A lab report is a neatly written account of your experiment and procedures, as described below. It
should be an impersonal account written in third person. The report should be typed. All pages should
be of the same size with writing on only one side of each sheet, with no ragged edges and paginated.
The report should include all information related to the crime lab and the person performed the analysis.
The report should include the following information, with headings to begin each section (see the
example).
Crime Laboratory, Telephone and Fax
Date
To: the recipient of the lab report (detective)
Lab File Number
Agency Case Number
Evidence Submitted by: Name of the officer
Samples received by Laboratory: Date and time
Sample 1
Sample 2
Purpose/Objective:
A short statement giving the objective to be achieved by performing this experiment.
Procedure:
The procedure is an impersonal set of directions on how you perform the analysis.
detailed directions.
It should include
Observations:
Some labs require certain observations like if the sample was consumed during the analysis.
observations should be recorded.
Such
Results:
A detailed description of the results of the analysis. It must follow the same order as the procedures and
samples received. This section must include tables/graphs and figures and sometimes statistical analysis
to improve the understanding of the results.
Conclusions:
Itemized summary of the results.
Forensic Scientist Signature and Date
•
•
Materials Needed:
o Suspect Sample Documents and the bank robbery note (attached)
o Magnifying glass
The Exercise:
o Last month the Brown Bank and Trust was robbed. A person in a ski mask
handed the teller the typewritten note attached. Document examiners have
determined that the note was typed using a typewriter. Police have several
suspects who happen to own typewriters. Your challenge is to examine the type
print on the note given to the bank teller an dot examine the prints made from the
typewriters of the suspects to determine who typed the note and likely robbed
the bank.
o Carefully examine the note given to the teller in the bank robbery using a
magnifying glass. Pay special attention to the spacing between letters and
words, and any unique formations of letters such as the use of straight lines
versus curved lines. Then, examine the samples taken from the typewriters
found in the suspects' houses. Answer the following questions:
▪ How does the "h" in the robbery note compare to the "h" from Christopher's
sample? How does it compare to the "h" in Diana's sample?
▪ How does the "a" in the robbery note compare to the "a' from Olivia's
sample? How does it compare to the "a" in Karen's sample?
▪ How does the "m" in the robbery note compare to the "m" from Savannah's
sample? How does it compare to the "m" in Ashley's sample?
▪ How does the "y" in the robbery note compare to the "y" from Steven's
sample? How does it compare to the "y" in Glenn's sample?
▪ Examine the apostrophe found in the robbery note. Compare this to all nine
of the suspect samples. Based on the formation of the apostrophe, which
samples can you rule out? In other words, which samples are definitely not a
match based on these characteristics? Explain your answer.
▪ Examine the capital "T" found in the robbery note. Compare this to all nine of
the suspect samples. Based on the formation of the "T", which samples can
you rule out? Explain your answer.
▪ Based on your analysis and observations, which suspect owned the
typewriter that matched the note used in the bank robbery? Explain how you
arrived at your answer, using specific characteristics of the letters as
supporting details.
o Write your findings in a lab report, including in your results the answers for these
questions and justification of your conclusions. Include some comparison
pictures.
o Upload as a single pdf your lab report and pictures. This will be your post-lab
assignment. WRITING_LAB_REPORTS.doc
Document Examination
Document Examiner
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Questioned Document. Any document about which some issue has been
raised or that is the subject of an investigation.
Document Examiner. Examines handwriting and typescript to ascertain the
source or authenticity of a questioned document.
Microscopy, photography, analytical methods (chromatography).
Document alterations.
Writings or other markings found on walls, windows, doors or any other
objects.
Apply knowledge of training and experience to recognize and compare the
individual characteristics of questioned and known authentic writings.
Gathering of documents of known authorship or origin.
One of few definitive individual characteristics available to the investigator.
Handwriting Comparisons
•
General Style
Zaner- Bloser
Palmer
– Nerve and motor responses associated with the act
of writing become subconscious.
