Methodologies Used in Examination of Questioned Documents - Essay Example

Methodologies Used in Examination of Questioned Documents In the recent days, criminal activities have become highly high-tech and is executed through the white-collar settings. In dealing with fraudulent activities involving such crimes, there is need to employ both scientific methods and processes in order to give evidence of any suspicious engagement. Documents that are used by the suspects are interrogated and analyzed through different methods in order to strengthen evidence. The most common forms of evidence that is sought during the process include destruction of the document, changing the document content, confirmation of authenticity, and chain of possession among other aspects linked to evidence in document form. Traditionally, the widely used method has been comparison of the document with a standard, for example identification of the handwriting to establish the author. The American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) has developed six standards, which have been used in identification of questioned documents. Other methods include the use of electrostatic detection apparatus, infrared comparisons, comparative ink analysis, and aging papers and inks. Examination of the handwriting is a major method that is used in examination of documents that bears some hand-written content. This is done in an effort to determine the author of the questioned document. This method exclusively relies on the principle of comparison whereby the handwriting of the suspects is compared to that available in the questioned document. Since there may be many suspects, several written samples from the suspects are taken and a comparison is made. In the process of examining the handwriting for similarity, three basic processes are paramount. Firstly, an analysis of the questioned document is done in such a way that it is broken down to depict some unique characteristics. The second step involves drawing a comparison between the unique characteristics of the questioned document with a standard such as the suspect’s handwriting samples. Finally, an evaluation is done, in which the similarities and differences that are visible are used in drawing a conclusion (Srihari. 2010). Once this is done, the author of the document is verified if there is significant similarity between the questioned document and the standard. There are about six standards that have been developed by ASTM, in which one of them specifically focusses on examination of handwriting (E2290-07a: Examination of Handwritten Items) (Kelly & Lindblom, 2006). In the process of authenticating a document, the age of the paper as well as that of the ink are important parameters used in examination of questioned documents. This method uses different techniques to determine the age of the ink and that of the paper. Such include watermarks, additives, and chemicals that make up these two types of samples. In a classical example, is that of diaries that were purported to have been written by Adolf Hitler. Using this method, it was verified that the papers and the ink used in the diaries contained certain chemicals that were not available during Hitler’s time (Srihari & Singer, 2014). For the case of inks, the relative time taken for the ink to dry is analyzed using chemicals, though this results in the destruction of the document. The solubility of ink in various solvents determines the age of the ink. This can be used in identifying ink that is up to 6 months old. Another important method that applies in the examination of questioned documents is by using Electrostatic Detection Apparatus (ESDA). This method can be used to verify documents that were written up to 60 years ago. The equipment uses the unique indentations in the writing to show evidence of tracing of the content. This method can be used in analyzing documents a trace from the original document. Most of the evidence that is analyzed using the ESDA is not necessarily the original document but also includes a document that was laid on top of the document bearing evidence, when it was being written. In most cases, this form of evidence is invisible. The mechanism behind the machine is to develop the various indentations for a given page for efficient identification. One of the latest methods of examining questioned documents is done using comparative ink analysis equipment. The equipment conducts an analysis of the ink by determining the specific chemicals that makes up the ink. One of the most common method in this category is the use of thin layer chromatography in which a photodiode array detector that is visible in ultraviolet light facilitates the separation of the dyes within the ink (Braz, López-López & García-Ruiz, 2013). Through the identification of the ink that is used in a specific document, then there is either dispelling or strengthening of the evidence. Using this method, a variety of inks are identifiable hence an investigator is able to determine the ink that was used in the document. The use of infrared rays is also a strategy that has been employed in an effort to establish whether the questioned document provide sufficient evidence. The document is examined through infrared imaging as well as photography using special equipment that uses infrared light. The equipment makes it possible to see the infrared areas, which cannot be seen through a naked human eye. There are two types of equipment that are used in determining the properties that are not visible and found in the infrared area, these are the forensic imaging spectrometers and the video spectral comparators (Braz, López-López, & García-Ruiz, 2013). This method is highly important when examining a document that has obscured using white out, faded away or writing that has been scribbled out. The method is much conservative since it does not destroy the questioned documents (Kelly & Lindblom, 2006). This method is highly applicable in forensic investigations because of its high sensitivity; it is capable of detecting minimal changes in ink and other differences that cannot be identified using the human eye. The equipment used in this examination have been advanced in order to identify characteristics of documents in other wavelengths such as the ultraviolet areas. Signature verification is another method that is used in examining questioned documents. A signature is a very important personal identifier that is used mainly in confirmation of documents. In some forensic analysis of documents, the signature can play a very critical role in identification. However, it has a major problem in that variability is high among genuine signatures (Srihari & Singer, 2014). If the signature verification process does not produce concrete evidence, then other methods can be applied in order to identify the authenticity of a suspicious document. Through a series of the genuine signatures, a model of the signature can be used in identifying the forged signatures (Srihari & Singer, 2014). This is based on the unique features of a signature that appears on the examinable document. Using the Bayesian approach the distribution of the signatures for similarity is determined in instances where the difference cannot be spotted out rightly. Once the signature has been verified, the document that is genuine is identified while one that bears the forged one is also determined. In addition, the signature can be used to link a certain individual to the authorship of the questioned document while the other suspects are exonerated. In conclusion, the methods used in examination of questioned documents complement one another. They help in establishing a strong case by providing concrete evidence that cannot be disputed or disregarded. Most of these methods have a scientific approach hence they are able to determine the authenticity of the document and link a suspect to the document with a high level of precision. Despite the challenges that face methods such as the use of signatures, the use of modern technologies such as the use of infrared equipment covers for the weakness. References Braz, A., López-López, M., & García-Ruiz, C. (2013). Review article: Raman spectroscopy for forensic analysis of inks in questioned documents. Forensic Science International, (232)206-212 Bryan, E. (2010). Questioned document examination. Evidence Technology Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/evidencetechnology/20100506/index.php?startid=20#/24 Kelly, J., & Lindblom, B. S. (2006). Scientific Examination of Questioned Documents. Boca Raton, FL: CRC/Taylor & Francis Srihari, S. N., & Singer, K. (2014). Role of automation in the examination of handwritten items. Pattern Recognition,(47)1083-1095. Srihari. S. N. (2010). Computational methods for handwritten questioned document examination. Retrieved from https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/232745.pdf Read More