Graphology in Forensics and the Criminal Justice System

Introduction to Graphology

Graphology entails the study of an individual's handwriting as a theory or practice for inferring a person's character, attitudes, and disposition. It is generally regarded as a pseudoscience, and the term is at times incorrectly used in reference to forensic document examination. Graphology has been surrounded by controversy for over a century. Supporters point to anecdotal evidence and numerous positive testimonials as justification for using it in personality evaluation; however, most empirical studies have failed to validate these claims. Handwriting analysis is a tedious and methodical process that relies on extensive knowledge of how people form letters, which characteristics of those formations are unique, and the psychological processes behind specific handwriting patterns. The ways in which an individual's fine motor skills affect their handwriting can leave clues about the identity of an author.

The primary basis of graphology as a science is the premise that every person in the world has their own unique way of writing. As children in primary school, we learn to write based on a specific copybook that presents a standard style, so at first most children of the same age and location write in much the same way. Over time, however, individual characteristics develop and diverge from that shared foundation, and these characteristics become the underlying signature of the way each person writes. People therefore develop traits that are unique and distinguish their handwriting from another person's (AlleyDog.com, 2009).

The Scientific Basis of Handwriting Uniqueness

Just as fingerprints are unique to each individual, handwriting can be used for the purpose of identification. It is also important to note that a comparison of handwriting samples does not necessarily yield straightforward or unambiguous results. Graphologists study variations across samples in order to establish whether two or more different documents were written by the same person, and thus to identify the sample's author as a known individual or to link it to a comparable source.

Graphology is an increasingly used technique in forensic psychology and the criminal justice system, with numerous practical applications. One prominent use is profiling: a company might take handwriting samples provided by job applicants and use them to construct a personality profile, matching each applicant's characteristics against an ideal psychological profile for the position. A person's profile consists of their behaviors, personality traits, and the motives behind their behaviors. In forensic psychology, profiling is useful for the apprehension of criminals by compiling a list of character traits and behaviors correlated with previously apprehended perpetrators. For instance, if a known perpetrator was a heroin addict, investigators might focus their search in areas of the city where heroin users are known to congregate. Graphology can also be used clinically by counselors and psychotherapists, and this information is useful to investigators as they determine where to look and what to expect when apprehending individuals.

Forensic and Criminal Justice Applications

Forensic psychologists also analyze handwriting for the assessment of individuals. Certain handwriting styles are correlated with different mental disorders, and forensic psychologists use handwriting samples to profile individuals who have not yet been apprehended. When there is a suspect in a crime and part of the evidence is a handwritten note, investigators may call upon handwriting experts to determine whether there is a match. In some cases, this can be a critical piece of evidence that results in a suspect being charged and ultimately convicted (Thomas, 2002).

Graphology is commonly applied in the determination of authorship — that is, establishing who wrote a particular document or whose signature appears on it. This is especially helpful in crimes such as forgery or in verifying the authenticity of suicide notes. Forensic psychologists also use drawings and handwriting for the diagnosis or assessment of perpetrators or victims of a specific crime.