Forensic
Traits are expressed through behavior.
Past behavior is indicative of future behavior.
Behavior reflects personality.
UNDERSTANDING HUMAN BEHAVIOR is a very complex matter, I have 20+ years working experience profiling people from all walks of life, here in the USA and in 2004-2005 in the Peoples Republic of China. The American public is both uninformed and misinformed about handwriting analysis. Forensic profiling through written communication is a highly accurate diagnostic tool. It is structured around those writers who have a deep uncontrollable need to express domination/control over other human beings. This is accomplished in different ways but with the same goal, control.
Sex and aggression is our two strongest drives. There are those among us who cannot control these drives and find extreme sexual and physical gratification by means of physical violence.
On a forensic level, handwriting analysis is used for personal and forensic assessment and personality profile of authors of handwriting, anonymous and blackmail documents, assisting Criminologists and law enforcement agents in behavioral profiling involving crimes of violence.
Handwriting is brain writing and is the frame of mind the writer was in at the time the document was penned. To be accurate, fair and professional in a handwriting assessment, I need many samples of handwriting written over a period of time. Forensic profiling is a highly accurate diagnostic tool used by attorneys, psychologists, psychiatrists, law enforcement personnel and the private sector. Profiling on any level does not prove guilt or innocence; a forensic profile will give you, the client, a read on the writer or person in question. It is a very accurate diagnostic tool which will help you to understand how the writer, person in question will act under controlled or uncontrolled circumstances. A forensic/therapeutic comprehensive profile answer's the question.
"What is the best I can hope for? What is the worst I can expect?"
From this personality, when emotion comes into play and their logic is reduced and an emotional explosion is inevitable. Is he/she violent, aggressive and have dangerous sexual capabilities? Is the writer jealous, domineering, temper prone and vindictive?
These are just a few of the many traits I can detect, analyze, identify and evaluate in a sample of handwriting. Call or email me and I look forward to talking with you.
Faith Hedgepeth
The body of Faith Hedgepeth (born September 26, 1992), an undergraduate student in her third year at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNCCH), was found in her apartment by a friend on the morning of September 7, 2012. She had been beaten over the head with a blunt instrument, later found to be an empty liquor bottle, and very likely raped. The last time she was known for certain to be alive was much earlier that morning, when she went to bed after returning from a local nightclub with her roommate.
Police have recovered considerable forensic evidence in the case, but so far it has served to eliminate one likely suspect, a former boyfriend of her roommate who reportedly expressed anger and resentment toward Hedgepeth, even supposedly threatening to kill her if he could not reunite with her roommate. His DNA, however, did not match that left at the scene. A note left at the scene, suggesting the writer was jealous, is also believed to have been written by the killer; it was among a large group of documents released by police two years after the crime, following a court action brought by several local media outlets.
Josie Elliot
Investigation Discovery Channel
Dear Ms. Elliott,
Handwriting traits found in the hand printed Document. There are many unknowns here, such as not knowing the circumstances under which the document was penned, if a faulty pen was used, if the author was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the possibility of the author using the weak hand to avoid being identified, etc. That being said the following is a basic profile on the author of the hand printed document.
The traits that were detected, identified, analyzed and evaluated in this sample of handwriting is the key in determining his or her potential for violent aggressive behavior on a scale of one to ten. The traits found in the hand printed document from a profiling standpoint are:
Variable slant (Moodiness): In profiling moodiness is an indication that the writer has been subjected to a stress trauma of some sort. The writers emotions fluctuate from emotional expression (out of control) to emotional suppression ( keeping under control). You never know what side the bed these personalities are getting up from. When these personalities have reached a saturation point and have been triggered they can explode all at once in a fit of rage and anger. Moody writers are extremely unpredictable in their behavior
Intensity: Intensity in profiling is the mental strength of the personality. This trait is measured in the thickness of the pen ink to paper found in the letter stroke formations. The more intense the personality the more extreme they are in every aspect of their lives. The intensity of this personality showed a light over heavy ink formation in the printing , this is an extreme instability trait. Some what like your eight cylinder engine running on only seven cylinders. The car kicks in a "stop and go" fashion not running smoothly. The same can be said of the personalities mental / emotional make up.
