the right side of the bill in the light

47. Objectives: Determine the measures used to prevent forgery and counterfeiting
The security thread is evident—a thin embedded vertical strip with the denomination of the bill printed in it
There is minute printing on the security threads, as well as around the portrait
When the bill is tilted, the number in the lower right-hand corner makes a color shift from copper to green

48. Examples of Security Features
Objectives: Determine the measures used to prevent forgery and counterfeiting
Examples of Security Features

49. Closure: List some comparisons in the evolution of the $20 bill below:
Objectives: Determine the measures used to prevent forgery and counterfeiting
Closure: List some comparisons in the evolution of the $20 bill below:
1929
Current
1985

50. Do Now: Where is the security thread on a five dollar bill located?
Objectives: Determine how Forensic document examiners reconstruct shredded documents
Do Now: Where is the security thread on a five dollar bill located?

51. Shredded Material Recovery
Objectives: Determine how Forensic document examiners reconstruct shredded documents
Shredded Material Recovery
The purpose of our work was to turn bags of shredded documents like these...

52. Shredded Material Recovery
Objectives: Determine how Forensic document examiners reconstruct shredded documents
Shredded Material Recovery
Into legible documents like these...

53. Shredded Material Recovery
Objectives: Determine how Forensic document examiners reconstruct shredded documents
Shredded Material Recovery
Which involved separation of individual shreds from the pile and re-assembling them piece by piece.

54. Shredded Material Recovery
Objectives: Determine how Forensic document examiners reconstruct shredded documents
Shredded Material Recovery
Each bag of shredded paper contained an average of 100 recoverable documents.

55. Complete the paper shredder lab and hand it in.
Objectives: Determine how Forensic document examiners reconstruct shredded documents
Complete the paper shredder lab and hand it in.
Closure: How can you tell where a dollar bill is printed?

56. Watch “Catch Me If You Can” and fill out the answers on the worksheet.
Objectives: Determine the measures used to prevent forgery and counterfeiting
Do Now: Pick up a video worksheet and put you name on it. There is no do now sheet this week.
Watch “Catch Me If You Can” and fill out the answers on the worksheet.
Closure: Complete as many of the worksheet answers as you can.

57. Do Now: Find your video worksheet. Review yesterday’s video segment.
Objectives: Determine the measures used to prevent forgery and counterfeiting
Do Now: Find your video worksheet. Review yesterday’s video segment.
Watch “Catch Me If You Can” and fill out the answers on the worksheet.
Closure: Complete as many of the worksheet answers as you can.

58. Do Now: Find your video worksheet. Review yesterday’s video segment.
Objectives: Determine the measures used to prevent forgery and counterfeiting
Do Now: Find your video worksheet. Review yesterday’s video segment.
Watch “Catch Me If You Can” and fill out the answers on the worksheet.
Closure: Complete all answers and hand in your video worksheet.

59. Do Now: Give three examples of “questioned documents.”
Objectives: Develop skills to determine if documents are counterfeit or real.
Do Now: Give three examples of “questioned documents.”
Finish yesterdays shredder lab if you didn’t. You have 3 minutes to check over everyone’s documents.

60. Objectives: Develop skills to determine if documents are counterfeit or real.
Counterfeit Money:
Counterfeit Passports:
Complete the counterfeit questions and hand them in.
Closure: It is said to be easier to counterfeit paper money rather than coins. Why do you think this is true?

61. Objectives: develop a review sheet to study for the upcoming test.
Do Now: What topics are on the test tomorrow?
Graphology:
Complete the questioned documents review sheet in order to figure out what is on the test tomorrow and study.
Closure: What are you missing? Write it down and see me about getting copies. Hand in your do-now sheets (no do-now tomorrow)