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The Writing of Criminal Minds Criminology and Handwriting Analysis

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The Writing of Criminal Minds Criminology and Handwriting Analysis International Journal of Volume 1 Issue 4 Criminal Investigation 163-175 THE WRITING OF CRIMINAL MINDS CRIMINOLOGY AND HANDWRITING ANALYSIS Crineanu Iulia forensic expert, România Abstract Graphology is an experimental science which reveals, by studying the natural graphic movement of the subject, his personality, temper, intellectual behavior, professional and social capacities and his morbid inner predispositions. The product of such a niche analysis is a psycho- social- behavioral portrait, which resembles those of psychologists, focusing only on the interaction between the biological and psychic components reflected in people’s handwriting. It can be used, should the case allow it, as a very resourceful and coherent profiling instrument, meant to complete and enhance the information highlighted by forensic psychologists and psychiatrists, and it can also be of assistance to investigators in their interrogation activities, regardless it involves the suspect, victim or witnesses. Key words: graphology, psychology, forensic profiling, psychopathology, serial killers The entrapments of a criminal influencing the management of the investigation: investigation and it’s outcome. It is said that "nothing is easier than Even for the specialists, who are to denounce the evil doer and nothing more properly and rigorously trained, the difficult than understanding him". hardness of investigating such cases lays within the manner in which each of them While the investigators will, manages to accept their theories and somehow ironically, smile, analyzing the thoughts towards violence. first part of the statement above (in fact, the uncovering and proving of a criminal is According to Wertham’s theory1, a very complicated activity), we are more these difficulties – and the corresponding than certain that everyone agrees with the entrapments for the less experienced fact that understanding the psychological investigators – find their explanation in mechanisms, the determinations and the three different sources. reactions of such a person requires a mixture of knowledge and psychological First of all, we highlight the violence intuitive and empathetic qualities, all in the that is camouflaged in a scenario that does same person, in an ideal, well-proportioned not reveal the real seriousness of the combination, meant to allow him/her to situation. In which case, the investigator, reach beyond what is, for the rest of us, by solely interpreting the evident, unreachable. defined/well shaped and finite elements of a given case, can lose of his sight Investigating cases of extreme important details, meant to reveal very violence implies, invariably, that those involved in the action are faced with a 1 series of difficulties – varied as type, Wertham, F. „A Sigh of Cain. An cause, intensity, but unquestionably Exploration of Human Violence”, Macmillan Company, New York, 1962 http://www.ijci.eu 163 THE WRITING OF CRIMINAL MINDS - CRIMINOLOGY AND HANDWRITING ANALYSIS subtle information concerning the subject. Where graphology comes in: This entrapment implies diagnosing an individual with a certain degree of danger, As mentioned before, the according to the actual crime, without investigators handling such cases face taking into consideration the real evil complex situations, and for solving them potential and the factors that could trigger they must exploit every detail and use it. every investigating method they have – which sometimes means introducing the Secondly, the errors can be caused “less conventional” within the by attributing a diabolic nature to human investigation, by using profiling methods, destructiveness. In other words, the either in its classical manner or in its degradation that can be observed in the experimental variations, such as forensic thinking and behavior of a criminal can linguistics or graphology. only be the outcome of the intervention of an entity/force which is completely But the fact that these methods are exterior to the subject, who is otherwise not used on a wide scale or that they are, not structured to do harm. still, strongly questioned by practitioners does not mean that they can’t be useful in As we will argue throughout the order to solve a case. On the contrary, they article, this presumption regarding the lack can prove themselves to be some of inclination towards evil is, in itself, extremely useful work instruments, wrong. Previous studies, run by specialists provided that those who use them are using different methods, have shown the aware of the limits they have and the errors exact opposite of this – more than 80% of that may occur, due either to wrongful people are capable of blamable acts, management and interpretation of the including acts of extreme cruelty, that are existing data or to the insufficient so shocking to the society. professional skills of those who do such a profile. The difference between those who are capable of such deeds and those who The fascination for the thinking