How handwriting analysis works

 HOW HANDWRITING ANALYSIS WORKS

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There are two types of handwriting experts: (1) Handwriting Analyst (with two sub-types) Two subtypes:

(a) General Handwriting Analyst (or Graphologist) - the analyst has a general overview of handwriting and personality traits without any specialty area.

(b) Forensic Handwriting Analyst (or Forensic Graphologist) - the individual is trained in both psychology and handwriting analysis with a specialty of personality assessments. The specialty should match the psychological training. Forensic Graphologists specialize in the criminal mind; Developmental Graphologists specialize in the minds of children and teens, and Geriatric Graphologists specialize in elderly minds. However, many graphologists are cross-trained so the best way to weed out which is best for your needs is to check their references and find out where most of their work has been conducted. By default, their field work usually creates their expertise.

(2) Document Examiner – this analyst compares two or more documents and determines within a reasonable degree of certainty whether the same person wrote them or whether different people wrote them such as forgeries or anonymous notes.

Many handwriting analysts can also do this work but prefer personality assessments so it is best to find a court-qualified Questioned Document Examiner (QDE) or Forensic Document Examiner (FDE). Unlike handwriting analysts who tend to cross-train in all of these, QDE / FDE’s usually know nothing about personality assessments.

What is Forensic Handwriting Analysis?

Forensic handwriting analysis has helped send people to jail since the days of the President Abe Lincoln’s forgery case to the Lindbergh baby kidnapping. Many famous cases have centered on forensic handwriting evidence and examination.

Acceptability in Court in the USA

For a long time, forensic handwriting analysis seemed respectable in US courtrooms. Because there are no federal testing or agency oversight those who are improperly trained and deceptively attempting to work on cases and testify made the experts – and the science as a whole – “look bad”. Because of that, many courtrooms are reluctant to allow it. However Forensic Handwriting Analysis does satisfy the Daubert Ruling set forth by the Supreme Court in 1993.

Handwriting Samples and the Fifth Amendment

In the USA, the Fifth Amendment states that every person has the right not to incriminate himself. It has been established that it is not a violation of a person’s rights to provide a requested sample of their writing for