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The Documents Discipline is one component of the Bureau for Counterfeits
and Document Examinations. This Section examines a variety of documents
for three basic purposes:
- handwriting and hand printing comparisons - this involves
the examination of questioned handwriting with known handwriting samples
of an individual for the purpose of determining authorship;
- means, media and materials used to produce documents - this category
of examinations includes establishing a make and model of machine that
may have produced a document as well as the comparison of text from a
known machine to a questioned document for the purpose of determining
whether a specific machine produced a document. Such examinations are
often carried out on typewriters, computer printers, photocopiers,
facsimiles, cheque writers, rubber stamps and other graphic arts media;
and
- occurrences to documents after their production - these examinations
include, but are not limited to, alterations, additions or deletions
to documents; restoration of charred, water-soaked and damaged documents;
as well as, detection and decipherment of latent or partially hidden
indentations.
 A number of media personnel received
anonymous notes from someone claiming responsibility for some recent
bombings and threatening that more were to come. A full-scale investigation
was undertaken. The bomber was very careful not to leave any physical
evidence. The investigators and forensic scientists from several
sections of the Forensic Laboratory worked diligently for months
tracking clues to his identity. Finally a suspect was identified
and his residence was searched. Many documents, including a blank
notepad, were submitted to the Document Section. The first page of
the notebook was examined and the exact text of the latest note was
deciphered in its entirety. Also indented on the page was a handwritten
letter signed by the suspect. This evidence helped convince the suspect
to plead guilty. |
If you are interested in a career as a document examiner, you must have a Bachelor of Science degree or equivalent degree in science or a science-based professional degree (e.g. engineering). Consult the Careers page for additional employment information.
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