Questioned Documents and Ballistics

Forgery

The creation of a false written document or alteration of a genuine one, with the intent to defraud.

Archaeological Forgery

ince the age of the object is usually the most significant detail, they try to use radiocarbon dating (destructive and limited use depending on age of object) or neutron activation analysis (NAA) (non-destructive - can detect minute amounts of elements) to find out the real age of the object.

Counterfeit

Imitate something authentic, with the intent to steal, destroy, or replace the original, for use in illegal transactions, or otherwise to deceive individuals into believing that the fake is of equal or greater value than the real thing.

Guilloché Printing

The micro-printing of lines to form ornate patterns. These patterns are a series of lines or designs which, under magnification, contain words that are usually repeated. This technology is used in currency as well, where what looks like lines to the naked eye are actually tiny, printed text.

Questioned Documents

Documents suspected to be forgeries.

Writing

A ___ consists of letters, words, numbers, or their equivalent set down in any form”

Albert Osborn

Pioneered the use of handwriting analysis.

Gilbert v. California

Handwriting samples are identifying physical characteristics that lie outside the protection privileges of the 5th amendment.

US v. Mara

Taking of a handwriting sample did not constitute unreasonable search and seizure and not in violation of 4th amendment.

Oblique Lighting

Method that lights the document from different angles. The indentations in the paper would cast shadows that could be photographed.\

ESDA

A suspect page is put on a porous bronze plate and covered with cellophane.

A vacuum is applied through the plate to pull the page and the cellophane together.

Then a high voltage static charge is applied.

A charge accumulates in the indentations of the document.

Black toner, (similar to that used in copiers and printers) is then cascaded over the cellophane.

The highly charged areas collect more toner, which ‘brings out’ the indentations on the page.

The image can be preserved by photography, or by placing an adhesive backed clear sheet over the cellophane.

Erasure

The removal of writings. Typewriting, or printing from a document.  Normally accomplished by either chemical means or an abrasive instrument.

Indented Writings

Impressions left on papers positioned under a piece of paper that has been written upon.

Exemplar

An authentic sample used for comparison purposes, such as handwriting.

Natural Variations

Normal deviations found between repeated specimens of an individual handwriting or any printing device.

Infrared Luminescence

A property exhibited by some dyes that emit infrared light when exposed to blue-green light.

Obliteration

The blotting out or smearing over of writing or printing to make the original unreadable.

Charred Document

Any document that has become darkened and brittle through exposure to fire or excessive heat.

Unabomber Case

Joseph Cosey

Infamous forger and con artist. Favorite alaias of notorious forger Martin Conneely. He was very skilled at mimicking the handwriting of historical American figures. He used old paper, brown ink and writing implements that the contemporary writer would have used - this made his documents so convincing that they fooled several experts.

Konrad Kujau

Author of the “Hitler Diaries”

Elmyr de Hory

Infamous Art Forger

JonBenet Ramsey

Holograms

More than 300 denominations in 97 currencies use holograms for protection, making them one of the most common security features globally. They can be incorporated into designs by the way of security threads, stripes, patches and window features.

Watermarks

One of the most common security features, watermarks are created by using different thicknesses of paper in the printing process. When hit with light, an image will be illuminated.

Microtext

Tiny text, which can only be read with a magnifying glass, is a common safety feature on many bills globally.

Security Thread

Many notes use this security feature, which consists of a thin ribbon that is threaded through the note’s paper.Different colors for different denominations.