Handwriting Comparisons
•
Variations in Handwriting
Ø Angularity, slope, speed, pressure, letter and word
spacings, relative dimensions of letters,
connections, pen movements, writing skill and
finger dexterity.
Ø Margins, spacings, crowding, insertions, and
alignment (personal habits).
Ø Spelling, punctuation, phraseology, and grammar
(personal).
• Sufficient number of common
characteristics.
Handwriting Comparisons
•
Challenges to Handwriting Comparison
Ø Insufficient number of known writings
Ø Not enough personal characteristics
Ø Writings with a few words or sentences
Ø Influence of drugs or alcohol
Collection of Handwriting Exemplars
•
•
Exemplar. An authentic sample used for comparison purposes, such as
handwriting.
Determining Authenticity
Ø Natural variations. Normal deviations found between repeated specimens of an
individual´s handwriting or any printing device. Known writings must be adequate.
Ø No two specimens of writing prepared by one person are ever identical in every detail.
Ø Age of the genuine document relative to the questioned one. Find standards that date
closely in time to the questioned document.
Collection of Handwriting Exemplars
•
Obtaining Writing Samples
Ø Voluntary or under court order from the suspect.
Ø Gilbert v. California, United States v. Mara (not violate Fourth Amendment rights).
Ø Requested writing sample:
1. Several pages
2. Writing of dictation
3. Sitting comfortably at a desk or table and without distraction.
4. Not shown the questioned document or be told how to spell certain words or
what punctuation to use.
5. Pen and paper similar to those used in the questioned document.
6. The dictated text should be the same as the contents of QD.
7. Dictation at least three times.
8. Signature combine with other writings.
9. Consult document examiner before requesting exemplars.
Typescript Comparisons-Photocopier, Fax and Printer
Examination
•
•
•
•
Identify make and model
Compare a QD with test samples (10 samples)
Photocopiers: Transitory defect marks.
Fax machines: Transitory patterns from debris and other extraneous materials:
Ø Transmitting Terminal Identifier (TTI). Header and the text should have different type styles.
Ø Model type use TTI. The fonts of that line are determined by the sending machine.
Ø Database of TTI fonts maintained by the American Society of Questioned Document Examiners.
•
Computer Printers:
Ø Nonimpact printers: ink-jet and laser printers
Ø Impact printers: thermal and dot-matrix printers
Ø Not printer available, analyze the document´s class characteristics to identify make and model:
printing technology, type of paper, type of toner or ink used, chemical composition of the toner,
type of toner-to-paper fusing method used .
Ø Microscopy, inorganic and organic components of the toner.
Alterations, Erasures, and Obliterations
•
Erasure. The removal of writing, typewriting, or printing from a document; it is
normally accomplished by either chemical means or an abrasive document.
Microscopy
examination
UV or infrared
light
Infrared
Luminescence. A
property exhibited
by some dyes that
emit infrared light
when exposed to
blue-green light.
Alterations, Erasures, and Obliterations
•
Obliteration. The blotting out or smearing over of writing or printing to make the
original unreadable.
Microscopy
examination
UV or infrared
light
Alterations, Erasures, and Obliterations
Charred Document. Any document that has become darkened and brittle
through exposure to fire or excessive heat. Infrared light, ink fluorescence.
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Other Document Problems
Indented Writings. Impressions left on papers positioned under a piece of paper
that has been written on. Electrostatic Detection Apparatus (ESDA)
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/prado/es/prado-start-page.html
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/prado/es/prado-start-page.html
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/prado/es/prado-start-page.html
Other Document Problems
• Ink Comparison. Visible Microspectrophotometer.
TLC.
• The US Secret Service and the IRS maintain the United
States International Ink Library. TLC patterns.
• Ink manufacturers, at the request of the US Treasury
Department, voluntarily tag their inks during
manufacturing process.
