FBI Seeks Volunteers for Handwriting Project

Forensic handwriting expert examining a sample of handwriting

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is looking for West Virginia University students to volunteer for a handwriting study which will contribute to a growing biometric. The study will dissect anonymous volunteers’ handwriting and allow the University’s forensics department to learn the importance of handwriting in solving crimes.

«The handwriting samples will be contributed to the FBI’s Biometric Center of Excellence,» said Brian Ballentine, assistant professor of professional writing and editing.

«Participants will be asked to copy a short paragraph three times in their natural handwriting and then complete a free writing exercise generating approximately 2,500 characters,» Ballentine said.

This project marks the second time WVU and the FBI have worked together under the FBI — WVU Research Corporation Cooperative Agreement to further research in forensic science and biometric systems. «WVU is the academic partner of the FBI,» Ballentine said.

Previous forensic research suggests handwriting can play a key role in creating a profile of a person of interest according to the University’s handwriting collection website. The project will assist coordinators in learning more about the ability of handwriting to predict human behavior, feelings, and habits according to the site. Handwriting samples will be collected during two hour sessions at various times and locations around campus starting mid-September.

Ballentine said participants will be asked to fill out a short biographical questionnaire but will not be required to provide any identifying personal information. Last year, the FBI and WVU partnered to collect fingerprints and images of volunteers in an effort to enlarge the national database. «This year the partnership will shift its focus to find new ways to extract information from a person’s handwriting,» said Joan Caridi, public relations representative for Homeland Security Programs at WVU. «In order to promote interest in the program, coordinators will compensate participants with a $50 VISA gift card and pizza during sessions.»

Illustration for the famous lesson for forensic scientists «Who Wrote This»

Source: The Daily Athenaeum