Handwriting analysts detect a passionate man on the edge

THE WASHINGTON TIMES via Drudge ^ | October 19, 2001 | Frank J. Murray

[freedom4ever]

Two handwriting analysts independently concluded yesterday that the person who addressed the envelopes containing anthrax to NBC anchor Tom Brokaw and to Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle is dangerously depressed and determined.

"The writer is very tired and at the breaking point emotionally," said graphologist Glenda Ross of Olympia, Wash. "The writer is too violent and unable to listen" but feels he is doing the right thing.

[washington10]

Handwriting analysis isnt a hoax. Everyone has similarities when it comes to handwritig. For example people from the 1950's all learned a style of the alphabet different from when I learned it in the 80's as a child. When we are kids we all pretty much have the same class characteristics when we are learning to form letters. Over time and with age well develop our own unique characteristics. We cant escape though entirely what we learned in school that is why you will find numerous similarities with the handwriting of various people. The same idea also applies to numbers as well.

[gumbo]

Thanks. I missed that.

[Ol' Sox]

Most youngish engineers from American universities- male and female- that I've encountered, also write with block letters. Physics students do that a lot as well.

The same thing holds true for folks who used to send code down to be keypunched. Use of the serifs on the numeric 1 distinguish it from an I. The neater the writing, the more accurate the code. Architects and draftsmen ditto.

[gumbo]

Graphology is a hoax

Some graphologists are hoaxsters, but there are legitimate observations made by a few who've spent many years at it.

Signs of deception, such as "overstrokes" in the letter formations, and recognition of certain style traits, such as serifs, may be useful in forming a profile of the writer.

Most people who are intentionally disguising their handwriting cannot completely hide clues to their identity.

[karth]

That "2" is more unusual than the ones. Thats what looks foreign; American kids haven't been taught to make a 2 like that in any living person's lifetime.

[logos]

Some graphologists are hoaxsters, but there are legitimate observations made by a few who've spent many years at it.

You may be right (although I would change "some" to "most," even so), but during the 20+ years I spent in, shall we say, a related field, I never met a single one who was able to back up his/her claims. It's telling, I think, that certified handwriting analysts (those who only try to connect specific writers with particular writings) are accepted in every court in the land as "expert witnesses," while so far as I know, such status has never been extended to even one graphologist.

I suppose it's possible I just met all the wrong graphologists...

[fnord]

are they going to bring in Miss Cleo next?

[chinche]

Unimpressive speculations made all the more trivial because it assumes that there is a single person who both coordinated the sending of the anthrax and addressed the letters. Here is another near worthless analysis based on how a serious person, with a little time and money, would intelligently begin a terror campaign by mail: The letters were addressed by someone fairly young, say a twelve year old, who was given many addresses and envelopes and told to write in a certain way. The person who managed the addressing of the envelopes then thanked or paid (or eliminated) the person who did the writing, and sent the envelopes off (without knowing their purpose) to another person who added the anthrax, again without knowing what was exactly the powder being added. This third person gave the envelopes to a fourth who knew only that he was to direct them to a fifth or more persons who did the posting. The person or group coordinating the whole thing would have been almost of this loop, except for sending instructions for writing the addresses to the person coordinating the address writing, and making the "powder" available to the person coordinating the envelope stuffing. What would "handwriting analysis" really say about anything? Nothing.

[Twodees]

Well, they've trotted out the handwriting analysts. What's next? Probably some butt naked guy who'll split a live chicken and read the entrails, or toss a handful of bones on a blanket.

The media sinks to a new low here.

[gumbo]

Years ago I read several books on graphology, and in my admittedly amateur opinion, there do seem to be certain general handwriting traits that are susceptible to graphological analysis.

Those who claim to divine the exact meaning of every little squiggle (e.g., that a certain shape of certain tail on a certain letter shows the writer to be jealous and acquisitive) are hoaxsters and nothing better than astrologers.

[LibWhacker]

I've always thought handwriting analysis was as bogus as astrology. Now I'm certain of it.

Me too . . . Not that I don't think sound statistical analysis of handwriting might actually be able to reveal something about a writer. These guys aren't doing statistics at all, AFAIK. As someone else said, they just seem to be telling you what you want to hear.

I'll bet that if someone practiced until he could perfectly reproduce by hand the font on this page (vs. caligraphy, for which they have pat answers), handwriting analysts wouldn't hesitate to crank out reams of suspect psychoanalysis on the guy, if asked.

[winna]

Years ago I read several books on graphology, and in my admittedly amateur opinion, there do seem to be certain general handwriting traits that are susceptible to graphological analysis.

I agree. I also studied handwriting analysis a few years ago, just for fun. I found that most handwriting I analyzed (even writing of people I didn't know) were pretty accurate. But that was real handwriting, not printed block letters. I don't see how anyone could get a true analysis from block letters printed on an envelope. The writer obviously tried to disguise their handwriting. One thing I did notice though, is the downhill slant of the lines. If I remember right that indicates depression or discouragement. Also, the varying slant of the letters may indicate emotional confusion. Just the opinion of an amateur ;-)

[Straight Vermonter]

Where did you hear this? So far I've heard only general descriptions of the wording of the message, e.g. that Allah is praised and that the recipient should take medicine. (I think it's spelled penicillin, btw.)

LOL, you are right about the spelling. The letter had it misspelled and it screwed me up (likely excuse). Here is the link for the text of the letters.

[gumbo]

Thanks for the link!

[gumbo]

The writer obviously tried to disguise their handwriting.

I think that's one thing a reputable graphologist can zoom in on -- the "overstrokes" and indications of very slow, labored, heavy-pressured writing suggest deception. But even smart criminals don't know enough to disguise every aspect of their handwriting, so some clues may be gleaned.

The consensus among graphologists I've heard so far is that the writer may be of foreign extraction, but has lived in the U.S. for some time. That would seem to support suspicion of this suspect, Mohammed Pervez, a naturalized U.S. citizen who lived in Trenton: Suspects had bioterror articles [one named Pervez lived, worked in Trenton]

[doberville]

The slant of the letters is supposed to represent introversion/extroversion; the left being introvertem etc.

Also, where the writing is placed on the paper is also significant. All this is used routinely in clinical psych as a projective technique.

[texasbluebell]

bttt