Anger: At the time this document was penned this personality was extremely angry. Anger of this nature is extremely dangerous. Anger is an intense emotion with no logic attached to it. When the personality is triggered and set off with the above mentioned instability traits the out come is violence.
Will power: This personalities will power (strength of purpose) this is also mental strength was strong, this tells me that when he/she puts their mind to accomplishing their goal positive or negative they will succeed in their task/goal.
Jealousy: The great insecurity, the wanting to own or posses another person. Jealousy in profiling is the feeling that the jealous person is not getting the love, respect or admiration the he/she feels entitled to at this stage in their lives. Jealousy is a form of insanity, there is no rime or reason to this intense emotion. A personality who is intensely jealous of another person will explode in a fit of rage and anger when they are triggered real or imagined
Vindictive: The writer is also vindictive and revengeful. Writers who insert this trait in their handwriting cannot tolerate argument, opposition, or infringement on their territory, personal life, finances, or relationships and are most violent and vindictive in their crushing and destroying response. Their goal is to eliminate the cause by whatever means. When vindictiveness is detected I pay close attention to the intensity and emotional make up of the writer. The more unstable the writing pressure and emotional make up the more physically dangerous the writer is.
Based on the above listed traits this personality was a very unstable vindictive personality who exploded in a fit of rage /anger over an issue that has yet to be identified. Jealousy is a very personal matter between people, if jealousy was a motivating factor in the death of Faith it is possible this was personal and should not be over looked. It is also very possible this document was written before hand. There were no visible signs of blood on the document. The letter does not make sense to me, why would a rapist/murderer spend time writing a note after the fact. Their main concern would be to escape as quickly as possible to avoid being identified or captured. Again based on the wording on this document this attack seems personal.
A Special Interest Article
Author: Anthony J. Iantosca, BCFE
National Co-Chair of International
Academy of Forensic Examiners and Investigators
In my last article I explained to you just a few of the over fifty different variations that can be identified in the lower case letter "t." In today's segment I will discuss some of the more advanced traits that we as forensic profilers are asked to detect, identify, and analyze in the handwriting of potentially violent, aggressive, and sexually aggressive writer.
I gave this article a lot of thought before I decided on going ahead and writing it. The reasons for my indecision were many. First, you must understand that the traits shown today are advanced traits and are warning signs to you, that the writer has the potential for violent or aggressive behavior. Handwriting pressure alone does not indicate that the writer is violent or sexually dangerous. It takes a highly qualified professional in this field of study to know if the writer is capable of acting on these impulses. In my practice and in the courses I teach every spring and fall semester at Canton High School Evening School, the majority of my clients/students are women. I explained to them that in today's society and throughout history our two strongest drives are sex and aggression. If you find that hard to believe just pick up today's newspaper. You will read one or two articles on how Suzy Q won her school-spelling contest, and ten articles on who was beaten, murdered or raped. There are those among us who live in a world of violence and aggressive behavior. Some are born with these traits. It's genetic, and with others it's a learned behavior. The same applies when we talk on the subject of a person's sexual wants, needs, and desires. What may be kinky or off color to you may not be kinky or off color to your next-door neighbor, boyfriend, or anyone else etc. How do we detect these traits in a person's handwriting? What do we look for? In our discipline we have six degrees of pressure or intensity. P=pressure or writers intensity level. Starting with P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, and P6 with P1 and P2 being the least intense, and P6 is the most intense or extreme in their behavior. Please understand this is only one trait we must detect, identify, and analyze. Additional traits must be detected to be accurate in our assessment. In the samples below you can see the difference in the two samples of handwriting shown. Sample #1 is very light in appearance. Sample #2 is very thick and heavy. This writer is the more intense of the two and is very intense in everything her or she does, be it work, play, or sex.
Sample 1:
Sample 3:
Sample 2:
Sample 4:
In samples #3 and #4 above, we have the writing of two very intense, heavy pressured writers. The handwriting may look the same, but there is a marked difference between the two.
