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Articles  »  Handwriting and Document Analysis

Handwriting Analysis (Graphology)

     Very similar to fingerprints, no two people have the exact same handwriting. By comparing the relative size of the letters, the extent and direction of the slant of the letters, and the roundness or angularity of the letters, an investigator can form a conclusion on the writer's neurological patterns. Someone's handwriting can reveal clues about their health, emotional state and outlook on life. It can also allude to the energy level, work habits, level of drive to succeed and level of communication of the writer. Though the style in which one writes varies slightly as their mood changes, and their opinions on the subject they are writing about, the general technique remains the same and can be recognized based on specific characteristics. 

     A successful analyst needs experience to accurately view the writing. They need a lot of practice; it is the only way that an analyst can learn the tricks of the trade. Since the results are based solely on how the analyst's interpretation, graphology remains to be considered a subjective science. To increase the accuracy of the results, especially when it is concerning a crime scene or a trial, advanced technological equipment is used to assist in the procedure. Equipment like the CVI DISCOVERY unit for Clarification and Visualization of Indentations, and Infra Red and Ultra Violet light sources can easily detect inconsistencies and potential forgeries that the naked eye could not normally detect.

     Handwriting analysis is used for purposes varying from psychological analysis, to astrology, to legal evidence. The reliability and improving accuracy over the years has resulted in its consideration as valid evidence in very serious cases. One such case is the Jon Benet Ramsey murder case, where the ransom note was one of few pieces of tangible evidence and underwent several examinations to try to determine the guilty party. Although there were many theories, handwriting analysts could not come to a consensus on the writer. This shows how young this science still is and all of the inconsistencies which need to be worked out. Although handwriting analysis has progressed dramatically over the years, it still is a far away from being as accurate as fingerprinting or DNA testing. Only time and future experimentation can improve the results. I hope that as the years go on, handwriting analysis will become an exact and precise analysis in which an accurate result can always be determined.