QUESTIONED DOCUMENT SECTION

The Questioned Document Section of the Forensic Laboratory is responsible for the examination of document evidence related to criminal investigations. These documents may include, but are not limited to, checks, withdrawal forms, credit card receipts, demand notes, suicide notes, anonymous letters, firearms transaction reports, insurance claim forms and prescriptions. Cases must be submitted to the Laboratory by a police officer.

Questioned documents will be compared to known standards to identify or eliminate a suspect by evaluating handwriting or hand printing, including letters and numerals. However, the scope of analysis is not limited to handwriting exclusively. Other examinations can identify or eliminate suspect typewriters, check writers and rubber stamps.

Many additional exams can be performed to give the investigator an important lead. For example, physical matches between torn papers can be made (this includes notebooks, wrappers or matchbooks). Watermarks can be examined to determine the date and or manufacturer of the questioned paper. Indented writings can be visualized with a piece of equipment called the Electrostatic Detection Apparatus (ESDA) resulting in an ESDA print. Questioned photocopies can be examined and linked back to a photocopier provided there are enough identifying features on the questioned copies and known samples are taken a short time after the questioned documents were made. Inks can be evaluated with differing wavelengths of light to determine if writing was added, or to visualize obliterated writing on questioned documents. Documents from computer printers can be classified as being produced from a dot matrix, ink jet or laser printer.

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

Candidates for a trainee position as a Questioned Document Examiner must have obtained a four year Bachelor's Degree (preferably in the sciences). The trainee must then successfully complete an intensive two year apprenticeship training program. It is additionally required that after two years experience on the job, the Examiner must seek and achieve certification by the American Board of Questioned Document Examiners (ABFDE).