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Question document collection

The document outlines procedures for analyzing questioned documents, including the collection and preservation of evidence such as handwriting samples and various types of documents. It emphasizes the importance of handling documents carefully to prevent alterations and provides guidelines for packaging and labeling evidence. Additionally, it highlights the need for specialized personnel when dealing with bombs, explosives, and ignitable liquids.

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Abid Zafar
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33 views15 pages

Question document collection

The document outlines procedures for analyzing questioned documents, including the collection and preservation of evidence such as handwriting samples and various types of documents. It emphasizes the importance of handling documents carefully to prevent alterations and provides guidelines for packaging and labeling evidence. Additionally, it highlights the need for specialized personnel when dealing with bombs, explosives, and ignitable liquids.

Uploaded by

Abid Zafar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS

QUESTION Document Analysis


• Document Analysis is the examination and comparison
of questioned documents with known material.
– Questioned Documents- any signature, handwriting,
typewriting, or other written mark whose source or
authenticity is in dispute or uncertain

• Experts establish the authenticity of documents and


detect any changes, erasures, or obliterations that may
have occurred
– Obliteration- writing over top to smear or make original
writing unreadable
Common Questioned Documents
• Checks
• Certificates
• Wills
• Passports
• Licenses
• Money
• Letters
• Contracts
• Suicide Notes
• Receipts
• Even Lottery Tickets
Handwriting Analysis
• Like Fingerprints, every person’s handwriting is unique
and personalized

• Handwriting is difficult to disguise or forge


– Good tool for including or excluding persons when
determining a match with an exemplar

• Questioned documents are compared to exemplars to


determine matches
– Exemplars- prewritten handwriting samples from a suspect(s)
Evidence Collection: guidelines
• Handle documents in a manner that prevents changes or alterations
of the evidence.

• Never fold, unfold, staple, attempt to reassemble torn paper


fragments, or allow shifting of torn or shredded paper fragments
collected from waste containers, etc.

• Collect all questioned documents found at the scene.

• Check pockets for paper and paper fragments in clothing worn by


suspects, victims, and other persons of interest at the scene; these
fragments may be useful in associating the person with other
document evidence.
• Collect all tablets, notepads, spiral-bound notebooks,
etc., containing visible writing or not, as these may
contain pages with decipherable indentations and/or
paper fragments to associate them with questioned
documents.

• Collect handwriting samples: letters, diaries, and other


existing written documents at the scene (standards );
also collect requested writing samples (exemplars ) from
victims, witnesses, and suspects who may not be
available later to render samples of their handwriting.
• Collect computers, printers, typewriters, rubber stamps,
embossers, etc., for comparison purposes, when these
devices may be related to questioned documents in an
investigation.

• Check any service documentation for these devices that


may also be useful in associating devices with
questioned documents.

• Collect paper, printer cartridges (ink, toner, and imaging


drums), pens, markers, and other supplies that may be
related to content of questioned documents.

• Never write on packaging containing a collected


document once the document is inserted.
• Handle documents with gloves to avoid adding fingerprints
that may obscure latent prints of evidentiary value.

• Use thicker paper, e.g., pieces of manila folders, and insert


them into paper envelopes or paper box evidence
containers, etc.

• When necessary, pick up documents by touching the


smallest area possible, such as one corner.

• Avoid bending, folding, unfolding, stapling, or otherwise


altering document evidence.

• Label the container just before inserting evidence into


them.
Marking Evidence
• When acceptable, mark evidence containers instead of
evidence.

• Mark documents for identification as unremarkably as


possible. For instance, make small, limited markings in an
area not intersecting any of the document printing or writing
(e.g., very small initials and an abbreviated time/date entry
along a bottom corner on the back of a document).

• Use a pencil for markings if documents might be examined


later for latent prints.
Evidence container labeling:
• Label a container (your initials and identification number, the
date and time, evidence number, location, and evidence
description).

• Selecting a container:
• For burnt paper, use a rigid, flat box lined with sheet cotton or
similar material.
• Use an envelope when collecting checks, receipts, letters,
reports, or other similar documents.

• Always use envelopes that are larger than documents collected.


Wet Documents:
• To gather up wet single-page documents, use cardboard
sheets, e.g., pieces of manila folders.

• Wet documents can be dried by placing them on a clean piece


of paper towel and then place in a secure location for drying.

• Sheets of clean paper towels, etc., should be spread beneath


the area used to handle moist documents in order to collect
any trace evidence that falls from the documents during
handling. The items used to catch trace items may also need
to be collected and handled as evidence.

• DO NOT attempt to unfold wet documents, as this should


ONLY be done by laboratory forensic document examiners.
Packaging
• Place dried documents between clean sheets of paper, such as
paper towels or cardboard sheets, to provide a protective covering
before placing them into labeled evidence containers.

• Label evidence containers before placing objects into them to


avoid degrading existing evidence.

• Handle documents carefully to avoid bending, folding, or


otherwise degrading them.

• Handle documents appropriately to protect any latent prints that


may exist.
Packaging
• Close the container and seal the entire opening with evidence
tape. Write your initials and identification number and the date
and time, as required, across the evidence tape seal.

• Carefully pick up and fold the paper used as a catch-surface


beneath drying documents. Retain any trace evidence that may
have fallen onto this catch-surface paper from the evidence, by
folding it inward from the corners.

• Label the folded paper, indicating the evidence number of the


item that was dried; e.g., “This paper was used below evidence
#36 while it was drying.”
Bombs and Explosives
• Bombs and explosives recognition and collection are best
performed by specialized personnel. For scene personnel,
evidence may be observed through smell, sight and sound;
these factors should be recorded in notes.

• NEVER attempt to collect any evidence until you have


spoken with a bombs and explosives investigator or
specialist.

• Follow the instructions provided by the bombs and


explosives investigator or specialist with whom you speak.
Ignitable Liquids
• Accelerants and ignitable liquids recognition and collection are
best performed by specialized personnel. For scene personnel,
evidence may be observed through smell, sight and sound, and
should be recorded in notes.

• NEVER attempt to collect any evidence until you have spoken


with an accelerants and ignitable liquids investigator or specialist.

• Ensure the safety of people at or near the scene.

• Follow the instructions provided by the accelerants and ignitable


liquids investigator or specialist with whom you speak.

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