MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENT PROBLEMS

Documents are questioned not only because of

the signature that bare nor only because of the
handwriting it contains but rather on variety of ways
depending upon the issue that was raised and what it
completely made up.

THE FOLLOWING ARE THE MISCELLANEOUS PROBLEM

ON DOCUMENT:
Detection of Alteration
Decipherment and/or restoration of raised
writing
Decipherment of obliterated writing
Examination of indented writing
Developing secret writing
Examination of contact writings
Examination of water-soaked documents
Developing latent prints in paper

I. Alteration
Alterations in documents do not necessarily a
forgery in as much as there can be alterations that are
considered a part of the genuineness of the document.
Usually an obvious alteration is a common indication of
a genuine alteration considering that the author is not
bothered by its alteration for anytime he or she can
attest to its genuineness. On the other hand,
documents containing partly concealed alterations are
the usual indication of forgery. This is true most cases
because of the attempt of the forger to successfully
passed the document without being easily notice, for he
is afraid of easily being detected.

ALTERATIONS ARE MADE IN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING

MEANS: METHODS OF EXAMINATIONS OF ERADICATION IS
SUSPECTED
1. Erasure
Erasure refers to the removal of the writing I. Physical Methods or Non-Destructive Process
from the paper. An erasure can be made by mechanical a. Visual Inspection
or chemical means. Erasure by abrasions which leaves b. Ultra-violet Light
spots and black patches too pronounced to escape c. Photography
detection by the alert examiner. Eradication by means II. Chemical Method
of chemicals, on the other hand, leaves traces of some a. Ammonium Sulfide Vapor a reagent capable
reagents in a document especially in newly bleached of coloring an erased area into black or brown if
document which when viewed in some instruments will a stannous chloride or inorganic reducing
often show yellowish discoloration. agents were used.

b. Starch-Iodine Paper/Fumes when a starch-

iodine paper is moistened and touched an area
on which hypochlorite eradicator was recently
used, the paper will turn blue. This is due to the
 oxidation of the iodine to iodine which in turn
reacts with starch to produce the blue color. A
control test must be on an untouched area of
the paper.

c. PH Indicator Papers merely pressing a piece

of moistened PH Indicator paper against the
suspected area is sufficient to show if any acid
or basic substance has been use. Many ink
eradicators are acidic. A comparison test must
be made on the other part of the paper not
close to the area on question.

III. Deciphering an Erased Writing

a. Visual and Microscopic Examinations the
document is illuminated with light of varying
sources, first reflected, then transmitted and
finally oblique. Then, observation can be made
either by naked eye or with the use of a lens of
microscope.

b. Ultra-violet Light some colored inks are

fluorescents so that if the erasure has not
removed all the intersection of the paper when
viewed under the ultra-violet light.

c. Polarized Light this is useful for developing

pencil writing, which was erased. This principle
is based upon the fact that traces of graphite
which cannot be seen in an ordinary light can
be detected to polarized light through polarized
screen as is used in photography or a document
may be viewed through the low power of
polarizing microscope.

THE FOLLOWINF METHODS IN EXAMINATION OF

d. Chemical Methods iodine fumes is considered OBLITERATION:
to be very useful since it reacts in almost all 1. Visual observation using transmitted light or
kinds of erased inks and it is also the only oblique light.
chemical that can be used in deciphering erased 2. Fuming with iodine or in some cases with
pencil writing, carbon and nigrosine inks. Others ammonia, ammonium sulfide, or thiocyanic
are ammonium and potassium sulfide, acid, these three (3) are very useful if iron is a
thiocynite or hydroxide for other types of inks. constituent of the writing.
3. Bleaching the covering layer.
II.OBLITERATION 4. Photography with color filters.
It refers to the obscuring of writing by
superimposing inks, pencil or other marking materials. It III. ADDITION
is otherwise called as smeared over writing. If it was The validity of a document is sometimes quite
done with the same ink as the original writing, recovery naturally questioned because it contains those parts in
will be difficult, if not possible. However, if the two inks the form of interlineations or additions, which the
are of different chemical composition, photography will document did not contain when it was signed.
infra-red sensitive film may be reveal of writing. Questions of this kind are the basis for much litigation
especially in these days of typewriters.
 THE UNNATURAL UNIFORMITY MAY SHOW:
1. In the tint or condition of the ink;
2. In the quality of line;
3. Its width;
4. Its smoothness or roughness;
5. In the size of writing;
6. In its position, especially its vertical alignment;
7. In the size, position and arrangement of figures,
ditto marks, or abbreviation;
8. Gradation of blotted lines.
CHEMICAL METHODS
Chemical methods of developing an invisible writing
is often accomplished using the fuming method.

1. Fuming with Hydrogen Sulfide, Ammonium Sulfide

or Ammonium Poly Sulfide in the fuming chamber
will commonly develop invisible writing made up of
metallic salts.
2. Fuming with Iodine by placing a suspected
document containing an invisible writing under the
fumes of iodine writing can be made legible by the
OTHER FORMS OF ILLEGIBLE WRITINGS action of the vapor to the chemical making the
A. Invisible Writing secret writing. Starch and other organic materials
- This type of writing specifically referring to are the most commonly used invisible writings that
writing which have no readily visible ink. The are decipherable by iodine fumes.
development and detection of this is quite simple. Since 3. If acid and base solutions are the one used, Fuming
an invisible writing is done using a chemical such of its with Ammonia or Acetic Acid will develop the
development depends on the type of chemicals to be writing.
applied to make the writing legible. Methods of the 4. Potassium Ferricyanide or Pottasium Ferrocyanide
development can be done by physical or chemical may be used as developing agents if salt of copper,
means but still, physical means should always be the iron zinc and silver were used in invisible inks.
first option since it does not give any damage to the 5. Silver Nitrate also one, which can be used when an
documents. ordinary salt has been employed in the writing.

PHYSICAL METHODS B. CHARRED OR BURNED DOCUMENTS

The methods like the usual one involve the use of Documents or paper bills, which have been burned
light source of varying intensity. It includes examination either accidentally or intentionally, may sometimes be
by transmitted light, oblique light, reflected Light, Ultra- deciphered in the laboratory. The method of
violet Light, and Infrared Light. The Application of Heat examination will depend on the degree of burning and
is also one method of which of the essence for there are kind of paper and ink used.
invisible writing which are developed when the
document is dried and was heated. For example, C. INDENTED WRITING
hydrated cobaltous chloride is pink but forms a Indented writing usually applied to a partial depressions
colorless solution when diluted. If writing with the appearing on a sheet of paper underneath the one on
substance are heated, it losses it water of hydration and which the visible writing appears. The depressions or
becomes blue. indentions are due to the application of pressure on the
writing instrument and would appear as a carbon copy
if a sheet of paper has been properly inserted. It can
also appear on a black sheet of paper used as the
backing of the sheet while typing or writing out certain
message.
METHODS IN DECIPHERING INDENTED WRITING:
A. Physical
1. Side Lighting
2. Indention on the reverse side
B. Chemical
1. Fuming
2. Use of Chemical Solutions
3. Contact Writing - Writing Off - Set