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, , 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

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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. negative feature and a writing particularity. In other words, there can be no In this light, the subject will compilation of graphic movements, which experience an acute feeling of discontempt – if found in a sample of writing – can regarding his own life existence, and automatically put the author in the thereafter he will change his behavior – up category of criminals; but there can be to then considered normal – by ignoring identified the specific signs of pathological and rejecting everything that has to do with types of behavior, or the potential in that decency and society imposed rule. In this direction, as well as the implications of stage, he finds it impossible to suppress previous experiences of the author, which certain primary instincts, and the fact that can be highlighted in writing, over his/her he still has some awareness of the present or future actions. differences between him and the others and of the fact that his social experience is a Graphology, as a science, has failure induces a state of profound nowadays the resources and knowledge disappointment. required in order to distinct correctly between a violent individual and one who It is this particular failure the only has a deviant behavior, between a triggering factor for the social subject that commits a crime due to disengagement that settles in, and in this impulse or premeditated2. context, committing a crime, which is no longer judged from the perspective of Furthermore, it can, just like social rules, is no longer outrageous, but it psychoanalysis, highlight the springs, the even becomes justifiable, approvable and triggering factors of violent tendencies, acceptable. which allow themselves to be revealed, even though discreetly, long before the It is at this point that two decisive subjects’ criminal outbursts. operations take place, in the process of thinking of a severely troubled individual – In order to explain the last statement, the judging and conviction of the potential we appeal to De Greef’s theory, which will victim. prove itself essential in the evolution of the correlations that can be made between It is precisely this slow graphology, psychology and even transformation that is ignored by psychoanalysis. De Greef3, after having specialists, in many cases. In this way, in studied criminals, concluded that their the context of criminal investigations, mentality and behavior are subject to a when we normally come into contact with gradual, slow transformation. In this way, murderers or violent criminals, the before they reach the point when they can clinicians (psychiatrists) are required to be defined as criminals per se, individuals supply information about the perpetrator must go through some intermediate phases, and they often choose to only generically, scientifically diagnose that person; in other words – diagnosis, no history, no 2 McNichol A., „Handwriting Analysis. Putting prognosis. It to Work for You”, Ed. Jaico Publishing It is this very practice that lead to the House, 2003. creation of a well defined group of 3 Etienne de Greef (1898-1961), Belgian dangerous perpetrators (upon which we criminologist and psychiatrist, author of will later on focus), and the result can be numerous reference books regarding the sometimes very little prolific for the psychology of criminal behavior. investigation.

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Making the assumption that all of the crucial intra psychic factors in the criminals are alike, not trying to go beyond development of violence – more precisely, the barrier of classification can be cause their understanding and correlation. And it for omitting important, yet subtle, is here where the other sciences should complex, less tangible, hard to interpret, intervene, even though they are less but very individualizing aspects of an accurate (after all, they are all social investigation. And the experienced sciences, unequivocally projective and investigators will agree with the fact that ambivalent), sciences like psychology, the Devil, just as solving a case, is in criminology, psychoanalysis or details. graphology, which do much more than an objective evaluation of the dangerousness From this point of view, profiling is or a theoretic classification of the subject – far more useful to the judicial they highlight the connections, the investigation, because, within certain relationship patterns, the representations, limits, it does the same as psychoanalysis, the images, the reactions, the elements of and by doing this it resembles less classic their mental objectivity, the cause-effect psychiatry. relationships that define that person. And graphology, as a profiling Graphology and graphopathology method, in those cases which allow its use, – serial killers under the microscope: serves the same goal. The specialist can offer useful information regarding the As mentioned before, in accordance characteristic features of a criminal with Wertham’s theory, there is a tendency personality and the understanding of the to consider that all criminals suffer/must causes that have determined the criminal suffer from an extreme pathological act, be they psychological, disorder. We consider that the analysis of psychoanalytical, symbolic or sociological. these things should be deepened, in order to approach and present fairly the specifics In other words, even though signs of of the matter. criminality cannot be identified in the graphic movement, it can be used in order The previous studies ran by scientists to describe the temper, which is itself the have shown that, from a psychiatric point reflexion of inner dispositions, intellectual of view, among the most dangerous or emotional skills or motifs and it can be criminals we have schizophrenics, an useful instrument in revealing the paranoiacs, alcoholics, extreme cases of origins and purpose of criminal acts. hysteria and very rarely neurotics or obsessive-compulsives. Amongst these, In our opinion, neither of the most cases are of people with schizoid previously mentioned sciences should be personality. excluded from the complex equation of judicial investigation. The psychiatric And, among those who can be diagnosis, combined with the information defined as on the highest step in the provided by profilers and graphologists, do hierarchy of criminals – the well known nothing more than to offer the investigator serial killers – we encounter plenty such more details he can use in order to discover examples of schizoid personality. the wrong doer. Those who, for various reasons, have The problem, as we see it, lies in the shown interest for this category of fact that sometimes professionals stop after perpetrators will ask at this point the more diagnosis, and by doing this they lose track than legitimate question “what becomes of

