1 Module 1 – The Field of Forensic Document Examination

PROGRAM OUTCOMES

The College of Criminal Justice Education will produce graduates who can:

1. apply knowledge essential to the practice of crime detection;

2. actualize the knowledge and skills in law enforcement administration;
3. enforce the criminal laws and observe the rules on evidence and criminal procedure;
4. demonstrate the skills in handling offenders’ welfare and development for their re-integration to the
community; and
5. conduct criminological research of crimes, crime causation, victims and offenders to include deviant
behavior.

Common to all programs in all types of schools:

a) engage in lifelong learning and understand the need to keep abreast with the developments in the field of
practice;
b) communicate effectively;
c) work effectively and independently in multi-disciplinary and cultural teams;
d) practice professional, social and ethical attitudes, values and responsibilities; and
e) appreciate and value “Filipino historical and cultural heritage “and uphold constitutional and statutory
guarantees.

Specific program Outcome:

a) apply knowledge essential to the conduct of criminological research on crimes, crime causation, victims,
and offenders to include deviant behavior;
b) apply knowledge, skills essential to the practice of crime detection and investigation and fields of
criminalistics;
c) apply knowledge, skills in criminal law, evidence and procedure;
d) apply knowledge, skills in law enforcement administration; and
e) apply knowledge, skills in handling offender’s welfare and development for their re-integration to the
community.

COURSE TITLE Forensic Questioned Document Examination (Criminalistics -4)

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course covers the basic concepts and principles of questioned documents examination. It
particularly gives insight regarding the handwriting identification, forgery and its execution, typewriting
identification, alteration of documents, counterfeiting and the importance or role of a questioned document
expert towards the administration of justice, and the care and preservation of evidence for court litigation.
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COURSE OUTCOMES (CMO)

In this course, you should be able to:

1. conduct Criminological research on importance and application of the concept of the different standard
documents and common characteristics used in determining the known samples in investigation and
detection crimes and criminal justice;
2. demonstrate procedures in questioned document in crime detection and investigation;
3. apply the principles of jurisprudence procedure in presenting questioned document in court proceeding;
4. collaborate the questioned document techniques effectively and independently in multi-disciplinary and
multi-cultural teams;
5. engage in lifelong learning and understanding on the development of questioned document as a field in
criminology; and
6. apply professional, social, and ethical standards in the practice of questioned document examiner.

Pre-Requisite Forensic 1 and 3

Lesson 2
Document

Lesson Learning Outcomes

In this lesson, you will be able to:

1. define document, questioned document and disputed document;

2. enumerate the classification of a document;
3. discuss the proper care and handling of a questioned document;
4. distinguish questioned document to disputed document.

PRE-ASSESSMENT

Instruction: Read each question carefully, and then ENCIRCLE THE ANSWER that best fits the question.

1. It serves as the focal points of all document examination and it is where the document examiner relies as
to the determination of the appropriate examination and the extent of the problem involved.
a. Questioned document
b. disputed document
c. Standard document
c. evidential document
d. none

2. An necropsy report is an example of what kind of evidence?

3 Module 1 – The Field of Forensic Document Examination

a. documentary
b. experimental
c. testimonial
d. object/Real

3. It is any material which contains mark, signs, symbols, either invisible or visible which convey a message
to someone is refers to?
a. document
b. questioned
c. standard
d. disputed

4. It is any document which is under public arguments

a. document
b. questioned
c. standard
d. disputed

5. A document completely written and signed by one person is known as____________.

a. Holograph document
b. all of the above
c. Questioned document
d. disputed document
e. None of the above

6. It serves as the focal points of all document examination and it is where the document examiner relies as
to the determination of the appropriate examination and the extent of the problem involved.
a. Questioned document
b. disputed document
c. Standard document
c. evidential document
d. none

7. An autopsy report is an example of what kind of evidence?

a. documentary
b. experimental
c. testimonial
d. object/Real
4 Module 1 – The Field of Forensic Document Examination

8. Specimen of writing which was executed in the regular course of one’s activities.
a. requested
b. collected
c. executed at one time
d. day to day standard

9. When document examiner as well as police are dealing with documents, the most common problem they
encountered are those concerning.
a. origin
c. authorship
b. counterfeit
d. content (alteration)

10. It is also known as instrumentation.

a. Criminalistics
b. Evidence
c. Crime mala inse
d. None

LESSON MAP

Questioned
Document

Document

Nature and
Classification
/

This map shows the nature and classification of document and the
principle of a questioned document.
5 Module 1 – The Field of Forensic Document Examination

CONTENT

ENGAGE CKNOWING THE DOCUMENT

Activity No. 1 A Fortiori

Instruction: Answer the following questions:

1. Based on the picture given above, Is that considered as a document? Support your answer with
jurisprudence.
2. What comes first on your mind when you hear the word document?

EXPLORE RASCERTAINING A DOCUMENT

Activity No. 2 Reading Activity

Instruction: Read and thoroughly understand the topic below:

What Are Documents?

A convenient definition of a document is a mere sheet of paper bearing handwriting or computer-

typewriting, or printings are the more usual forms of documents. This encompasses traditional paper
documents but also includes things like graffiti on a wall, stamp impressions on meat products, or covert
markings hidden in a written letter, among other things.

What Are Questioned Documents?

