This guide provides procedures that should be used by forensic document examiners for examinations and comparisons involving visualization and recording of indentations.

Formerly under the jurisdiction of Committee E30 on Forensic Sciences, this guide was withdrawn in July 2012 in accordance with section 10.5.3.1 of the Regulations Governing ASTM Technical Committees, which requires that standards shall be updated by the end of the eighth year since the last approval date.

When sheets of paper are in direct or indirect contact with one another, impressions on the top sheet can produce indentations on the sheet(s) below.

This guide establishes procedures for visualizing those indentations.

4.2.1 These procedures are essentially non-destructive; however, pencil writing and single-strike ribbon typing can be partially lifted from the document by EDD. Although this effect can be minimal, adequate documentation of such items should precede EDD.

Paper fiber disturbances caused by erasures or present in torn paper edges may be visualized using this guide.

Electrostatic detection device (EDD) examinations may be useful in developing other types of impressions on paper items (for example, typewritten material, shoeprints and latent prints).

The procedures outlined here are grounded in the generally accepted body of knowledge and experience in the field of forensic document examination. By following these procedures, a forensic document examiner can reliably reach an opinion concerning indentations.

1.1 This guide provides procedures that should be used by forensic document examiners (E 444) for examinations and comparisons involving visualization and recording of indentations.

1.2 These procedures include evaluation of the sufficiency of the material available for examination.

1.3 The particular methods employed in a given case will depend upon the nature of the material available for examination.

1.4 This guide may not cover all aspects of unusual or uncommon examinations.

1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory requirements prior to use.