Forensic Document Examination: Principles and Practice is the first textbook written specifically for the study of questioned document analysis. The text comprehensively reviews document examination, with specific attention to handwriting identification and forgery detection. Fundamental principles and techniques of document examination are presented throughout in a concise, straightforward manner. Specific concepts attended to include the factors that affect handwriting; the characteristics of handwriting; the guidelines for determining the authenticity or spuriousness of handwriting; and the proper methods for examining a case from start to finish. For the first time, criminal justice students and others requiring an introduction to document analysis will have a resource to consult that outlines the proper method for analyzing handwriting and a detailed procedure for preparing a document case.

In addition to its utility as a textbook for document analysis, Forensic Document Examination: Principles and Practice will be an invaluable resource for professionals in fields where interaction with document examiners is commonplace. Police officers, private investigators, and attorneys will all benefit from a basic understanding of document examination and what is required for a document examiner to complete an assignment.

This book introduces the reader to the basic principles of handwriting and the factors that affect their development. The book discusses the basic concept of the characteristics of writing that are compared when making an identification or elimination of a writer. In addition, readers will be able to recognize the signs of forgery and disguise and to distinguish between simulation and disguise.