Research Paper on Handwriting and Specimen Signature Forensics

Overview:
This document is intended to serve as an approach to forensic
handwriting examination for practitioners actively involved in casework,
or for those interested in investigating general aspects of the practice of
forensic handwriting examination.

Like fingerprints, every person’s handwriting is unique and personalized.

Handwriting is difficult to disguise or forge and analysis can provide a
useful tool in forensics in excluding persons when determining a match
between known materials (exemplar).

CA Sukumar Basu
Research Paper on Handwriting and Specimen Signature Forensics

 Everyone’s handwriting exhibits natural variation due to

several factors. Adults show slight variation because the
characters are formed as a result of habit and their brain has
been trained.
 A Signature is a combined result of cumulative effect of a
number of factors such as muscular control, co-ordination,
health, age, frequency of writing, temperature etc.
 Formal Signatures- Used on wills or other important
documents.
 Informal Signatures- used on routine documents and personal
corresponding.
 Careless Scribble- used for signing credit cards, mail
deliveries, autographs, or hotel registration forms.

CA Sukumar Basu
Research Paper on Handwriting and Specimen
Signature Forensics

 Authentic Signature is the combination of writing characters

which are consistent with natural conditions surrounding the
signed document.
Characteristics of Authentic Signatures and Writing
 Written rapidly.
 Have Rhythm when written by experienced writer with proper
health.
 May miss certain information.
 Introduce certain other forms.
 End Strokes Flourish.
 Smooth.
 Natural free flowing Appearance.

CA Sukumar Basu
Research Paper on Handwriting and Specimen
Signature Forensics

 Forged Signatures are practiced illegally and are not

genuine are termed as forged signatures.
 Characteristics of Forged Signatures and Writing
 Appearance of being slowly written.
 Lack of Rhythm and Individuality.
 Unnatural Appearance.
 Appearance of being drawn.
 Attention towards formation of letters.

CA Sukumar Basu
Research Paper on Handwriting and Specimen
Signature Forensics

Types of Forgeries
 Simple Forgery: the forger does not imitate the
signature of the other person but he simply signs his own
signature without any intention to imitate.
 Traced Forgery: the forger traces the original signature
on the other document. This may be done with Carbon
tracing, Simple tracing or Using transmitted light
methods
 Simulated or Freehand Forgery: the forger practices
the genuine signature and tries to imitate the same
signature on the other document.
 Transplanted forgery: it is usually done on the stamps.

CA Sukumar Basu
Research Paper on Handwriting and Specimen
Signature Forensics

Theory of Handwriting:
 Handwriting is an acquired skill. It is, therefore, a
habitual as well as individualized; this individualization
is basic principle in document examination.
 Most of the hand muscles are situated in the lower arm
and connect to the fingers by an intricate set of
tendons. Their ability in manipulating a writing
instrument is precisely coordinated by a timing system
under a neural controls of movements of the arm the
hand and the fingers.

CA Sukumar Basu
Research Paper on Handwriting and Specimen
Signature Forensics

Questioned Document Examination:

 When a question is raised about the authenticity of a
document or a part thereof, that document becomes a
questioned document, which is sometimes also referred to
also ‘disputed’ or contested’ document. Following types of
identification are regularly done in handwriting and
signatures:
 Is the handwriting Genuine or Forged?
 Is the signature Genuine or Forged?
 Authorship of the Handwriting and Signatures?
 Is the A Handwriting Disguised?
 Is the Handwriting transplanted?

CA Sukumar Basu
Research Paper on Handwriting and Specimen
Signature Forensics

Basic Principles of Handwriting and Signature Identification

 The basic philosophy behind Handwriting Identification is
comparison of class and Individual characteristics of the given
handwriting sample. The first step is to observe the general
appearance of the questioned writing as compared with the
genuine standard writing. By this method the conspicuous
characteristics are determined.

CA Sukumar Basu
Research Paper on Handwriting and Specimen
Signature Forensics

Forensic Handwriting and Signature Identification

 Handwriting Identification is completely based on the
comparison of class and individual characteristics. It is
similar to that of fingerprint Identification.
Characteristics such as bifurcation, Island, Dot, Short
ridge, Core, Delta etc. are compared in fingerprint
identification. Similarly there are class and individual
characteristics in handwriting comparison.

CA Sukumar Basu
Research Paper on Handwriting and Specimen
Signature Forensics

The Process of Handwriting and Signature Identification

 Document analysis – examination and comparison of
questioned documents with known material. Experts
establish the authenticity of the documents and detect any
changes, erasures, or obliterations that may have occurred.
 Questioned documents – signature or handwritings whose
source or authenticity is in dispute or uncertain. Examples:
checks, certificates, wills, passports, licenses, money,
letters etc.
 Document Expert – specially trained person who
scientifically analyzes handwriting and other features in a
document, often to detect changes from the original.

CA Sukumar Basu
Research Paper on Handwriting and Specimen
Signature Forensics

Discussion and Conclusion

 This paper is an approach to characterize handwriting and
signature in forensic point of view. The detailed characters
discussed on handwriting and signatures analysis are essential
to eliminate a suspected signature or handwriting. The
alterations made in the documents are also a kind of forgery so
their examination and detection also becomes a very major
aspect of forensic examination. The forensic handwriting
examiners have ample knowledge about the class and
individual characters used to identify handwriting. Hence
forger must now think twice before he damages the document.

CA Sukumar Basu
Research Paper on Handwriting and Specimen
Signature Forensics

CA Sukumar Basu