

How does forensic handwriting identification work? - kqr2
http://www.slate.com/id/2214721/entry/2206267/

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mahmud
This should be read in the light of the National Academy of Sciences' report
on forensic science which condemned it as unscientific.

[http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-na-crime-
science19-2009...](http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-na-crime-
science19-2009feb19,0,954369.story)

"With the notable exception of DNA evidence, the report says that many
forensic methods have never been shown to consistently and reliably connect
crime scene evidence to specific people or sources.

"The simple reality is that the interpretation of forensic evidence is not
always based on scientific studies to determine its validity," the report
says"

From my own experience, I can tell you that all American hand-writing looks
the same. Elsewhere we were taught to write neat cursive penmanship, while
Americans prefer big, clear handwriting.

~~~
eru
And even DNA evidence is not infallible. Recently there was a series of crimes
all over Germany where DNA evidence pointed to a single woman involved in all
of them.

It turned out she was just an employee at the plant where the q-tips were
made. The q-tips get sterilized before being used, but this process only
destroys proteins, most DNA survives.

~~~
adamc
Sounds like the evidence was fine; it was the interpretation of that evidence
that needed adjustment.

~~~
eru
I take the moral as the need for controls in experiments i.e. always analyse a
'clean' q-tip in each batch.

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sam_in_nyc
I borrowed a "handwriting analysis for dummies" book from a friend, on a whim
after skimming through it. It was just after reading a couple of Feynmann
books, which is why I can so eloquently classify handwriting analysis as a
"cargo cult science."

It's a lot about "energy" and "flow" and other subjective nonsense. It's along
the lines of reading body language... which I would call more of a skill, or
talent, rather than a science.

~~~
slater
I too could've sworn that handwriting analysis was some wishy-washy pseudo-
science. I remember watching a TV program on the subject here in Switzerland;
they had the head of the Swiss psychology assocation on, with him basically
stating that it's a feel-good construct for PHBs wanting to sound important
(this was in the context of whether you should apply for a job with a hand-
written letter, or a typed letter; it was the early 90s...) :)