In sample #3 the writer is intense with strong drives, good determination, will power, and a quick thinking process. You will note that even though the writing is heavy and thick, it is clean. The "A's" and "O's" are open and clear. This writer keeps his/her emotions in check, shown by the writing slant in the vertical position. Writers such as this can be explosive due to their suppressed emotional makeup.
In sample #4, the writer is intense with heavy pressure shown by the heavy, thick, pasty writing. The traits that were detected, identified, and analyzed in this sample of handwriting is the key in determining his or her potential for violent aggressive behavior on a scale of one to ten. First you will notice how the handwriting swings from left to right. This is called moodiness. This writer's emotions will change on a moments notice, from emotional suppression (control), to emotional expression (out of control). Moody writers are extremely unpredictable in their behavior. The "A's" and "O's" are muddy and filled in with ink. This writer's sexual wants, needs, and desires are above and beyond what the average person might understand or cope with.
The writer is also vindictive and revengeful. This is shown in the lower case "y". It is called the Felon's Claw. See how the lower case "y" has a hook or sickle formation. Writers who insert this trait in their handwriting cannot tolerate argument, opposition, or infringement on their territory, personal life, finances, or relationships and are most violent and vindictive in their crushing and destroying response. Their goal is to eliminate the cause by whatever means. Also shown in the club like "t" bar, shown in the words "handwriting", "what" and "think". This trait is called brutality. This trait was also found in the handwriting of the Anthrax letters. Brutality, combined with the other traits mentioned above should be considered a positive dangerous signal.
In closing, understand that heavy pressured writers, although extremely intense people, are very creative and hard working, with a great deal of endurance in whatever that do. the traits that we detect, identify, and analyze will indicate to us how this energy will manifest itself on a scale of one to ten, prompting us to ask,
"What is the best I can hope for?, what is the worst I can expect?"
Letter from the Chairman
David E. Rosengard, M.D., Ph.D.
Interactive audience participation between students and faculty was commonplace and encouraged in my student days at the Harvard School of Public Health. The practice of Seminar teaching was engaging and effective
Tempus fugit! The years have passed quickly since then. I have had the privilege of putting to good use a large amount of subject matter taught there. Duty as a physician, public health official, and as an epidemiologist has been very challenging for me and rewarding to me in several large scale epidemics and in military missions.
Let me emphasize a few thoughts or feelings which I'd like to share with you today in this issue of The Forensic Examiner. The foundations were laid at that same school of public health.
First, I learned that prevention is easier, more effective, and less costly than treatment.
Second, the epidemiological team approach to diagnosis, problem solving, and treatment is the best way to go in terms of bio-medical, sociological, medico-legal and scientific problems.
Third, to err is human. Errare humanum est. We must not judge lest we be judged. In law and medicine, e.g., in the courtroom and in the O.R. or emergency room, jurists, lawyers, physicians, and nurses can err innocently, by errors in judgment and more so, by lack of knowledge of the specifics culture of the people with whom they are interacting. I shale present a case to illustrate.
M.S. is an Asian Chinese, single, unemployed restaurant worker. He was in his late twenties when arrested by the local police of a community in Massachusetts charged with attempted kidnapping. The principal witness for the Commonwealth was a little eight-year-old school girl. On her way home from public school, she was startled when Mr. M.S. drove up to her and asked for directions through his open driver's side automobile window.
The defendant in this case had distinct oriental facial features. He was driving a small, old Volkswagen sedan. His appearance was disheveled, and his Oriental accent was heavy, his English almost indiscernible. It was determined later on that his appearance on this street was unplanned and accidental. He had been in route to a Chinese restaurant which had advertised an open position for kitchen worked. Mr. M.S. turned off the main highway at the wrong exit ramp, and terminated on this street, where he found himself lost and seeking orientation and direction. The first person he saw was the little girl.
My professional participation in this case followed my appointment by a justice of the district court having jurisdiction in that locality. I was appointed and called in as an independent psychiatrist to examine the defendant regarding his competence to stand trial and his criminal responsibility regarding the pending charges against him. Both of these are spelled out under Massachusetts General Laws (Statutes) Chapter 123, Section 15B. The defense counsel indicated that his defendant was indigent and without funds to pay for an independent psychiatrist.
