Forensic Document Examiner
As the name suggests, forensic document examiners are trained to examine documents—typically contracts, wills, deeds, medical records, checks, loan agreements, or letters—and uncover possible legal evidence. These professionals perform a variety of detail-oriented duties, including analyzing and comparing handwriting samples, and examining photo copies, inks, and papers in order to determine their authenticity and detect possible forgery.
Through the analysis process, which involves both chemical and physical testing methods, a forensic document examiner can figure out how and when a document was made, and whether any alterations have been made to it. Skilled forensic document examiners may even be able to retrieve erased sections from a document.
Lawyers often use forensic document examiners in order to strengthen their cases. However, most forensic document examiners do not testify in court—their reports are used instead.
Training & Education
At most accredited colleges, there is no “forensic document examination” major. Most forensic document examiners possess a bachelor's or master's degree in one of the core sciences. Expertise in the document examination field is gained through specialized, on-the-job training from experienced forensic document examiners.
The American Board of Forensic Document Examiners (ABFDE) offers certification for forensic document examiners. To qualify for certification through the ABFDE, candidates must have a bachelor's degree; they must have completed a full-time training program from a recognized document laboratory; and they must be practicing as a full-time forensic document examiner.
Career & Salary Outlook
The salary of a forensic document examiner varies greatly depending on location, experience, employer, and expertise. According to SimplyHired.com, the average salary for a document examiner is $54,000 per year. The job outlook is promising for this career.
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Article Resources:
American Board of Forensic Document Examiners
American Academy of Forensic Sciences
Association of Forensic Document Examiners
SimplyHired