http://www.ijci.eu 167 THE WRITING OF CRIMINAL MINDS - CRIMINOLOGY AND HANDWRITING ANALYSIS the overstated idea that serial killers are The author is always under the psychopaths and why doesn’t this term influence of the present moment, he cannot appear in the previous list of disorders”. stand delays, he never waits; he has no long term perspectives, he lacks motivation The statement is perfectly true, and and has no high ambitions or projects. the explanation is very well given by Florence Wittkowski4, a scientist which From the perspective of space5, we dedicated her studies to the projection of find that psychopaths are very connected to the psychopathology in handwriting. She the left margin, which generally means an stated that “psychopathy is difficult to incapacity to break from the past, a define by a specific symptom. The subjects vulnerable childhood, a very deep suffer from an imbalance, and this attachment for parents (especially for the syndrome, common to more classes of mother), a probable lack of autonomy and psychiatric diagnoses, is not a disorder by the absence of successful initiatives. itself, but a personality complex. These people are not capable to develop in the This strong connection to the past terms of the society, and they become can also be highlighted by a tendency to psychopaths by the rejection they have to use a leftward slant, centripetal moves, face”. reversed gestures. Therefore, the is a The writing might also appear psychopath, because this term has within it vertical (as far as for the slant), signifying all the disorders priorly mentioned. And it the struggle between the past and the describes him as a fairly intelligent person present, the lack of or very little (at times, even a genius), with a very well spontaneity and sincerity, the rigidity of shaped feeling of omnipotence, who finds the conflict between construction and it impossible to obey the limits imposed by destruction. If it is also angular, it speaks others, who has grown in a violent family, of an intransigent subject, very hard and who was severely abused, who suffered a always in a defensive mood. parent’s abandonment, who can exhibit Should there however be a slightly self-hatred. rightward slant, it will always appear A psychopath’s handwriting: smudged, blurred, as if the subject is subconsciously aware of the disastrous From a graphologist’s point of view, outcome of his actions. the writing of a psychopath can generally be described as relatively conformist, The writing lacks rhythm, the contact rather banal, with little rhythm, stiff, with the paper lines (if the case) is monotonous and abounding in irregular/too regular, there is no proportion abnormalities. between stiffness and relaxation. Weakness and inhibition are dominant, there is very The level of organization is defined little impulse coordination, the subject has by clarity, order, simplicity and a tendency towards fixations and expresses proportionality. In a less fortunate social a very serious incapacity to perceive equation, the graphic gesture is combined, positive experiences. simplified, calligraphic and apparently there is an image of a certain sense of The psychopath creates in the writing. graphic movement the representation of his own ideal, the stereotype that guides his

4 Witkovski F, „Psychopathology and 5 as shown above, in graphology the sheet of Writing”, Ed. Scriptor Books, London. paper is considered to be the subject’s life.