Attempted kidnapping is a serious felony. There was a proven family history of mental disorders. This defendant had exhibited "odd and inexplicable behavior." He had a broken down, old motor vehicle with stuffed animals of various colors hanging and displayed on his dashboard and rear window. They were the same as those with which little children might play. The motion brought by the defense attorney states that "The only appropriate manner of presentation of a viable defense would have to be through the testimony of an independent psychiatrist."
I asked for all the available discover - policy reports, witness reports and statements, court and probation records, defense counsel information, prior psychiatric, psychological, mental hospital, and O.P.D records. His record was completely clean and negative.
As stated above, the criminal offense which led to his arrest indicated that "He attempted to commit a crime - kidnapping of a child under 14, by performing acts in furtherance thereof in as much as he did without lawful authority to confine, seize, or imprison a child, with children's stuffed animals available and visible in his motor vehicle to lure her inside. The defendant failed in the perpetration and was intercepted and prevented by the actions of others."
The police report was detailed and lengthy in its description. Careful inspection of the spoken and written statements were ostensibly assumptions and hasty conclusions of guilt without due process (a hearing or trial).
After interviewing the suspect three times, for 90 minutes each time, with a bilingual Chinese-English interpreter present to assist me, I came upon an insurmountable impasse. Photographs had been taken by the police officials showing the defendant, his Volkswagen, its exterior and its interior. Four attractively colored stuffed animals were shown on the dashboard and rear window. There was no question or debate about that. It was argued outside of the courtroom that a grown man in his late twenties would not be sporting these for his own pleasure. "He'd have to be a pedophile, carrying these to lure innocent, vulnerable children."
My personal dilemma and professional shortcomings in preparation of a defense report centered around his disheveled, unkempt appearance with a broken down old car and more especially the four colorful stuffed animals. In my expert professional opinion, he was mentally competent for arraignment, hearing, or court trial - competent cognitively as well as affectively -- at the time of my examination. Also, I felt strongly that, were it not for the four stuffed animals, he was not culpable (not criminally responsible) for the alleged crime for which he was facing charges. He did not have the Mens Reanor the Actus Reus at the specific time.
But, I could not get around his stuffed animals and the assumption that he must be "a pedophile and stalking children." so, I petitioned the court for a special kind of forensic expert to assist me. With court authority, I was able to prevail in my request to commission one of our own Board Certified Forensic Examiners in our region of the northeast. Accordingly, I selected Mr. Anthony J. Iantosca. Mr. Iantosca had a couple of decades of professional experience as a private investigator. He was born and raised in Boston's Chinatown and was a veritable expert in Chinese-American culture, customs and sociology.
Iantosca was able to provide me with an accurate assessment of the kind of behavior that could be expected from Mr. M.S. under certain conditions, based on the traits and habits he had detected and analyzed in his handwriting and daily activities. Equally important, he went about Boston's Chinatown for 3 hours one day, and photographed parked automobiles at random. He was able to identify and photograph 20 such pleasure vehicles with stuffed and toy animals hanging suspended or lying atop the dashboard or on the rear window ledge. His knowledge and his gathered photographic evidence of this cultural habit of Boston's Chinatown automobile operators were convincing enough to lend tremendous credence to my exculpatory (not criminally responsible - not guilty) expert opinion and forensic report to the court.
The above vignette and illustrative case report bear out the desirable traits of patience, persistence, and perseverance, and how they are rewarding in winning medico-legal cases.
Furthermore, all of the above serve to demonstrate the usefulness of the combined team approach of the epidemiological workup, solution and resolution of medico-legal cases.
Finally, as medico-legal examiners and scientists, we must always strive to be vigilant and intellectually honest, never fearful or ashamed to say "I don't know" and to seek expert help and assistances, especially when we are unfamiliar with the culture in which or with which we are dealing. Truth above everything! Semper fi!
Sincerely,
David E. Rosengard, M.D., Ph.D.
The Forensic Examiner - May / June 1996