Bulacan State University

COLLEGE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATION

City of Malolos, Bulacan
Tel No. (044) 919-7800 to 99 Local 1061 & 1062
Email Add: [email protected]

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 MODULE 1
THE FIELD OF FORENSIC DOCUMENT EXAMINATION

Duration: 1-week discussion

Topics:

1. Forensic Science
2. Forensic Document Examination
3. The PNP Questioned Document Examination Division
4. The Forensic Document Examiner
5. The Goal of the Forensic Document Examiner
6. Qualification of the PNP Document Examiner
7. Duties and Responsibilities of the Document Examiner

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this chapter, the student will be able to:

✓ Define forensic science and forensic document examination;

✓ Enumerate the functions of the PNP Questioned Document Examination
Division; and
✓ Describe the work of a forensic document examiner

What is Forensic Science?

Forensic Science - is the application of scientific techniques and principles in order

to provide evidence to legal or related investigations and
determinations.
- it can be defined as a science as it pertains to legal problems

Criminalistics - application of forensic science to criminal matters

- in practice, criminalistics applies science to the solution of
crimes through examination of physical evidence in the field or
the crime laboratory.

What is Forensic Document Examination?

The American Board of Forensic Document Examiners defines forensic

document examination as the practice of the application of document examination to
the purposes of the law. This includes the identification of handwriting, typewriting,
the authenticity of signatures, alterations in documents, the significance of inks and
papers, photocopying processes, writing instruments, sequence of writings and other
elements of a document in relation to its authenticity or spuriousness (Eckert, 1997).

Forensic document examination is also usually called questioned document

examination or scientific examination of questioned documents. In the Philippines,

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crime laboratories and popular media refer to it simply as “QD” as short for
“questioned documents.” It is also known by other names such as handwriting
examination or handwriting analysis. It should, however, be distinguished from
graphology, which is the study of handwriting to identify the writer’s personality traits.
Forensic document examiners-do not engage in personality identification via a study
of handwriting.

The terms forensic document examination and questioned document

examination will be used interchangeably in this textbook to refer to the task of
answering questions about a disputed document using a variety of scientific processes
and methods.

These questions may include the following: Is the document authentic? Was
anything added to or removed from the document? Does the handwriting belong to
the individual or the typescript to a particular machine? What is the age of the
document? If the document has been altered, can we recover any of the original?
Analyses are conducted in order to answer these questions and be able to determine
who created or what device was used to create it, what changes have occurred since
its original production, and if it is as old as it purports to be.

Examinations include the following:

• Handwriting and signature comparisons

• Detection of alterations, deletions, and substitutions
• Mechanical and electronic impression comparisons
• Detection of counterfeits
• Decipherment of obliterated text
• Examination of water-soaked, charred, stained or torn documents
• Ink and paper comparison
• Determination of sequence of entry
• Detection and analysis of indented and other accidental writings
• Age of documents

A combination of examination techniques may be required depending on the

questions raised about the integrity and method of production of the questioned
document. Example of questioned documents submitted for such examination include
the following:

• Wills
• Checks
• Credit card receipts
• Business contracts
• Marriage contracts
• Birth certificates
• Mortgages, deeds of land, transfers and leases
• Insurance applications
• Agreements
• Accounting ledgers and financial records

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 • Anonymous and threatening letters
• Suicide notes
• Tests and examinations
• Medical charts
• Diaries, agendas and appointment books
• Legal files

The PNP Questioned Document Examination Division

The Philippine National Police (PNP) Forensic Services Group includes the
Questioned Document Examination Division (QDED) which aims to provide scientific
support in forms of document and testimonial evidences. Their function to examine
questioned documents specifically includes the following:

1. Handwriting examination — including hand lettering (such as anonymous

letters, ransom notes and suicide notes) and Signatures (such as those
appearing in deeds of absolute sale, receipts, marriage contracts and land
titles)

2. Imprint examination - including those produced by manual devices (rubber

stamps, dater stamps and some cancellation stamps), mechanical devices
(typewriters and cheque writers), and electronic: printing devices, (typewriters,
computer printers, time clocks and cash registers); also includes those
produced by the manufacture ef counterfeits (currencies, negotiable
instruments, travel documents, licenses, and various personal credentials and
identification documents)