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life and actions, and so the writing reflects to himself and who things that everything his robotized behavior and habits. One can revolves around himself. identify in this calligraphic, regular, lacking substance writing a certain care for It would be interesting, at this point, the author’s own image and also predict to step into the fascinating world of that the first contact with this subject might analyzing criminal’s handwriting – and actually be a pleasant one. what better way to do so than choosing, as a mere example, three names that represent But beyond this first impact lies a some of the most important chapters in the person that is constantly hiding, that has curriculum of the Quantico Federal Bureau very little control of things, while Investigation Academy students training to pretending to be on top of everything (we join the Behavioral Analysis Unit: David will often encounter typographic writing in Berkowitz, Ted Bundy and John Wayne this type of subjects). Gacy. As for the dominant writing zones, Case study No.1: graphologists will discover that in most cases, the middle one is more obvious, David Richard Berkowitz (born while the upper and lower zones are Richard David Falco and also known as unbalanced and disharmonious, Son of Sam and the .44 Caliber Killer) is highlighting a special attention for an American serial killer and arsonist who sensations, instinctual frustrations and committed crimes in New York between unfulfilled pleasures, a lack of balance July 1976 and August 1977. Upon his between desire and fulfillment, a arrest, he confessed to the of 6 pathological structure of aspirations, people and the wounding of several others, deceit. but he later on claimed that he had been commanded to kill by a who The writing of these people is possessed the neighbor’s dog. spasmodic, the pressure is sometimes irregular and inversed (ascending traits Berkowitz is a classic example of with high pressure, descending ones very psychopathic character, who’s pathological light and curved), pointing out towards troubles go back to his disturbed their violence and to the fact that childhood. A child born as a result of an everything in their mind is twisted, upside affair outside marriage, he was adopted by down, to their wrong vision of life. In other an average family in which he never felt cases, the clubbed traits, combined with quite at home – mainly because he disliked rough sharpness, speak of a tyrannical his father’s second wife and his sister, aggression, of force on the verge of whom he accused of and of bursting out, of impatience and nervous introducing him to the things that meant energy. his perdition. Even though his childhood was marked by his lack of interest for The writing might also present school and infatuation with petty larceny shallow, mirrored elements, a sign of the and pyromania, he had a rather normal life, author’s own shallowness, of the strong as he served in the army and had several influence of the environment upon him, of blue-collar jobs. the disproportionate reactions he has. This flat writing, with very few and sometimes David Berkowitz claims that he false connections, indicates a subject with came into contact with the occult when he no feelings for the others, who only relates joined a involved in rather harmless activities such as séances and fortune

http://www.ijci.eu 169 THE WRITING OF CRIMINAL MINDS - CRIMINOLOGY AND HANDWRITING ANALYSIS telling in 1975, but on later occasions he were the letters found throughout this points out that it was in these period of time. Their analysis only circumstances that he was introduced to confirmed the profile issued by drug use, sadistic pornography and violent psychiatrists, who described the killer as a crime. neurotic that is probably suffering from paranoid and who believed An important piece of the puzzle, himself to be the victim of demonic that proved very useful to the investigation, possession.

Writing samples of David Berkowitz David Berkowitz presents a vertical passed/smudged loops, while in the lower writing, with horizontal lines that zone the rightward ended „f”s claim sometimes gallop upwards, with a small attention. The speed and pressure are distance between letters and a normal one medium, he uses arcades and semi between words and lines. The middle zone angular/rounded connections, he still keeps is the best developed one, the upper zone is a bookish manner of forming certain letters reduced and displaying double (e.g. the „m”s) and the overall impression

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is of a 5th grader’s handwriting. But one was the cause for the termination of both can also detect the regressive ending traits, his marriages. the appearance of some slightly peculiar „J”s and „D”s in this general copy-book When diagnosed by a team of writing. psychiatrists during his trial, he was described as a person „in total denial of In Berkowitz’s case, the signs of responsibility for everything that has abnormality are deceptively more subtle, happened to him, that can produce an alibi though equally important in the analysis. for everything, that presents himself as a However, they point towards a disturbed, victim of circumstances and blames other easy to influence person, with a rather people who are out to get him, that narrow concept of life and a genuine attempts to assure a sympathetic response incapacity to create and sustain healthy by depicting himself as being at the mercy relationships, who suffers from a powerful of a hostile environment”6. complex of inferiority and who is incapable to see the connection between his deeds and their outcoming results.

