Comparison of Handwriting of Accustomed and Unaccustomed Hand of Individuals and Ascertaining Their Identifiable Parameters

Abstract

In an effort to conceal their identity, writers often try to change their usual handwriting to disguise. Many times, a master disguise is created through the act of writing with an unaccustomed hand. Due to a sudden loss of pen control and motor skills, the handwriting's pictorial appearance changes in disguise to the point where the writers assume success and becomes convinced that the disguised handwriting, they have produced cannot be linked to them when compared to their typical genuine writing style. In the present study, samples of handwriting from a number of people were collected, both from their accustomed and their unaccustomed hand. An effort was made to identify those individual features that managed to withstand the dangers of disguise and could be useful in correctly ascertaining the authorship of such disguised handwriting in comparison to one's normal handwriting. A detailed study of spacing between the letters and words, specific connecting stroke, certain letters formation and most importantly the positioning of the signatures below the paragraph written by selected subjects has been carried out. Despite pictorial dissimilarities, it has been observed that, there are some subconscious characteristics that are rarely concealed and may serve as the basis for their relationship with a particular writer or serve as an idea for future research.