Course Introduction

Accidental Murder Case Study

Handwriting analysis, along with other psychological assessment techniques, proves beneficial in understanding the mindset of the criminal. Though it cannot be used to convict the culprit, it still provides valuable insights as to why the person committed the crime and whether his mental state could be responsible for it.

The handwriting samples of the accused were scientifically examined to decipher his personality traits.

This is the case of a person convicted of murdering a 53-year-old lady. During his confession, he admitted that his intention was not to kill the lady but only to rob the house. It was when the lady shouted that he got violent and stabbed her multiple times with a knife. He was upset with his personal relationship and suffering from a financial crisis. He escaped by robbing all the money and valuables from the lady’s house.

Parameters on which the sample was analyzed were page margins, baseline alignment, word, line, and letter spacing, pen pressure, letter slant, size and shape of  letters, pen lifts, connecting strokes, line quality, position as well as shape of i-dots, position as well as  shape of t-bars, baseline, flourishes and embellishments, and position of signature.

Factors that affect the act of writing are psychological mood, the health of an individual, and their physical condition.

The examination of the handwriting sample showed deviations from the normal writing features, highlighting his antisocial behavior.

Image Source

Handwriting features that were seen in the sample: 

Illegible handwriting indicates his confused personality and inability or unwillingness to communicate straightforwardly.

The size of the writing, going from big to small, shows his indecisive nature. He is not sure how he should behave. Also, the changes in spacing, letter sizes, slant, and writing style all indicate the writer’s manipulative nature.

The varying slant indicates a lack of emotional control over his expression, and he is emotionally unstable and prone to abrupt behavioral tendencies.

The baseline is rigid  which shows tension, inhibition, and fear.

Missing letters and words indicates his dishonesty. He will not reveal the complete truth and will often omit essential information or stick to past commitments.

A capital letter in the middle of the word indicates lack of concern and is usually associated with violent nature, impulsive bursts, and antisocial behavior.

The presence of touched-up letters indicates a lack of confidence, anxiety, and a tendency to cover up things.

Disconnected letters indicate his inability to express his thoughts, resulting in bad relationships and difficulty giving meaningful direction to his decisions, leading to isolation and social withdrawal.

The tangling in the writing shows confusion and a lack of balance in life.

The letter ‘a’ is formed in two parts: the first oval and then its tail. Both are separated from each other, indicating dishonesty. The looped ovals reveal secrecy and conceal nature.

The letter ‘y’ has a large loop with a left curve, indicating his attachment to the past and dependency on others for strength.

The letter ‘R’ has been executed with a rightward-pointing triangle, indicating aggressiveness towards his goals and plans and pessimism in day-to-day life.

Forensic handwriting analysis of a criminal’s handwriting sample can help investigating agencies move in the right direction. They can tell whether a person is suffering from any kind of psychological disturbance or mental health problem.