NORCAL Publications

Research Article

Reflex of Avoidance in Spatial Restrictions for Signatures and Handwritten Entries

Chris Rush Burkey^* and Larry S Miller^*

Department of Criminal Justice & Criminology, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, USA

^*Corresponding­­­­ author: Chris Rush Burkey, Department of Criminal Justice & Criminology, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, USA, Tel: +1 4234395963; E-mail: rushc@.etsu.edu

Larry S Miller, Department of Criminal Justice & Criminology, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, USA, Tel: +1 4234395964; Fax: +1 4234394660; E-mail: MILLERLS@mail.etsu.edu

Citation: Burkey CR, Miller LS (2017) Reflex of Avoidance in Spatial Restrictions for Signatures and Handwritten Entries. J Forensic Sci Digit Investig 2017: 8-12. doi:https://doi.org/10.29199/2637-7136/FSDI-101011

Received: 15 June, 2017; Accepted: 24 August, 2017; Published: 13 September, 2017

Abstract

Within the various disputed documents encountered in the science of forensic document examination, questioned handwriting is the most prevalent. This includes the simulation or alteration of handwriting and signatures. The current study examined the changes that may occur in writing when given a limited amount of space. Several participants completed a survey wherein writing samples were taken under varying space allowances. These space restrictions were made under differing conditions such as boxed signatures, additions to previously written material, and alterations to letters and numbers. The results of the study found characteristics of reflex of avoidance in the participants’ handwriting. These characteristics included changes in height, width, and letter spacing in accordance to the amount of space provided. The examples of reflex of avoidance defined throughout this study may serve to assist forensic document examiners in the identification of variations in handwriting due to limited space and the detection of alterations within questioned documents.

Keywords: Altered Documents; Forensic Document Examination; Handwriting; Questioned Documents; Signatures

Introduction

The breadth of knowledge of forensic document examiners must be quite vast, for they observe an assortment of conditions within their field. They must be knowledgeable with regard to papers, inks, handwriting, print processes, the identification of additions and substitutions, obliterated and erased materials, the care and handling of documents, and proper courtroom procedure [1]. This array of knowledge is required to be credible within the field, yet some types of questioned documents are encountered by examiners more often than others - wills, contracts, property deeds, and hand-written records. In fact, well over 70 percent of document examiners’ efforts are focused primarily on handwriting and signatures [2].

Handwriting is considered an acquired skill often referred to as a complex perceptual motor task [2,3]. Handwriting, similarly to fingerprints, is unique to the individual, making it a valuable identifying tool. Genuine writing by the same writer does, however, vary to some extent. Albert S. Osborn, also known as the father of document examination, explains that these variations occur because the “arm, hands, and fingers do not constitute an absolutely accurate reproducing machine” [4]. He purposed that variations in authentic writing most often occur in superficial sections, in size and proportion, as well as the extent of care given to the written act. Consequently, the writing process, along with individual variations becomes fairly fixed [4]. Although this skill is subconscious and becomes a relatively fixed action over time, certain variables may cause extreme changes in one’s writing. These variables consist of extrinsic and intrinsic conditions. Extrinsic factors which may alter handwriting include lighting, writing instrument, writing surface, temperature, and myriad other possible conditions. Intrinsic factors may include circumstances beyond the writer’s control such as disease, tremors or fatigue [5]. These formative aspects, which have the potential to produce variations in handwriting, cause document examiners to face the task of determining whether or not the writing is authentic.

One of the most understudied topics associated with variations in handwriting is that of restricted space. To date, only three studies have examined the changes in handwriting given various spatial restrictions. This phenomenon was first examined by Morton in 1980 when he studied the characteristics of crowded signatures. He concluded that signatures change slightly both vertically and horizontally when writing space is restricted. Over thirty years later, Simon, Spencer and Auer [6] examined the signatures of 30 participants under various space restrictions. These restrictions were similar to what may be encountered when signing for a passport. They found statistically significant changes in overall length and width in the signatures written in the smallest spaces available. They concluded, however, that these changes would most likely not influence a trained document examiner to provide an improper conclusion [6]. In 2015, Donato, Pirlo and Rizzi examined the effects of signatures within various limited spaces via a Wacom Intuos 3 tablet and an Intuos 3 Grip Pen. More specifically, they measured the differences in the participants’ signature velocity, acceleration and pressure given various sizes of signature boxes. This study determined that all participants changed their writing velocity in accordance with the space allowed. Participants’ writing velocity decreased as the boxes became smaller; while there were no statistically significant changes in the participants’ pen pressure and acceleration [7].

