The Questioned Document Unit of the Michigan Department of State Police is located in the Lansing Laboratory. Serving the entire state, in cooperation with the six other laboratories, cases requiring questioned document examinations are submitted to the Lansing Laboratory.

Examinations are conducted of questioned documents in all types of criminal cases for local, state, and federal agencies. This includes the examination of writing, printing, ink, paper, impressions, typewriting, typewriters, checkwriters, photocopiers, alterations, obliterations, reconstructing torn, faded, charred, burned, or water soaked documents, to name a few. Laboratory reports are issued to submitting agencies, and expert testimony is given in various court proceedings.

The Questioned Document Unit will conduct forensic examinations in cases that involve "document" evidence. Questioned Document examinations must be conducted prior to submitting the evidence to the Latent Print Unit. Some of the examination areas are:

Writing and Printing

Writing and printing are identifiable. Writing and printing can be compared with known writing of individuals to determine if they did or did not write a document in question.

Inks

Inks can be examined to determine if different inks were used to produce a particular document in question. Inks that have been obliterated or destroyed through fading, burning, water, overwriting, chemicals, or other means can often be recovered and made legible. Although the Michigan State Police Questioned Document Unit does not offer ink dating at the present time, arrangements can be made to have this type of examination conducted at a federal laboratory.

Paper

Paper can be compared with known samples to determine if the document in question is similar to a known sample. Paper can sometimes be dated or traced to a particular source or manufacturer. Paper can also be reconstructed, such as matches reconstructed to their match books, shredded or torn documents, cut documents, etc. Paper that has been burned or watersoaked can often be restored.

Typewriters

Typewritten documents can be identified with a particular typewriter to the exclusion of all others. Typewriting can also be classified to determine what type of machine was used to produce the document. In addition, typewriter ribbons, correction ribbons, and correction materials can be examined to determine if these materials were used to produce the document in question.

Photocopiers, Printers, Mechanical Devices

Items used to produce documents can be examined and compared with the actual device (or known samples of the device) to determine if the particular device was used to produce a document in question.

The Questioned Document Unit of the Michigan State Police continues a proud tradition of excellence. Members belong to various recognized organizations in the field of Questioned Documents, such as the American Society of Questioned Document Examiners, American Academy of Forensic Sciences Questioned Document Section, the American Board of Forensic Document Examiners, and the Midwestern Association of Forensic Sciences. Attendance at these meetings keeps the unit abreast of current research and issues. The members of this unit actively participate in these organizations, serving in various capacities within the organizations, in addition to the responsibilities of their caseload. The unit members also conduct research in the field of Questioned Documents. The results of this research have been presented at various annual meetings of the professional organizations.