Case study No.2: John Wayne Gacy Jr., also known as the Killer Clown, was an American serial killer and rapist who was held responsible for the assault and murder of 33 young boys and men between 1972 and 1978. He was the only son and second of three children of a middle class family, very close to his mother and sisters, but in a difficult relationship with his alcoholic and abusive father, whose approval he constantly seeked but who regularly belittled him. At the age of 9 he was molested by a family friend and 2 years later he suffered an accident that had serious consequences, causing him blackouts that were initially ignored by the father, who considered them just another pathetic cry for attention. Although he Writing sample of John Wyane Gacy showed no interest in school, he managed to become a rather outstanding member of the society he was part of and he had his own business. Even though he tried to live 6 a normal life, he could not hide his violent and bisexual tendencies, which eventually http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wayne_Gac y http://www.ijci.eu 171 THE WRITING OF CRIMINAL MINDS - CRIMINOLOGY AND HANDWRITING ANALYSIS

From a technical point of view, there confused, disturbed person, who strives his are some defining features that have to be strong need to satisfy dark urges that highlighted: overwhelm him and turn him into a very violent human being. He has an explosive The left margin is sinuous, he tends temper, he is constantly trying to repress to fill the page, leaving little space for the his anger, but he is ultimately defeated by others, without though forgetting about the his sadistic tendencies. basic rules of written addressing. The slant is towards the right, the lines are mainly Case study No.3: horizontal and a little sinuous, the spacing Last, but by far the most publicized is slightly reduced between letters, large of the psychopath serial killers is between words and normal between rows. Theodore Robert „Ted” Bundy, born The middle zone is filiform, the upper zone Theodore Robert Cowell. This serial killer, is defined by sharp, filled with ink, low rapist, kidnaper and necrophiliac was closed loops, most of them having a convicted for 30 homicides identified hooked or clubbed debut, while the lower between 1974 and 1978, but is thought to zone abounds in elongated loops , some of have actually committed far more such which are turned to the right instead of left atrocious deeds. (e.g. his „f”s) and hooks. The writing has angular arcades, is connected mainly with Although his paternity is clearly semi angular inferior traits and it is done attributed in his birth certificate, Ted with average speed and pressure. Bundy was suspected to be the son of his own violent, abusive grandfather. Raised But what a professional easily by his grandparents, who pretended to be notices while analyzing Gacy’s his parents and who presented his mother handwriting is the heavy, not really as his older sister, brought up in a violent pleasant pastosity and the many signs of environment and being put through the confusion. He constantly has traumatic experience of seeing his clubbed/hooked debuts in his letters, his grandmother periodically undergoing writing is smudged, he uses capital letters electroconvulsive therapy for depression, it within a word or at the beginning of words was only a matter of time before the young which should normally be written in low boy started to show a vicious, disturbing case and he displays an okward manner of behavior, which implied perusing for long forming certain letters. periods of time, raising a large collection Interpreting the information from a of pornography and manifesting a very graphological point of view, we find sick attraction towards knives. As a matter ourselves in front of a person who has of fact, he has been sad to have engineered considerable issues with complying to the a suspicious ritual as far as the age of rules of the society, but who can easily three, when his aunt found herself fake living by them. He seems a properly surrounded by knives in her bed, while she behaved individual that can allow other’s was sleeping, only to find her nephew opinions on things, even though he does sitting on the bed edge and smiling at her. not take them into consideration. But beyond this act of his, we discover a very

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Although adopted and loved by her involved in a local reelection campaign mother’s new husband, he felt alienated to and undertook law classes, in a period of him and as a teenager found his time that coincided with the beginning of consolation in reading numerous detective his unspeakable acts of violence. magazines, crime novels and true crime documentaries, showing a real fascination When he was finally caught and towards those who involved sexual tried, the psychiatric diagnose presented violence and who exhibited photos of dead the very charismatic, kind, sympathetic or mutilated bodies. appearing man as a sociopath, a person who can distinguish right from wrong, but His separation from his university whose behavior is very little if ever sweetheart is considered to be the influenced by this ability, who is incapable triggering event in his criminal of any feelings of guilt or remorse and who development, since her leaving him was a is defined by narcissism, manipulative strong enough experience to open behavior and a poor judgment. In Bundy’s Pandora’s Box for the man who already case, his extremely meticulous research had admitted that he had no understanding and skill at minimizing physical evidence, for interpersonal relationships. The doubled by his personal charm and ability devastated and rejected Bundy changed his to make people sympathetic only lead to a academic area of interest and majored in longer, more difficult, frustrating psychology, thus starting a career at a investigation, which sadly also implied a suicide hotline crisis center. He later on got higher number of victims.

