The Bournemouth Lady Killer

The evidence

Write and wrong

In Crime Team the handwriting on many of the documents is analysed for tell-tale character details and for incriminating similarities. This technique is known as graphology. It is, in effect, taking to scientific lengths the process by which we all recognise writing on envelopes from friends and relatives, confirm our agreement with a signature and see handwriting suffering under emotional or physical stress.

Graphology as a word was first documented in 1875 by French Abbot Jean Hyppolyte Michon. It comes from the Greek 'graph', meaning 'to write'. The subject dates back to ancient Indian then to Chinese culture and from there to Greece, 2000BC. Aristotle wrote: 'Just as all men do not have the same speech sounds, neither do they all have the same writing.'

At its elementary level, graphology takes into consideration a number of handwriting elements, including: stroke, letters, words, baseline, paragraphs, free movements ('i' dots and 't' bars), flourishes, punctuation and paraphs (flourish after a signature), dimension, form, pressure, speed, direction, layout and continuity.

These factors were being taken into account to a greater or lesser degree by various schools of graphology during the 19th century. It was around the turn of the 20th century that German psychologist, philosopher and characterologist Dr Ludvig Klages created the basis for modern graphology.

Looking at more psychological aspects of handwriting, studying factors such as vertical movement, horizontal movement and depth, Klages and other researchers were able to draw detailed characterology pictures of writers.

Dr Eric Singer brought the modern approach to the subject to Britain in the middle of the 20th century and 1982 saw the formation of the Graphology Society. One year later The British Institute of Graphologists was established.

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