and actually do them is due to multiple causes acting manner of people who commit (environment, education, medical issues) crimes (be they singular or serial), for their and the people involved, one way or motivations and the factors that trigger another, in a criminal investigation are them determined the researchers from required to inquire about all the anomalies many scientific areas to show interest for in the subject’s life that might have the criminal phenomenon. contributed to such an outcome. Considering the area of expertise of Thirdly, a possible cause for the graphology –the interpretation of the difficulties of such an investigation is the handwriting of an individual, in order to frequent assumption that all killers must realize a psycho-social-behavioral portrait suffer from an extreme pathological - it would have been only a matter of time disorder. until someone would have tried to reveal the criminal behavior in handwriting. From this perspective, the idea of that violence committed by a person no The first efforts in this direction different than the average human, belong to Jules Crépieux-Jamin, who considered normal and accepted studied the connection between accordingly by the society, becomes handwriting and people’s inclination almost outrageous. towards crimes and who is the author of one of the most important books of 164 International Journal of Criminal Investigation, 1, 4, 163-175 International Journal of Volume 1 Issue 4 Criminal Investigation 163-175 graphology – Les éléments de l'écriture des In this context, for the specialists, be canailles (1925). they investigators, graphologists or psychologists, it is important to state – and Consequently his work’s appearance, to keep in mind as a general rule – that which was passionately contested by some there is no such thing as a “criminal’s specialists in the field, the connection handwriting”. It might seem like a between handwriting and crime became, shocking statement, considering the goal of for all the specialists, an area of real and this article, which is to prove that the profound fascination, along with – and at handwriting of a killer highlights clues times, meddling with handwriting regarding the criminal potential of that psychopathology. person. In this context, the graphologist joins The reason why we underline that the psychologists and profilers, in their two statements do not exclude one another challenge to enter the most hidden corners is that there is no completely honest of o very different mind – that of a person, nor a completely dishonest one – criminal – in order to discover, understand each and every one of us, if and when we and explain its resorts, and also to provide consider it necessary, chooses to lie, to clues regarding the best manner of omit or to hide certain details from the approaching, treating and guiding his/her people we come into contact with. And rehabilitation. He joins them, he is subject each of us, as proven by the graphology of the same rules as them, he confirms studies, confirming other specialist’s Wertham’s theory and, as we shall further conclusions, has a negative potential, no show, he can become the “victim” of the matter if we choose to let it run our actions same entrapments or temptations. or if we keep it under control. Why should a criminal be any different, from this point The connection between handwriting of view? and the individual can be explained by a similar reasoning that a specialist can make Graphology wants to underline that it when looking at a person’s house: the way can offer clues about the authors of graphic it is arranged, the objects he has in it, the movements, but a professional that way they are shown, as to enhance their respects his/her job and has a sense of value, the order or mess that define the ethics will admit that there is no defined given space, they all speak, in the end, of sign that is the equivalent of dishonesty, the person who owns and manages them. hypocrisy or criminal tendencies – in other In conclusion, the way the owner relates to words, there is no sign, singularly the space of that house is connected to his identified, that, when present in someone’s personality, his moral and social values, writing, can categorize that person so his interests, his manner of thought and unequivocally with a bad feature of such action. impact. For the graphologist, the paper sheet But the same professional can build represents the projection of the hypotheses regarding the sense that those psychological characteristics of the innocent signs develop in certain individual, of the way in which he relates combinations, in a particular individual’s to life, to society, it is a display of his handwriting. manner of approach, his motivations or character traits – be they good or bad. The graphological analysis of the handwriting of a criminal is a very subtle experience, because there is no implicit http://www.ijci.eu 165 THE WRITING OF CRIMINAL MINDS - CRIMINOLOGY AND HANDWRITING ANALYSIS correlation, as in a particular sign means of various intensity and importance, but certain thing, between an absolutely sine qua non to the process itself.
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