A questioned document is one where the source or authenticity of the material is disputed. Albert
Osborn, the father of questioned document examination, explains that: A document is usually questioned
because its origin, its contents, or the circumstances and story regarding its production, arouse serious
suspicion as to its genuineness, or it may be adversely scrutinized simply because it displeases someone by
its unexpected provisions and a careful examination may show conclusively that the document belongs in the
genuine document class." (Osborn, 1929)

Nature and Classification of Documents

For distribution purposes, documents are classified m the following categories:

1. General - documents receiving full circulation

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This classification is used on basic documents and final meeting records, including agendas, studies and
reports, communications from Governments, resolutions and other decisions of concerns.
2. Limited - documents for which wide circulation is unnecessary because of the temporary nature of the
documents, such as draft resolutions, amendments, draft reports and other action documents
This "limited" classification is indicated by an "L" symbol. Some technical documents which are issued for
delegates are issued as limited documents. These may contain important information of interest to
researchers calling upon the services of the library. Documents in the limited category are generally available
for a relatively short period of time. Therefore, it is advantageous to request limited documents not received
through regular distribution or
3. Restricted -applies exclusively to documents whose content requires that they be treated as
confidential or that they be withheld from public circulation

The designation "Restricted" is indicated by an "R" symbol. In general, libraries do not receive any
documents designated as restricted, and researchers requesting them should be informed that they are not
available.

Proper Care and Handling of Questioned Documents

The improper or careless handling of a disputed document can compromise the forensic examination.
Law enforcement agencies usually have policy manuals listing their procedures on the collecting, recording,
and handling of evidence. When a questioned document is found in a crime scene, the document examiner is
usually not among the first responder to ensure its proper care and handling. It is therefore important that first
responders to crime scenes are properly trained to do this. On the other hand, there are also documents
handled by numerous individuals in the normal course of business. These may include forged contracts,
checks, land and other titles, deeds, accounting records, and wills. Common problems, such as rubber
stamping over handwritten text, punching holes, stapling and folding occur during business transactions
(Kelly & Lindblom, 2006).

Standards of Comparison

Standards or exemplars are legally admissible, authentic samples of handwriting used for comparison
with questioned writing to determine the authenticity or spuriousness of the questioned writing. They are also
called known samples. Their genuineness must be clear and undisputed (Koppenhaver, 2007).

The two types of standards are:

1. Collected Standards
- documents previously written in the normal and day to day course of business and known to be
genuine; may include bank records, letters, legal forms, etc.

2. Requested Standards
- samples that the subject is requested to give in order to facilitate the document examination.

What is Forgery?

A forgery is a purposeful attempt to make a fraudulent copy of something, whether it is a signature,

money, or a piece of art. If an object is fraudulent, this means that itsorigin is not what it is presented to be.
Fraudulent money, for example, is not genuine currency, and a forged check is not signed by the person
whose name is on the check. (Bell, 2009).

Indication of Genuineness

To identify a signature as genuine or imitation (such as a will signature), the examiner needs known
genuine signatures of the person whose signature is in question. To identify an unknown writer (as in the
case of an anonymous letter writer) the examiner needs known writing samples of suspects.

Below are some features of genuine writing:

1. Smooth, rapid, nonstop and free-flowing pen movement

2. Sweeping and unbroken starting and ending strokes in rounded forms

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3. Sweeping, misplaced and misshapen i-dots and t-crosses

4. Joining of initials or words

5. Wide writing and spacing

6. Simplification of forms, such as capitals

7. Letters tapered illegibly toward the end of words

8. Marked difference in pressure on upstrokes and down-

9. Delicate pressure at beginning and ending strokes to letters

10. Absence of carefully made repair and correcting strokes

11. Letter formations and pen movements that show close similarity to the exemplars' letter formations
and pen movements

Indication of Forgery

General indications of non-genu ineness may include the following:

1. Blunt starts and stops
2. Penlifts and hesitation
3. Tremor
4. Speed and pressure
5. Patching

Kinds and Methods of Forging (Koppenhaver, 2007)

1. Simple Forgery
2. Simulated Forgery

Types of Traced Forgery

1. Indentation Process -The outline of the writing underneath will then appear sufficiently plain to enable
it to be traced with pen or pencil, so as to produce a very accurate copy upon the superimposed paper. If the
outline is with a pencil, it is afterward marked over with ink.

2. Transmitted Process - It may then be done by placing the writing to be forged upon a transparency
over a strong light, and then superimposing the paper upon which the forgery is to be made.

3. Carbon Process - This is done with the aid of carbon paper interleave between a blank paper, used
with apparent force of writing, then afterwards marked over with ink.

Follow-Up Question:

1. What do you know about the topic of this book?

Answer:

.
8 Module 1 – The Field of Forensic Document Examination

EXPLAIN DEEPENING MY UNDERSTANDING ABOUT DOCUMENT

Activity No. 3 My Understanding

Instruction: Answer the following briefly.

1. Why are questioned documents important in forensic science? What is one example of a situation
where questioned document might be an important part in criminal case?
2. What are some of the ways that a document examiner might try to match a questioned document to
a specific typewriter? What aspects might they look at?

TOPIC SUMMARY

- Document is any material that contains marks, symbols, or signs, visible or partially visible &
convey meaning or message.
- Disputed Document is the term given when there is an argument or controversy on the document.
- Questioned Documents is a document which is in questioned because of its origin, its contents, or
circumstances regarding its production arouse suspicion as to its genuineness or it may adversely
scrutinize simply because it displeases someone.
- Public Document is an instrument authenticated by a notary public or competent official with the
formalities required by law; or an instrument executed in due form before a notary public certified
by him; or one that which is made by a notary public in the presence of parties who execute it with
the assistance of two (2) witnesses.

REFERENCES

Gonzales, JA (2008) Forensic Questioned Document Examination. Quezon City.

Wiseman’s Book Trading, Inc.

Alvarez, MG (2017) Forensic Examination of Questioned Document. Quezon City.

ChapterHouse Publishing Incorporated