Samples of Ted Bundy’s handwriting

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Ted Bundy’s handwriting is far more wanton sexuality and perverse, sadistic, structured than the samples previously tendencies. presented. He uses paragraphs, he shows an interest for appearance, for the way he These three examples only serve to presents his writing in front of others. The prove the general idea of this article – that right margin is sinuous, the left one is graphology can be efficiently used in rather linear. The writing is slanted criminals’ profiling and understanding, that considerably to the right, is narrow and it is a viable method of investigation and tall. The middle zone is dominant, the that it can only complete the general upper zone is low, with many double picture of a criminal’s mind. This is why passed elements or sharp booklets, while we consider that, given the specific of each the lower zone appears to be more criminal investigation (because the case developed, with big, round loops. The lines has to allow such a thing), graphologists are horizontal, slightly ascending, the should be involved in the judicial process, distances between letters are reduced, they be it prior to the identification of the vary between words and are small between subject or throughout the interrogations, lines, producing entanglements on since he/she can provide important numerous occasions. He uses arcades, information regarding the perpetrator and which are angular/semi angular, and which also regarding which questioning methods he connects with semi angular traits. The work best in his case. speed is good and the pressure is even, Conclusions: producing a quite efficient writing. Solving crimes is probably the most But we also find in this sample of interesting, yet difficult activity for a writing a display of crooked letters, of very graphologist, because of the impact of personal, somehow artistic way of letter his/her action. formation interpretation (as is the case for „f”, „I”, „h”), a very bizarre beginning If, during an investigation, the trait, extremely long and having a hooked graphologist’s opinions are not taken into debut, which he constantly uses. consideration, we are inclined to believe that there might be cases in which the Ted Bundy presents himself as a duration of the action is uselessly graceful, fairly imaginative person, very prolonged – which might lead to the charismatic and seductive. He is educated, delayed apprehension of the perpetrators, smart, resourceful, thorough, logical and or to a more difficult and slow determined. But the writing also displays interrogation process, mainly because the his vanity, stinginess, a too well developed approaching strategies are not correlated to sense of self importance and intellectual the personality of the targeted person exaltation. It highlights a great amount of (suspect, victim or witness). inner conflicts, a constant lack of freedom of feeling, which eventually determined More than that, it’s within this the absence of emotional equilibrium and particular activity of interpreting response to his own viciousness, and it handwritten testimonies where the allows us a glimpse towards his ferocious, graphologist can turn to advantage his abilities, since he can observe the subject’s

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attitude towards the investigator’s Therefore, we see as imperative an questions. action of rigorously promoting the advantages of such a scientific instrument, We are, of course, aware of the limits on a wider scale, in the academic of this instrument, and of the errors that environment as well as in the professional can occur due to wrongful management of one, and we also militate for the given data, or due to the insufficient development of research and perfecting knowledge of the specialist involved, but programs, indispensable to progress and to the fact that the method is scientifically the training of new specialists. underlain and the prior spectacular results determine us to strongly recommend its usage within the complex activity of criminal investigation.

Selective Bibliography: 1. Holmes R., Holmes S., „Profiling Violent Crimes: An Investigative Tool”, Ed. Sage, 2008 2. Kocsis R.N., “Criminal Profiling: Principles and practice”, Ed. Humana Press Inc, New Jersey, 2006 3. Lena S., “L’attivita in eta evolutiva. Esame, ricerche, prospettive”, Ed. G.Moretti, 1999 4. McNichol A., „Handwriting Analysis. Putting It to Work for You”, Ed. Jaico Publishing House, 2003 5. Nezos R., “Graphology- The Interpretation of Handwriting”, Ed. Scriptor Books, Londra, 2006 6. Pulver M., „The Symbolism of Handwriting”, Ed. Scriptor Books, Londra – cf ed. 1931 7. Turvey E.B., „Criminal profiling: an introduction to behavioral evidence analysis”, Ed. Elsevier Publishing House, Academic Press, 2008 8. Witkovski F, „Psychopathology and Writing”, Ed. Scriptor Books, Londra 9. http://www.psychwatch.com/forensic_page.htm 10. http://www.all-about-psychology.com/handwriting-analysis.html 11. http://serialkillersink.net 12. http://www.mayhem.net/Crime/serial.html 13. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Bundy 14. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Berkowitz 15. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wayne_Gacy

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