Forensic 10.07

What is a questioned document? Describe at least one example of something that might be a questioned document.
A questioned document is a document with handwriting or typewriting that is in question as to the authenticy of the document a document that would be classified as a questioned document is passports or even wills.

What is an exemplar? What are the best types of exemplars? An exemplar is an authentic sample that is used to compare to the questioned sample. The best type of exempler is the one that closely compares to the sample that is being questioned.

What are natural variations? Describe how these may happen.
Natural variations are the small differences that appear in a persons signature that has been repeated. Over time the signatures change because each time you write your signature your hand changes the way you write.

How are stamped signatures different from written signatures?
They are different because a stamped signature is always the same and it never changes while a written signature every time you write it there is little changes because of the way your hand moves therefore a written signature can never be the same no matter how many times you write it and a stamped signature is always the same with no changes or differences ever.

What are some of the typescript machines that document examiners may have to investigate? Choose one of these machines and describe what document examiners may look for when comparing the machine to a questioned document.
The daisy wheel printer and the dot matrix printer. The Daisy Wheel printer works on the same principle as the ball head type writer on the typewriter the disk is made of plastic or metal and that makes the characteristics stand out.

Critical Thinking Questions

Why are questioned documents important in forensic science? What is one example of a situation where a questioned document might be an important part of a criminal case?
They are important in a case if you need to tell the difference between the real signature and a forged signature. An example of the a situation where a questioned document might be an important part of a criminal case is if a person has a passport and are preparing to leave the country but then they have to sign something and the signature does not look anything like the one on the passport that would be a questioned document.

What are some of the ways that a document examiner might try to match a questioned document to a specific typewriter? What aspects might they look at? they would look at the ink and the pattern of the writing and try to see if they can match it to a typewriter.

Imagine that you have been asked to determine whether a signature on a check is authentic or a forgery. What steps would you take in doing this? What aspects would you examine?
You would get another check from the same person and compare the differences between the old check and the new checks there should be tiny details that are different but if it is forged there will bedifferences that are noticable you would examine the flow of the writing and the darkness of the ink and the overall signature of the check.

Imagine that you have been asked to determine whether a will written fifty years ago is authentic or a modern-day forgery. How would you go about doing this? What aspects would you examine to help you make your determination?
You would first examine the paper to see if it is as old as they say it is because if it is not even old then theres no way it could be the actual thing then you would search the signature and see if it comes up anywhere else to see who else the signature might belong to you would look at the ink to see what kind of ink wrote the signature to tell if it is the real thing.

A law enforcement agent is in charge of getting a writing sample from an uncooperative suspect. The agent puts the suspect in a comfortable room and has the person choose from a bunch of pencils and ink pens. The agent takes the questioned document and dictates the information to the suspect, having the suspect write down what she says as she reads from the questioned document. After several paragraphs, the agent stops and has the suspect rewrite the material two more times. What did the agent do wrong in this situation? What did the agent do right?
What the agent did right was that he put the suspect in a comfortable room and let the suspect choose from pens and pencils that they wanted what the agent did wrong was The agent takes the questioned document and dictates the information to the suspect, having the suspect write down what she says as she reads from the questioned document. After several paragraphs, the agent stops and has the suspect rewrite the material two more times.