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Who touched the document?: A new overall strategy for collection and identification of DNA from the questioned documents as a supportive evidence

Chemometric approaches in questioned documents.

Questioned documents comprehend analysis of identity theft, forged signatures or texts, documents alterations and falsification of security documents or banknotes. Questions involving inks or paper require chemical analysis, and multivariate analysis or chemometrics has been an emerging tool for data evaluation and interpretation after instrumental data collection in this area. The goal of this study is to identify previous articles that applied multivariate analysis within questioned documents for forensic purposes. The search for articles was performed in four databases (Google Scholar, Science Direct, Pubmed and Scopus). Sixty studies, published in the last ten years, were selected. Thirty-four articles described pen inks analysis; fourteen articles comprehended printed documents studies; eight articles evaluated paper analysis, and four articles included banknotes analysis. Spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, chromatography, thermo gravimetric analysis and multivariate image analysis were the analytical methods applied to collect chemical data. Chemometrics methods included mainly unsupervised pattern recognition techniques, regression methods, and supervised pattern recognition techniques, amongst other methods. This review summarized and discussed multivariate analysis techniques applied in different questioned documents sub-areas, highlighting the importance of this knowledge for forensic analysts. In addition, it shows new research topics such as different printing and pen inks, papers and security documents analysis herein not included.

Questioned Documents

Comparing handwriting in questioned documents, light source characteristics of recorded black writing pen inks on questioned documents as forensic evidences, anachronism in fonts and relative dating of computer printed documents: a case report.

In the field of forensic document examination, identification of fonts and their dates of release may provide a lead as to the relative age of computer printouts. Hence, fonts in a printout can be used as a means of evaluation of an anachronism or chronological inconsistency. Therefore, an anachronism betrays the fabricated nature of the questioned documents. In the present case study, the traditional methodology of typescript matching coupled with an off-line digital tool were used in identifying pre-dated documents and disproving the genuineness of the documents in question. The procedure adopted for differentiation, identification and confirmation of font(s) and years of release of fonts for commercial use is discussed.Hence, in this case report it was safely concluded that the disputed agreement for sale could have been prepared on a later date than the purported date of execution i.e.1993 for the reason that the use of the “Comic Sans MS” font is an anachronism.

Algorithm for the preliminary study the copies of handwritten details in framework the production of handwriting examination

The possibility of refi ning and unifying the algorithm of preliminary examination of copies of documents to establish their suitability/unsuitability for further research is considered. Examples of the possibility of establishing the fact of signs of editing in copies of documents presence are given. Empowerment the fi eld of handwriting examiners training through introducing special knowledge from the fi elds of questioned documents examination and computer forensic into the training program is proposed. The stages of the proposed algorithm are analyzed sequentially. The author’s algorithm for preliminary examination of copies of documents containing handwritten requisites images is given. Arguments in favor of the practical possibility of producing handwriting examination of copies of handwritten requisites are given. The correlation of examination of copies and originals of handwritten requisites have been undertaken. Illustrations demonstrating the dependence of the ability to evaluate some features on the resolution of the image of a handwritten object are presented.

Influence of degradation on the analysis of questioned documents by capillary zone electrophoresis

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Questioned Document Examination: A Prevalent Dispute

• First Online: 03 January 2022

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• Shipra Rohatgi 3 &
• Prakriti Kapoor 4  

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Questioned Document is one of the significant components in forensic science. This chapter explores the basic principles of handwriting, signatures, and the factors affecting them. Some of the commonly encountered questioned documents generally include paintings, rent receipts, prescriptions, letters (suicide, love, or threatening), security documents such as passport, ID cards, and currency notes. Tampering is one of the burning issues which are easily achieved by the means of addition, alteration, erasure, obliteration, charring, and adopting secret writings. The challenge faced by the experts in recognizing the sign of tampering, forgery, and the employment of examination technique to it is a prevalent dispute. The Questioned Document Examination (QDE) will be valuable for the students, police officers, investigators, and attorneys as they will gain information regarding the court and the procedure of litigation. They will also achieve information regarding the guidelines in forensic document examination and the role of the expert in questioned document examination. The focus on the admissibility of various questioned documents in the court of law and the associated laws is being expounded.

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Rohatgi, S., Kapoor, P. (2021). Questioned Document Examination: A Prevalent Dispute. In: Singh, J., Sharma, N.R. (eds) Crime Scene Management within Forensic science. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-4091-9_6

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Chapter 8: Questioned Document Examination

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R. Kumar and V. Sharma, in Chemometric Methods in Forensic Science, ed. V. Sharma, G. Sauzier, and S. W. Lewis, Royal Society of Chemistry, 2023, ch. 8, pp. 200-230.

