Document Examination & Forensic Analysis Flashcards
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Read the first 7 Document Examination & Forensic Analysis flashcards as text
Which analytical method is used to determine the age of ink on a document by measuring the rate of solvent evaporation?
Answer: Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)
GC-MS can analyze ink solvent decay rates to help determine when an ink was applied to a document.
In forensic handwriting analysis, 'fluency' refers to:
Answer: The smoothness and continuity of pen movement during writing
Fluency describes the natural, uninterrupted flow of pen movement that characterizes genuine, practiced handwriting.
A forensic examiner finds that a document's paper contains optical brightening agents (OBAs) not commercially available until 1990, yet the document is dated 1975. This indicates:
Answer: The document may be backdated or fraudulent
The presence of OBAs in paper predating their commercial introduction is a strong indicator of backdating or document fraud.
Which of the following is an example of a 'natural variation' in handwriting that an examiner must account for?
Answer: Minor differences in letter forms across multiple genuine signatures
Natural variation refers to the inherent, minor inconsistencies in genuine handwriting that occur across multiple samples from the same writer.
What is the purpose of examining 'staple holes' in a multi-page document during forensic analysis?
Answer: To verify that pages have not been substituted or reordered
Misaligned or non-matching staple holes can reveal that pages were removed and reinserted, indicating possible fraud.
When a forger attempts a 'freehand simulation' of a signature, the most common detectable flaw is:
Answer: Tremor and unnatural pen lifts from slow, careful copying
Freehand simulations typically show tremor and hesitation because the forger must concentrate on reproducing unfamiliar forms slowly.
A document examiner receives a photocopy for analysis. Which important limitation must be disclosed?
Answer: Ink dating and indented writing analysis cannot be performed on photocopies
Photocopies lack the original ink layer, making physical or chemical ink testing and ESDA indentation analysis impossible.