testing - R. B. Ostrum, FDE

Posted on March 3, 2023January 7, 2024 by RB Ostrum

Protected: Logo option

Posted on October 4, 2016November 19, 2023 by RB Ostrum

Measurement Science and Standards in Forensic Handwriting Analysis Conference

The expression “better late than never” applies to this post. Over the span of two days in June 2013 the Measurement Science and Standards in Forensic Handwriting Analysis (MSSFHA) conference was held. It explored the (then) current state of forensic handwriting analysis, aka, forensic handwriting examination (FHE). Presentations varied in content but most discussed recent advancements in measurement science and quantitative analyses as it relates to FHE.

The conference was organized by NIST’s Law Enforcement Standards Office (OLES) in collaboration with the AAFS — Questioned Document Section, the ABFDE, the ASQDE, the FBI Laboratory, the NIJ and SWGDOC.

Posted on February 23, 2009September 8, 2022 by RB Ostrum

Forensic or Questioned?

Some document examiners prefer to be called forensic document examiners while other prefer the term questioned document examiner. So, in this context, is there any actual difference between forensic or questioned?

The simple answer is ‘no’; there is no real difference. Historically, the term used was “questioned document examiner” but in the last 15-20 years, “forensic” has become a much more common adjective applied to almost any (scientific) endeavour intended for court purposes. Just to add another variation to the discussion, when I began working in this field in the mid-1980’s my colleagues were called “examiners of questioned documents”.