ASTM E444-06
(Guide)Standard Descriptions of Scope of Work Relating to Forensic Document Examiners
Standard Descriptions of Scope of Work Relating to Forensic Document Examiners
SCOPE
1.1 This description covers in general the duties of forensic document examiners, also referred to as questioned document examiners, examiners of questioned documents, document examiners, or document analysts.
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Designation:E444–06
Standard Descriptions of
1
Scope of Work Relating to Forensic Document Examiners
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 444; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 3.2.1.3 the identification or elimination of ink, paper, and
writing instruments,
1.1 This description covers in general the duties of forensic
3.2.1.4 the establishment of the date, source, history, se-
document examiners, also referred to as questioned document
quence of preparation, alterations or additions to documents,
examiners, examiners of questioned documents, document
and relationships of documents.
examiners, or document analysts.
3.2.2 Other problems are the decipherment and sometimes
2. Job Description
the restoration, or both, of obscured, deleted, or damaged parts
of documents.
2.1 The forensic document examiner makes scientific ex-
3.2.3 The work often includes a study of the information
aminations, comparisons, and analyses of documents in order
carried by a document for discovery of evidence of spurious-
to: (1) establish genuineness or nongenuineness, or to expose
ness, identification of persons, or to show significant relation-
forgery, or to reveal alterations, additions, or deletions, (2)
ships.
identify or eliminate persons as the source of handwriting, (3)
3.2.4 Document examination also includes the recognition
identify or eliminate the source of typewriting or other impres-
and preservation of other relevant physical evidence that may
sion, marks, or relative evidence, and (4) write reports or give
be present on documents.
testimony, when needed, to aid the users of the examiner’s
3.3 Equipment used in forensic document examination in-
services in understanding the examiner’s findings.
cludes: microscopes and other optical aids; photographic and
3. General Duties
other imaging devices, a wide variety of imaging materials
adaptable for use with a variety of lighting methods, including
3.1 Examiners in this field are sometimes known by the
those involving radiant energy in the ultraviolet, visible,
term “handwriting experts.” Forensic document examination
infrared, and other regions of the electromagnetic spectrum; as
includes expertise in handwriting identification. Handwriting
well as electrostatic or other devices for the detection, or
includes cursive or script style writing, handprinting, signa-
visualization, or both of indentations and other features present
tures, numerals, and other written marks or signs. Forensic
in or on paper or similar substrata. Other analytical instrumen-
document examination does not involve the employment of
tation may be used where appropriate.
calligraphic or engrossing skills, nor does it involve a study of
3.4 Questions about documents are answered through the
handwriting in an attempt to create a personality profile or
application of knowledge, skill, experience, training, or edu-
other
...
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5.1 TLC is an inexpensive and simple technique that could be used to complement other analytical techniques within a general analytical scheme related to forensic fiber examination.
5.2 Consider the forensic analysis of fiber colorants using TLC for single fiber comparisons only when the sample size is adequate (that is, enough colorant can be extracted for analysis) and it is not possible to discriminate between the fibers of interest using other techniques, such as comparison microscopy and MSP. Larger fibrous units (for example, thread or tuft) can be treated as an individual sample if determined to be homogeneous. Do not treat fibers that cannot be directly related to each other as a collective sample for the purposes of TLC.
5.3 The extraction procedures carried out prior to TLC analysis can provide useful information about dye classification. TLC can provide qualitative information about dye components. Similar colors made up of different dye components can be differentiated using this technique. The application of TLC may serve to discriminate between fibers or it may support the possibility of fibers sharing a common source.
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1.1 This guide is intended as an overview of the Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC) of fiber colorants (or individual dye components) present in dyed fibers. It is intended to be applied within the scope of a broader analytical scheme for the forensic analysis of fiber samples. TLC could provide information that cannot be obtained through other color analyses (such as microspectrophotometry (MSP)) (1).2
1.2 This standard is intended for use by competent forensic science practitioners with the requisite formal education, discipline-specific training (see Practice E2917), and demonstrated proficiency to perform forensic casework (see Practice E3255).
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