Comparison of Gurumukhi and Latin scripts in handwriting identification: A forensic perspective

The present study has been carried out to study the possibility of handwriting comparison in cases where document under question is inscribed in different language and the available standards are in other language. The aspect is prevalent in the field of languages since people around the globe are being attracted to learn new languages, but their native language always has some impact on the next learned languages. Punjabi is the first language taught in the schools of Punjab and other languages afterward. Punjabi is the mother tongue of Punjab area and in contemporary times most of the population of Punjab leaning towards learning English language. For this study, 1200 samples in Punjabi and English from 100 individuals who studied English as well as Punjabi and using these languages on a daily basis were collected and analyzed. Class characteristics like alignment, slant, size, the arrangement of a piece of handwriting, connections, fluency line quality of handwriting along with the characters of letter form and formation were considered and the results were further analyzed statistically using Chi-square test. The results of the present study revealed the handwriting written in distinct scripts is similar and comparable with each other. Additionally, the study will help correlate a person’s handwriting with ethnicity, nationality, and region based on the characters present in the handwriting samples.

The views of judges and prosecutors on the opinions of psychologist expert witnesses in cases concerning witness testimony Joanna Kabzińska

The purpose of this qualitative research is to explore the perceptions of Polish judges and prosecutors regarding the role of psychologist expert witnesses in the evaluation of eyewitness testimony. Two main research questions were formulated: What are the criteria for selecting psychologist expert witnesses to participate in interviews and then to formulate expert opinions? What do judges and prosecutors expect from psychologist expert witnesses and their evaluations of eyewitness testimony? In-depth interviews were conducted involving judges (N = 31) and prosecutors (N = 30), both male (N = 35) and female (N = 26). Though other factors, such as availability, were also frequently mentioned, the judges and prosecutors declared that their choices of psychologist expert witnesses were predominantly determined by their professional abilities. These criteria correspond with the characteristics that judges and prosecutors claim to value the most in psychologist expert witnesses: their specialist fields, their experience, and their reliability in carrying out their work. It is of particular importance to the evaluation of witness testimony that judges and prosecutors recognize that, for an opinion to be complete, there is a need for psychological testing and diagnosis in addition to being present at interviews. However, judges and prosecutors do not always recognise the difference between legal conceptions of witness credibility and the assessments of it formulated by psychologist expert witnesses. The research provides an unique insight into the expectations of Polish judges and prosecutors regarding the role of psychologist expert witnesses in evaluating, and reporting on, witness testimony. To identify the aspects of psychologists’ opinions that are particularly valued by judges and prosecutors can enable better cooperation and communication between psychologists and legal professionals.

Stealthing as a form of rape – findings to date and future prospects for research

Stealthing or non-consensual condom removal (a situation in which one sexual partner, not necessarily a man, removes or damages a condom during intercourse and the other partner remains unaware of this fact) is a new phenomenon that has only recently been addressed by researchers. This article offers a summary of findings regarding the motives and methods of perpetrators’ of stealthing and attempts to analyse this phenomenon from the perspective of Polish criminal law. Finally, it discusses the prevalence of the offences of rape and its subtypes and outlines the key issues involved in the quantitative analysis of rape.

The accuracy of geographic profiling methods based on the example of burglaries in Warsaw

In the current study different geographic profiling methods were tested on a sample of burglaries in Warsaw. Overall 38 crime series were included in study, accuracy was measured as hit score and error distance. Results show limited obtained accuracy, comparably lower than what can be seen in similar tests conducted in western cities, but each method also shows improvement with series length. This shows that it is possible to use geographic profiling in polish setting, but also that there are significant limitations that one has to consider.

Reflections on the nature of individuality in the process of identifying handwriting and signatures

The fundamental principle of identification, based on the condition that there is a unique combination of independent discriminating elements in handwriting, is analysed. The results of experiments conducted on distorted handwriting suggest that there may only be one handwriting habit that is responsible for the individuality of handwriting. By analysing disguised and simulated signatures and applying the isochrony principle, it seems reasonable to conclude that the mutual interaction between the speed of writing and the curvature of a graphic line is the only habit, and the quality of a graphic line the only feature responsible for the individuality of handwriting. The article introduces a number of ideas for evaluating the quality of a graphic line during handwriting examination, and a number of new opportunities for research into biometric electronic signatures.