Predictors of Disguised and Simulated Handwritten Text

Assessing the authorship of writings created using disguise and simulation behaviour has been reported to be problematic for forensic handwriting experts (FHEs). When examining questioned disguised and simulated samples and providing an opinion on process, a propensity has been found for calling simulated samples disguised. These results suggest that FHEs’ expectations of the predictor features of these unnatural writing types are not accurate. This paper investigates the relationship between FHEs’ responses on the process of production of questioned disguised and simulated handwriting samples and their verbal statements relating to the features they observed as indicative of the particular unnatural writing behaviour. A clear relationship between these will enable elucidation of predictor features of disguised versus simulated writings. Results suggest that the identification of altered slope in a questioned sample when compared to a naturally written sample may be a predictor of disguise behaviour. Features of construction and the presence of tremor may be used as predictors of simulation behaviour in questioned samples. However, the diversity in disguise strategies employed and the discordant responses of FHEs impose limitations on the analysis undertaken. A predictor model could be created based on the results of a concordant group of experts and would require testing on a validation set.