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Questioned documents is a significant field of forensic science that deals with handwriting, printing, and typewriting analysis. Counterfeit documents are increasingly being produced using various means, necessitating expertise in questioned documents and analytical research methods. Non-destructive or quasi-destructive analysis methods are crucial, considering the nature of the examined documents, and these are discussed in this chapter. However, interpreting the spectral information obtained from modern spectrophotometers, which includes data on inks, toners, papers, and other materials in the questioned document, presents a significant challenge due to the sheer volume of data and chemical information involved. This poses a constant need for experts to analyse large datasets and extract meaningful information that can answer court queries and aid in accurate interpretation of outcomes. Chemometric methods, such as supervised and non-supervised approaches, are employed to reduce large datasets, systematically interpret results, and address classification and discrimination problems in questioned document examination. This chapter discusses several chemometric approaches, including principal component analysis (PCA), hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), support vector machine (SVM), and others. The chapter presents multivariate statistical analysis as an effective method for extracting important spectral features necessary for discrimination and classification of documents, with a specific focus on inks, toners, and paper analysis. Overall, the chapter highlights the complexities and challenges involved in analysing questioned documents and the importance of utilising chemometric methods for data analysis and interpretation in this field of forensic science.

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Trends in the Field of Questioned Document Examination

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Galbraith, N. (January 1, 1980). "Trends in the Field of Questioned Document Examination." ASTM International. J. Forensic Sci. . January 1980; 25(1): 132–140. https://doi.org/10.1520/JFS10947J

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In any professional field, observations of the current literature usually give an indication of the direction the field is taking. This approach has been formalized in the technique of content analysis. A content analysis of the literature in the field of document examination was made. The Journal of Forensic Sciences was chosen as the sample for this study since articles on document examination have been printed in every volume since the Journal was first published in 1956. The articles were studied and 30 categories were selected to represent the topics contained in the body of the literature. Topic selection was based on this writer's interpretation of the author's intent or emphasis in each article. An analysis of the results is included.

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Questioned Document Examination - Expert Introduction Expert Article

This article provides an introduction to the processes utilized by forensic experts performing Questioned Document Examinations. Robson Forensic experts specializing in questioned documents frequently provide examinations relevant to business contracts, checks, wills, and others.

Questioned Document Examination

Questioned document examination (QDE) is a forensic science discipline pertaining to documents that are potentially disputed in a court of law. The examination’s primary purpose is to provide evidence about suspicious or questioned documents using a variety of scientific principles and methods. Document examination might include alterations, obliterations, paper analysis, forgery, origin, determining authenticity, or any other questions.

Indented Writing Analysis

Indented writing, or second page writing, is an imprint that may be left on the underlying pages when the top sheet of paper is written upon. This impression of the writing is influenced by pen pressure and thickness of the paper. Indented writing on subsequent pages may not be the same as what appears on the surface of the document. Experts are trained to uncover indented writings that may have been added after the fact, altered or missing from an original document. Indented writing is very useful as a form of connecting evidence.

The Process

Historically, indented writing was identified and deciphered by means of low angle oblique light and photography. More recently, an instrument known as an Electrostatic Detection Apparatus, or ESDA, is used to produce a visual image of the indented writing on transparency film. If applicable, this procedure is non-destructive, and rather non-detectable.

Low Angle Light & Photography

We first apply oblique or low angled lighting to the furrows of indented writing. Photography is then used to preserve the shadowed indentation. A combination of multiple exposures while moving the light source fills in the available indentations with shadows and effectively uncovering the indented writing.

Electrostatic Detection Apparatus

ESDA works by creating an electrostatic image of indented writing, which is then visualized by the application of charge sensitive toners. This sensitive imaging process reacts to sites of microscopic damages to fibers at the surface of a document, which have been created by abrasive interactions with overlying surfaces during the act of handwriting.

Video Spectral Analysis for Questioned Documents

Another valued method used by forensic experts is called Video Spectral Analysis (or Comparator). Comprehensive digital imaging systems can provide the questioned document examiner with an extensive range of facilities for detecting irregularities on altered and counterfeit documents. Detection of alternations includes, but are not limited to:

• Surface features
• Alterations
• Use of different inks
• Embedded invisible information
• Latent images
• Tampering and photo-substitution

Current standards for document examination are established by the Scientific Working Group for Forensic Document Examination ( SWGDOC ) which is composed of private examiners and government examiners from local, state, and federal laboratories throughout the United States.

Featured Expert

Mark Songer, M.S.F.S.

Forensic document examiner, client referral - letter of gratitude, by mark songer.

This document contains an unsolicited letter of gratitude from one of Mark’s many satisfied clients. In this case Mark was retained to perform a Questioned Document Examination (QDE). Mark, I…

Document Analysis: A Summary of Possibilities

In this article, Forensic Document Examiner, Mark Songer provides an overview of the cases where forensic document examination can be applied, the techniques and technologies used, and standards that…

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In this article, forensic document examiner, Mark Songer provides an overview of forensic document examination. Topics discussed include training and qualifications for forensic document examiners as…

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