HANDWRITING COMPARISON CHARACTERISTICS
There are a large number of handwriting characteristics, both class and individual, that can be used for comparisons of questioned and exemplar specimens. A few of the more common ones are listed below.
• Spacing between letters
• Spacing between words
• Relative proportions between letters and within letters
• Individual letter formations
• Formations of letter combinations
• The overall slant of the writing
• Connecting strokes
• Pen lifts
• Beginning and ending strokes
• Unusual flourishes
• Pen pressure
Unlike other pattern evidence such as fingerprints, handwriting changes throughout life. There may also be changes in a person’s handwriting due to such factors as stress, physical and emotional condition, illness, influence of drugs, or alcohol and the conditions under which the writing is made including type of writing instrument and paper, level of comfort, and lighting. Figure 1 shows how handwriting characteristics can be used to compare known and unknown samples of handwriting.
FIGURE 1 A handwriting comparison. The questioned document is a bank check.