3. Writing media examination — including instruments, inks and papers.

4. Dating examination — including absolute determinations {e.g., dates of

introduction of products) and relative determination (e.g., erasures or
alterations), changes, insertions and substitutions

5. Examination of falsification and alterations — including removals (e.g.,

erasures or alterations), changes, insertions and substitutions

6. Examination of invisible, faded and obscured writings and

impressions of writings

7. Examination of preternatural paper characteristics - including tears,

fasteners (e.g., paper clips and staples), cuts and perforations

8. Miscellaneous examination — including envelope tampering, adhesives,

laminations, typist’s characteristics and linguistics

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 9. Conduct lectures to PNP, AFP and other government agencies

10. Conduct field laboratory works - questioned document examiners are

sent to agencies/offices to conduct examination and to photograph original
documents that cannot be submitted to the PNP Crime Laboratory

11. Attend court duties

Document examinations performed by the PNP-QDED are based on written

requests from government agencies, private investigating agencies, court orders, as
well as private requesting parties. However, documents previously examined by any
competent government agency are not reexamined unless ordered by the court of
law. If the case is undergoing trial in court, disputed documents are examined only
upon order of the court having jurisdiction of the case.

The PNP Forensic Services Group provides frontline services for the examination
of questioned documents. Below is a table showing the requirements for the conduct
of examination based on the PNP Citizen’s - Charter (PNP, 2016).

PNP FORENSICS DOCUMENTARY

FEES DURATION
SERVICES REQUIREMENTS
• Four (4) copies of letter
Examination of
request
altered or erased P2,000.00 4 working days
• Original copy of
documents
altered/erased document
• Four (4) copies of letter
Examination of request
P2,000.00 3 working days
counterfeit bills • Original of the questioned
bills
• Four (4) copies of letter
request
• Original copy of at least five
Handwriting 10 working
P3,500.00 (5) pages extended
Identification days
handwriting of similar
writing style of subject
individual
• Four (4) copies of letter
request
• Original of questioned
document
Signature 10 working • Original copy of at least
P2,000.00
Identification days eight (8) different
documents bearing similar
writing style and standard
signatures, executed five
years before and after the

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 execution of the
questioned signature
Fees and Duration Reflect Rates as of August 2016

The Forensic Document Examiner

Document Examiner - One who studies scientifically the details and elements of
documents in order to identify their source or to discover
other facts concerning them.
- Are often referred to as handwriting identification
experts, but today the work has outgrown this latter title
and involves other problems than merely the
examination of handwriting.

The profession of forensic document examination did not develop as an

extension of other scientific professions such as medicine, chemistry or engineering,
instead, it evolved within the legal system due to the courts’ need for assistance in
interpreting evidence relating to questioned documents. (Kelly & Lindblom, 2006).

Goal of the Forensic Document Examiner

The goal of a forensic document examiner is to study and investigate

documents in order to determine the facts about their preparation and history. The
work usually involves the examination of handwriting, but the forensic document
examiner’s scope of expertise also includes the following:

- Recognizing genuineness
- Analyzing color tone of inks, papers and other substances that comprise
documents
- Revealing additions and substitutions
- Restoring or deciphering erased and obliterated writing

Qualification of the PNP Questioned Document Examiners

✓ Licensed Criminologist
✓ Has specialized training of at least 6 months under the supervision of the PNP
Crime Laboratory
✓ 6 months of continuous and actual QDE under the supervision of a qualified
forensic document examiner of the PNP Crime Laboratory

Duties and Responsibilities of the Forensic Document Examiner

1. To examine, identify, compare, and analyze signatures, handwritings, initials

and typewriting in questioned documents

2. To conduct examination, identification, comparison, and analysis of

obliterations, erasures and abrasions in checks, treasury notes and stamps

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3. To conduct examination, comparison and analysis of interlineations, insertions
and distortions in questioned documents

4. To take photographic reproductions of evidences that are examined, compared,

analyzed, and identified
5. To evaluate and prepare reports on documents examined

6. To conduct lectures regarding the different examinations on questioned

documents, as well as the functions and capabilities of the QDED

7. To appear as expert witness in civil and military courts regarding findings on

QDs.