The New and Improved Way to Catch Forgers

In the past forgery was detected by experts who have dedicated their time to analyzing specific strokes on paper. The criminals who committed the crime either traced the signature or try to replicate the signature in freehand. The problem with tracing is that no two signatures are exactly alike, so in the instance that there are two identical signatures it is very easy to tell if one is forged. In freestyle forgery it is a lot more difficult to detect a good forgery, experts have to analyze strokes and impressions and it make take a while in detecting it in two-dimensions. No matter what it is impossible for a forger to exactly replicate the variation in pressure that the original writer would have used.

Now a new technology is on the horizon that will make forgers lives miserable and maybe non-existent. Giuseppe Schirripa Spagnolo, Carla Simonetti, and Lorenzo Cozzella from Rome have developed a technology that makes a three-dimensional hologram of the handwriting in question and analyzes the tiny variations, strokes, and bumps. The technique is now known as "3D Mirco-profilometry" and it allows experts to gage the writer's pressure at points, such as cross-overs, and even more crucial is that it does not damage the sample. More importantly is that this new revelation has been tested over and over with different paper types and different pens and has already began to detect forgeries successfully in both wills and checks.

This technique should be brought to stations all around the globe in order to better counteract forgers intentions. The production of a three-dimensional sample is far more useful than the analysis of a two-dimensional piece of paper. Forgers will have a very tough time continuing in their work if this technology is common throughout police departments and detective agencies worldwide. In this day and age it is necessary for our law and justice system to have all the advantages over criminals and 3D Micro-profilometry gives back that advantage to the law against forgers.