How is forensic document examination different from graphology or handwriting analysis?
• Both astronomy and astrology study the stars. However; one is treated as a science, while the other area is not held or considered in the same light. Such is the case with forensic document examination and handwriting analysis • Handwriting Analysis, while a great psychological tool, limits itself in scope to just interpreting a writer’s behavior and character through the most common held schools of thought on the subject, gestalt or trait/stroke method • A graphologist or handwriting expert may be able to provide a very concise personality profile (i.e., background check, criminal profiling, employee screening, psychological evaluation, security clearance screening, etc…), however, they do not: – determine authorship of documents – examine typewritten or machine-generated documents – detection alterations – reveal decipherment of obliterated and indented writing – examine watermarks, rubber stamps, and other impressions; and ink differentiation Roy A. Huber, B.Sc., Assistant Commiss