Due to the limited research available on the effects of restricted space on handwriting, researchers and the National Academy of Sciences have established that further research regarding this topic is paramount in the advancement of handwriting and document analysis [8]. The current exploratory study attempted to extend upon the previous research and fill a gap in the current literature by examining an extrinsic factor which may influence handwriting, referred to herein as reflex of avoidance. Reflex of avoidance is defined as the intentional effort on the part of a writer to remain within set boundaries and/or the avoidance of writing over preexisting written entries or lines on a writing substrate. This action may occur in handwritten signatures as well as handwritten insertions of both an authentic and non-authentic nature. Forensic document examiners may encounter indications of reflex of avoidance in such documents as checks, passports, medical records, dated entries on calendars, account ledgers, pharmaceutical records, prescriptions, banking instruments, diaries, and others. Unlike the previous studies which only examined the effects of spatial restrictions on signatures [6,7], the current study investigated and compared the methods in which an author may alter his or her handwriting in confined spaces and the changes made to one’s writing regarding insertions made to preexisting writing.

Methods

A convenience sample of 150 students enrolled in criminal justice classes at a regional state university were selected to participate in the study. The subjects were asked to complete a demographic questionnaire and an instrument designed to elicit information on how they might change their handwriting habits to adhere to restrictions of space. The instrument consisted of a variety of exercises where the subject signed the name Thomas Jefferson in an unrestricted space (control), on lines of different lengths (measuring from 3 to 11 centimeters), and within rectangular boxes of different sizes (measuring from 4.5 x 0.9 to 8.5 x 1.2 centimeters). Subjects were also asked to insert sentences within previously written paragraphs, change answers on test items, and change numerical entries to a different number. These exercises were designed to emulate cases forensic document examiners frequently encounter such as insertions made in medical records and check forgery. All of the subjects completed the questionnaire utilizing an ink pen or pencil of their choice. Additionally, all of the participants were seated at a student desk in one of the university classrooms during the completion of the survey.

Of the 150 subject responses, 112 were found to be adequate for the present study. The thirty-eight responses not selected were determined to be inappropriate due to failure on the part of the respondent to follow directions or to fully complete the instrument and/or the questionnaire. The remaining 112 respondents consisted of 68 males and 44 females all ranging in age from 18 to 65 years. Educational levels of the respondents ranged from some college (first year freshmen) to graduate students (master degree students). Respondents were predominately right-handed (n = 91) and none suffered from any anomaly that could affect their handwriting skills (i.e., medications, physical, and visual conditions).

Measurements and comparisons of the control and experimental handwritten entries were made to determine the amount or degree of change spatial restrictions might have on the entries. Similar to a study done by Morton [9]  on the effects of crowding, measurements were taken for overall height and length ratios of signature entries. These measures yielded numerical (interval level) data that could be statistically analyzed using parametric techniques (analysis of variance). Other measures involved basic observations as to whether or not (yes/no) the respondent avoided writing across existing lines and/or compressed their writing to fit within a given space. These were treated as dichotomous nominal variables and tested for differences between male and female respondents using Chi-Square.

Results

Nearly all (98%) of the respondents displayed changes in their handwritten entries to accommodate the spatial restrictions. Two of the respondents showed no change in their normal handwriting to accommodate the spatial restrictions. Both of these individuals were male under 20 years old. An example is shown in figure 1. The remaining 110 respondents displayed a wide range of change in their handwriting based on whether the spatial restriction consisted of lines, boxes, or insertions.

 

While nearly all of the 110 respondents showed some signs of altering their handwriting to accommodate shorter lines, the difference in compression measurements (length and width) was not significant (p > .05). Many respondents started writing normally but then trailed off or horizontally compressed the last name in the signature when writing on shorter lines (Figure 2).