Questioned Documents - San Diego County Sheriff's Department

Summary

Gina Hunter, a forensic document examiner, discusses her role in analyzing documents to verify authenticity and authorship. She explains the process of comparing handwriting and signatures, using tools like the video spectral comparator to examine documents under different light spectra. Hunter also highlights the use of electrostatic detection to reveal indented impressions on paper. She emphasizes the uniqueness of each case and the continuous learning aspect of the field, encouraging interested individuals to explore careers in forensic document examination.

Takeaways

• 🔍 Gina Hunter is a forensic document examiner who analyzes documents to determine their authenticity and authorship.
• 📜 The examination includes a wide range of documents from handwritten letters to machine-generated contracts.
• 🖋️ Signature and handwriting comparisons are part of the job, focusing on character formation and letter relationships.
• 🔬 The video spectral comparator (VSC) is an instrument used to analyze documents with different filters and light sources.
• 🌌 The VSC allows examiners to see beyond the visible spectrum, including infrared and ultraviolet light, to detect security features and differentiate inks.
• 📄 Electrostatic detection apparatus is used to reveal indented impressions on documents, making them readable.
• 🌤️ A humidity-controlled room is essential for the electrostatic detection process, as humidity activates damaged fibers on paper.
• 🔎 The forensic document examination process can uncover unique evidence in each case, making every case a learning experience.
• 🌟 The most interesting aspect of Gina's job is the uniqueness and constant novelty of evidence in various cases.
• 💼 For those interested in becoming a forensic document examiner, Gina suggests visiting joinsdsheriff.net for more information.

Q & A

What is a forensic document examiner?

A forensic document examiner is a professional who analyzes documents to determine their authenticity or authorship, examining elements such as handwriting, signatures, and document security features.

What types of documents do forensic document examiners typically examine?

Forensic document examiners examine a wide range of documents, including handwritten letters, journals, machine-generated contracts, and other materials that convey a message or meaning.

How do forensic document examiners determine if a signature is authentic?

Forensic document examiners compare the questioned signature to a known sample, looking for similarities in features such as character formation, base alignment, and height relationships between letters.

What is a Video Spectral Comparator (VSC) and how is it used in document examination?

A Video Spectral Comparator (VSC) is an instrument that uses different filters and radiations of light to examine documents beyond the visible spectrum, including infrared and ultraviolet light, to detect security features and differentiate inks.

What are the capabilities of the VSC in terms of document analysis?

The VSC can reveal security features on documents, differentiate between inks to determine if the same or different inks were used, and examine documents under various light sources to uncover hidden details.

How does the electrostatic detection apparatus assist in document examination?

The electrostatic detection apparatus is used to develop indented impressions on paper, such as those left when writing with pressure on a stack of pages, making them readable and providing evidence of what might be hidden or overwritten.

Why is humidity control important in the examination of indented impressions?

Humidity activates damaged fibers on paper, which can make indented impressions more visible. A controlled humidity environment is crucial for the proper development and examination of these impressions.

What makes each case unique for a forensic document examiner?

Each piece of evidence is different, and even within similar cases such as currency or will cases, there are always unique aspects to the evidence, leading to new learnings and insights with each case.

What advice does Gina Hunter give to those interested in becoming a forensic document examiner?

Gina Hunter suggests visiting joinsdsheriff.net for more information on becoming a forensic document examiner.

What are some of the challenges faced by forensic document examiners?

Forensic document examiners face challenges such as analyzing documents with varying levels of damage, deciphering faded or altered inks, and interpreting complex handwriting patterns.

How does the field of forensic document examination evolve with technology?

The field of forensic document examination continually evolves with technology, incorporating new tools and techniques for analyzing documents, such as advanced imaging technologies and digital forensics.