Field and Practice of Questioned Document Examination

Fields of Questioned Document Examination According to Osborn ($1910$)

• Ink Examination

  • Ink examination is categorized as a collateral examination that provides an identification of the type and color of ink used within a document.

  • It is often regarded as an insignificant contribution to an investigation unless it serves to distinguish between different manufacturing sources.

  • Specific applications include:

    • Identifying ink used in mechanical devices such as typewriters.

    • Questioning ballpoint pen ink in relation to signatures to determine if the writing instrument matches the purported origin.

• Paper Examination

  • Paper represents the physical medium for creating a document. Examination involves determining the characteristics of the paper, including its manufacturing age.

  • A critical aspect of this field is comparing the physical age of the paper with the purported date written on the document.

  • Authenticity Conflict Example: If a document is dated $1910$, but a physical analysis of the paper reveals it was manufactured after that year, the authenticity and genuineness of the document are compromised because the age of the medium does not match the chronological claim indicated on the document.

Manipulated Documents and Mechanical Identification

• Typewriting Identification

  • While typewriting machines are less common in the modern market due to computer-related production, they still appear in specific documentary cases.

  • Typewriting identification is frequently applied to older documents, such as titles, christening certificates, or baptismal certificates.

  • The process involves a comparative analysis of the typewritten text to identify the specific machine or source.

• Examination of Alterations

  • Alterations refer to the changes or modifications made to a document without the consent of the original owner or the document's creator.

  • These modifications are achieved through physical, chemical, or mechanical means.

  • Types of Alterations:

    • Obliteration: This involves blacking out important sections of a document or using white ink to cover specific words.

    • Superimposition: This involves changing characters to alter the meaning, such as changing a letter "c" to a letter "a".

    • Retouching: Minor physical modifications made to the strokes of the writing or printing.

• Examination of Charred Documents

  • Charred documents are considered a special problem in questioned document examination due to extreme fragility.

  • They consist of documents that have been darkened and transformed into a fragile state because of extreme exposure to heat or burning (half-burnt paper).

  • Conventional methods of restoration are insufficient for the decipherment and examination of these materials; they require highly sensitive handling and specialized processing to salvage handwriting or text fragments.

Advanced and Computer-Generated Manipulations

• Computer Manipulated Documents

  • There is exponential growth in the use of software applications and machines to effortlessly alter documents, which is frequently exploited by criminal enterprises.

  • The most prevalent techniques for manipulation include:

    • Copy-paste techniques for transferring signatures or text.

    • Image processing techniques to modify the appearance of the document.

  • While these are the easiest forms of manipulation for a criminal to execute, they represent the hardest challenge for a questioned document examiner to analyze due to their digital nature.

• Graphology

  • Graphology is the study where the personality of the writer is identified through their handwriting or the specific words used.

Handwriting and Signature Examination

• Handwriting Examination Procedures

  • This is the most prominent field within questioned document examination.

  • It refers to the systematic procedure of analysis and comparison of handwriting samples.

  • The primary purpose is to determine whether a "questioned writing" was produced by a specific writer through the use of known samples.

  • Levels of Examination:

    • Single letter examination.

    • Comparison of two or more letters.

    • Word-by-word analysis.

    • Sentence structure and paragraph examination.

    • Signature examination (a subset of handwriting examination).

Miscellaneous and Specialized Examinations

• Broad Categories of Miscellaneous Examination:

  • Counterfeiting: Including paper bills and industrial printing.

  • Mechanical Devices: Rubber stamps, seals, and check writers.

  • Physical Characteristics: Embossed sequence of strokes, preternatural paper characteristics, and envelope tampering.

The Forensic Document Examiner

• Professional Definition

  • A Forensic Document Examiner is a professional specialized in the analysis and examination of documents that are in dispute regarding authenticity.

  • Their work involves evaluating signatures, handwriting, printed materials, and various other elements to determine origin, authorship, and integrity.

  • In the Philippines, these professionals may also be referred to as "Wisemen" or "Master Writers."

Legal Framework of Criminology in the Philippines

• Republic Act No. $11131$

  • Title: The Philippine Criminology Profession Act of $2018$.

  • This act regulates the practice of the criminology profession in the Philippines.

  • Passing the board examination under this law allows an individual to become a licensed criminologist.

• Scope of Practice (Section $5$, Paragraph C)

  • Under Section $1$ and Section $5$ (paragraph c) of RA $11131$, the scope of practice for a criminologist includes acting as a technician, examiner, or specialist in forensic and criminalistics fields.

  • Professional criminologists can specialize in the following scientific crime detection and investigation fields:

    • Dactyloscopy (fingerprint identification).

    • Questioned Document Examination (QDE).

    • DNA Analysis.

    • Forensic Chemistry.

    • Lie Detection (Polygraphy).

    • Firearm Identification (Ballistics).

    • Forensic Photography.

    • Forensic Toxicology.