• Paper. General appearance, color, weight and
watermarks. Fiber identification and the
characterization of additives, fillers, and pigments
present in the paper product.
http://www.edisontd.net/
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/prado/es/prado-start-page.html
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INTRODUCTION TO DOCUMENT
EXAMINATION
7.1
Introduction
Document examination encompasses a wide range of topics
involving the writing source, writing medium, and type of paper. A
forensic document examiner could be responsible for analyzing
handwriting samples to determine forgeries, indented writing on
paper, obliterations or alterations of existing writing, paper and ink
sources, and authenticity of documents. At a crime scene, items
collected for document examination must be collected and packaged carefully so as not to destroy the sample or inadvertently
write on the packaging and alter the sample.
Investigation Sequence
Document examination is always completed first in the crime
laboratory evidence processing sequence as methods used by
other disciplines, such as latent print analysis, can destroy the
writing sample and ink on the paper. First, the document
evidence is photographed or copied in order to retain an accurate, original representation of the sample prior to testing and
comparison. Next, the document examiner can use different
wavelengths of light to enhance or visualize the ink samples
better. Depending on the type of examination, light sources,
magnification, and machines can be used to assist in the
comparison process.
Handwriting Examination
Handwriting examination is one of the principal tasks performed by forensic document examiners. Handwriting examinations are conducted by analyzing, comparing, and evaluating
questioned documents or the item of evidence versus known
writings or samples that can be linked to the suspect, such as
handwriting in a personal notebook. The FDE utilizes
Criminalistics Laboratory Manual. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-1-4557-3140-4.00020-4
Copyright Ó 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Chapter 7.1 INTRODUCTION TO DOCUMENT EXAMINATION
Video spectral comparator.
a stereomicroscope, along with hand magnifiers, to assist in
conducting a detailed examination of the evidence. Upon
completion of the examination process, the FDE will express an
opinion that can range from identification to elimination of
a writer. This range also includes qualified opinions, which are in
between identification and elimination.
When a person writes on paper, the surface of the paper is
altered or compressed by the writing instrument, which
creates an indentation on both the original layer of paper and
the next few layers of paper. The indentations, which may be
visible to the naked eye, are typically enhanced using oblique
or side lighting and a piece of equipment known as an electrostatic detection device (EDD). An EDD is an instrument
used by the document examiner to enhance indented writing
on a document in a safe, nondestructive manner. First, a thin
sheet of Mylar is placed over the sample in question to
protect the original document from destruction. Then an
electrostatic charge is applied to the evidence. Black toner
Chapter 7.1 INTRODUCTION TO DOCUMENT EXAMINATION
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Chapter 7.1 INTRODUCTION TO DOCUMENT EXAMINATION
Handwriting samples.
Investigative Tip
You may remember as
a child that you could
reveal indented writing by
shading the surface with
the side of a pencil,
causing the indented
writing to darken. Never
use shading as a forensic
technique, as darkening of
the indented writing
obstructs the use of other
forensic techniques and
can ruin the evidence.
powder is applied to the Mylar sheet under the electrostatic
charge and any indented writing clings to the black powder
for enhancement. Finally, the Mylar sheet is removed and
preserved as a new piece of evidence or lifted in order to
depict the indented writing from the original sample of
evidence.
Alterations and Obliterations
A document examiner also examines cases of alterations and
obliterations in order to separate the original source from the
modification. An alteration is an adjustment or change to the
original text of the document. Obliteration is the removal of
material contained within the original document through either
an erasure or a deliberate action to obstruct the writing. The video
spectral comparator (VSC) is a tool used by document examiners
to apply various wavelengths of light and filters to analyze altered
and obliterated text on a questioned document.
Chapter 7.1 INTRODUCTION TO DOCUMENT EXAMINATION
Electrostatic detection device.
Altered receipt.
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Chapter 7.1 INTRODUCTION TO DOCUMENT EXAMINATION
Close-up of altered receipt.
Chapter 7.1 INTRODUCTION TO DOCUMENT EXAMINATION
Obliterations.
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