Handwriting analysis is often thought to be synonymous with the term graphology but the truth is that the 2 terms are related no doubt, but are 2 different things. Handwriting analysis deals with the psychological aspect of understanding handwriting & its uniqueness. Graphology is the science behind it. Where, in forensics we use graphology to support validity of written evidence in the court.
The psychological theory of handwriting comparison is developmental. Children learn to write by copying whatever style of writing is fashionable at the time and taught to them by teachers from textbooks. This style is known as the regular or national system, and for most of the twentieth century, it was either the Palmer system or the Zaner-Blosser system for cursive. Today, there are many systems, or no system. As the child grows, the act of writing becomes a subconscious effort and begins to pick up habitual shapes and patterns that distinguish it from all others. This is most evident with capital letters and numerals. Handwriting has individual characteristics due to it being largely unconscious behavior. The unconscious handwriting of two different individuals is never identical. Mechanical and physical factors, as well as the mental ones, make it highly unlikely that the exact same handwriting occurs in two different people.
Handwriting analysis is done on the basis of assumptions; these assumptions have some standards however vary from analyst to analyst. Hence they do not stand in the scrutiny of court. However knowing the basis of graphology as a science and its explanation of how and why no two people can have the same handwriting, its explanations are accepted in the court of law.
To elaborate the above point, one can consider the scientific basis of the uniqueness of each individual’s handwriting:
The written movement is under the direct influence of the central nervous system. The form of the written movement is modified further by flexibly assembled coordinative structures in the hand, arm, and shoulder, which follow principles of dynamical systems.
The neuro-physiological mechanisms which contribute to the written movement are related to conditions within the central nervous system and vary in accordance with them. The written strokes, therefore, reflect changes in the central nervous system such as development, influence of alcohol, and disease processes, such as Parkinson's disease
This has been proved over & over with the basis also in psychology where-in the mind set, subconscious & unconscious of a person is accepted to have a key role in the kind of handwriting the person has.
This is further the basis of handwriting analysis which is theoretical in nature. In handwriting analysis the analysts try to make assumptions of the nature of human behavior on the basis of their individual handwriting.
Simple well known concepts include that of the baseline, i.e. if the baseline is ascending the writing is in a happy mood. However this aspect is also subject to varying assumptions such as the writer can be in optimistic mood or that the writer is sets unrealistic goals. Hence as one can see these are mere assumptions and are subject to other factors such as paper used, pen used, habits etc.
Like that there are 30 interpretation systems known to exist.
In graphology however certain techniques are used to individualize handwriting. Proof of individualization qualifies it as evidence. Hence forensic document examiners use 4 main aspects for identification:
1. Form – refers to the elements that comprise the shape of the letters, proportion, slant, angles, lines, retracing, connections, and curves
2. Line Quality – refers to the results from the type of writing instrument used, and the pressure exerted, along with the flow and continuity of the script
3. Arrangement – involves the spacing, alignment, formatting, and distinctive punctuation
In some cases, aspects of the handwriting will be quite unique, which gives them a lot of weight for evidential value. If there are significant dissimilarities between an exemplar and a questioned document, then it's likely that there are two different authors, unless the differences can be accounted for.
Handwriting analysis and their reports are however useful for guiding the investigating officer as such reports concluded by reputed organizations like that of the International Graphoanalysis Society (IGAS) in Canada have a high reliability.
In forensic science we utilize graphology and its branches to examine questioned documents (QD’s). A "questioned" document is any signature, handwriting, typewriting, or other mark whose source or authenticity is in dispute or doubtful. Letters, checks, driver licenses, contracts, wills, voter registrations, passports, petitions, threatening letters, suicide notes, and lottery tickets are the most common questioned documents, although marks on doors, walls, windows, or boards would also be included by definition.
QDE, or Questioned Document Examination, has been a profession at least since 1870, and frequently is found in cases of forgery, counterfeiting, mail fraud, kidnapping, con games, embezzlement, gambling, organized crime, white collar crime, art crime, theft, robbery, arson, burglary, homicide, serial murder, psychological profiling, and deviant sex crime.
Today in India we mainly have cases of threats, kidnapping ransom letter, forgeries etc. Since the act of handwriting has been conclusively been proved to be an unconscious act it's therefore important that samples, exemplars, or specimens (all synonymous terms for documents of known origin) be obtained under conditions as similar as possible to the conditions present at the time the disputed, doubtful, or original (all synonymous terms for questioned documents) was created. These conditions are an essential part of what are called standards of comparison:
• Care must be taken to avoid samples which are deliberately written in a crude, unnatural way, or so well thought out as to disguise the writer's natural style
• A sufficient number of samples must be taken, several pages if necessary, over and over again, to establish multiple (more than one) comparisons of single characteristics or combinations of common and uncommon characteristics
• Samples should be taken within two or three years of the disputed writing in order to rule out changes in style that may have occurred over time or with age
• The sample should include some dictated text, words, or phrases contained in the original document (but under no circumstances should the writer be shown the questioned document)
• Pen and paper, as well as writing position, should consist of the same conditions that existed at the time the questioned document was written (if these facts are known)
• The subject ought not to be shown the questioned document
• The subject is not to be told how to spell certain words or use certain punctuation
• The subject should use materials similar to those of the document
• The dictated text should match some parts of the document
• The dictation should be repeated at least three times
• The subject should be asked to sign the text
• Make sure an objective witness observes the procedure
Often in the case of forgery of signatures the problem occurs when a study conducted concluded that people have in general 3 signatures: (1) a formal one, used on important documents; (2) a routine one, used on regular correspondence; and (3) an informal one, used for jotting quick notes.
Another problem that often occurs is the fact that influence of any drug as well alters mood states & therefore has a direct effect on the handwriting of the person. This makes identification troublesome as some aspects might remain constant but the handwriting overall would change.
Problems can also occur when the writing has been deliberately disguised, such as in threatening or taunting letters. However, the form may change, but the type of words used and the sources that have influenced phrasing remain the same.
Hence there are no clear-cut rules or formulas to follow, so expertise develops from years of exposure. Today there are many automated techniques for making an analysis, such as FISH, or the Forensic Information System for Handwriting, but there are cases in which careful and experienced interpretation is necessary.
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