Statistical Observations of Disguised Signatures

In an effort to expand on the knowledge of signature disguises most commonly used by writers, 128 state police cadets were given a survey instrument and asked to provide signature exemplars. These cadets were then instructed to disguise their normal signatures. A comprehensive index of seventeen different disguise methods was utilized to analyze what techniques of deception had been employed by each writer. While previous research regarding the relationship between education and disguise was directed towards extended handwriting, this study focused on the effects of education on disguise in signatures. From the data collected, most subjects used between one and three methods of disguise with the most popular method being “altered capital letters” in disguising their name. A weak relationship was noted between education and the writer’s ability to successfully disguise his/her signature. Additional findings are discussed in the study. The information from this study should proveuseful for forensic documents examiners encountering the phenomenon of disguise in a questioned signature.