Apparatuses/ Equipments for QDE

Stereoscopic microscope Hand lens Shadowgraph machine Compound microscope Oblique light Micrometer caliper Typewriter test plate Handwriting portractor

Ultraviolet lamp Transmitted light Paper cutter Photo enlarger Forensic comparator Photo paper dryer Camera w/ macro lens Infra-red image converter Video spectral comparator (VSC) Forensic optical comparator Electrostatic detection apparatus EXCELLENT EYESIGHT

Materials that form a document:

Paper Ink Writing Instrument

Paper

Earliest form—parchment or vellum papyrus—grass like plant from Egypt AD 874—earliest manuscript found from Egypt AD 1049—earliest manuscript found in England

Commonly used papers

Writing paper pad (common paper) Carbon paper

Heavily coated with waxy layer which hold sufficient coloring matter

Safety paper Treated to minimize chances of forgery by erasure

Bond paper Commonly used in typewritten documents

Stationaries Colored and perfumed, cmmonly used for special letters

Ink

Earliest ink was in form of vegetable varnish Oldest type was invented by the Chinese

Classes of Ink

Indian ink Amorphous carbon in the form of lamp-black made

into cake with hide glue Printing Ink

Made by grinding carbon in form of vegetable char with varnish made of natural gums and drying oils

Canceling Ink Often contains carbon; should be checked when

deciphering cancellation marks on postage stamps or wrappers

Iron-tannin ink Soluble salts of iron mixed with extracts from

vegetable materials such as tan bark and nut galls used for tannin hide

Suitable with quill Record Ink

High quality ink assured of long life Recommended by Schutting and Neumann in

government specification Contains 0.5-0.6% iron with minimum concentration

of acid Fountain pen ink

Record ink that contains half concentration of iron compuonds but increased proportion of dye

Colored ink Contains synthetic dye

Copying ink Concentrated record ink added with glycerin or

dextrin Logwood ink

Formerly widely used but rarely encountered today 80% dye and remainder is iron-tannin ink

Hectograph ink Contains gelatin glycerol mixture of special clay Dye is mixed with glucose, glycerol or glycol

Stamp-pad ink Similar to hectograph inks but are heavily loaded

with hhumectants such as glycerol or glycol which prevents the pad from drying up

May contain solvents such as acetone, methyl alcohol or ethyl acetate for quick drying

Liquid lead pencil ink Ordinary ball point pen with fluid containing finely

divided carbon substituted for dye

Writing Instrument

Roman beaver Reed pen Goose quill Steel pen Fountain pen

Appearance of Document

Folds and creases Impressions

From paper clips or stamp pads Cancellation stamps

Hand stamps of post office Erasures

Rubbing the surface of the paper resulting in reducing thickness of paper

Surface Examined in strong sunlight

Blots and smears Devised for obscuring forger's intention to hide Result from contact with other writings

Dimensions Forgery may be done by trimming a part of document

rather that attempting to erase Perforations

Slight irregularities in tearing Adhesive stamps

May reveal unsymmetrical outline due to perforations Holes and tears

May be deliberately made to cover forgery

Wire marks and water marks Identyfying features of a sheet of paper

introduced into paper at the early stage of manufacture

Definition of terms

Document Any material that contains marks, symbol or signs

that convey message or information Questioned Document

A document which some issues were raised, placed under scrutiny or of doubtful origin

Questioned Document Examination Act of making a close and critical study of document

questioned, disputed, attacked necessary to discover the facts about them

Comparison Two or more items are set side by side

(juxtaposition) to weigh their identifying qualities Visual and mental act which the element of one

item is related to the counterpart of the other Collation

Ordering or assembling of detailed results of critical comparison of questioned document

Unified result of detailed comparison between different items or forms of information

Opinion Document examiner's conclusion Demonstrate the reason for arriving at the opinion

Natural variation Normal or usual deviation found between repeated

specimen of any individual handwriting or product of any typewriter

Natural writing Specimen of writing executed normally without any

attempt to control or alter its identifying habits and its usual quality or execution

Forensic document examiner Anyone who examines adequate exemplars of

document and provude conclusions, reasons and photographic demonstrations in court so the court can make its own determination in giving appropriate decision

Forensic Document Examiner

Determine if a questioned document originated from the same source as the know item

Present opinion in court as an EXPERT WITNESS Determine what happened to a document Determine when a document was procured Decipher information on a document that has been

obscured, obliterated or erased

Traits of FDE

Excellent eyesight Pass a form blindness test Normal color perception Bachelor of Science degree Training and apprenticeship

Responsibilities of FDE

Strive constantly to improve professional standing

Must be certain of technical conclusion Must avoid outside influences Must be fair and impartial on the witness stand Must protect the innocent

General Principles in QDE

Documents are questiones, disputed and attacked on many grounds for various reasons

Documents should be preserved, handled and cared for in a manner that will not impair the slightest degree of its value as evidence

QD examination observes phases of specific approacher