Handwriting Analysis in Criminal Investigations
How handwriting analysis is used to solve crimes.
Handwriting is a unique and distinct personal characteristic that is impacted by physical and psychological traits such as dexterity, emotional state, and muscle structure. Handwriting examination is a method used by criminal investigators to gather evidence and link a suspect to a crime through the handwriting found at the crime scene.
Handwriting analysis combines the knowledge of forensic science, graphology, and psychology. Psychologists study the emotional and psychological factors that affect a person's handwriting, while graphologists study the physical characteristics of handwriting, such as pressure, slant, and spacing. Forensic scientists use the information gathered by graphologists and psychologists to link a suspect to a crime.
Forensic handwriting analysis uses steps similar to general handwriting analysis but focuses on identifying characteristics that can be used to identify a suspect or exclude them. These steps include:
1. The comparison of the questioned document or sample with existing handwriting samples of suspects or a large database of handwriting samples to check for matches.
2. The identification of any distinctive features or variations in the handwriting.
3. Analysis of the writer's emotions, stress levels, and other factors that may have affected their writing, to create a psychological profile of the suspect.
4. Analysis of any other physical or chemical evidence found on the document.
5. Examination of specific characteristics, such as individual letter formations, spacing, and slant.
6. The preparation of a detailed report of the findings and any conclusions reached.
Handwriting analysis is a powerful tool in criminal investigations, but it cannot be totally trusted. Handwriting can be forged and can also be affected by physical conditions such as old age, disease, or injury. Therefore, it is important to combine handwriting analysis with other forms of evidence to strengthen the case against the suspect. Additionally, handwriting analysis is not extensively accepted as a science by the scientific community, and it has been criticized for its lack of standardization and lack of scientific rigor.