FRESEARCH OF MENTALLY ILL PERSONS’ MANUSCRIPTS DURING FORENSIC HANDWRITING EXAMINATION

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to find out the possibilities of identifying a range of individual diagnostic features in the manuscripts of mentally ill persons, separation and use of these features during handwriting examination to determine a specific «distinctive» factor in order to solve the expert tasks. In the course of the research, the possibilities of diagnostic studies for determination of general physical, psychological and professional qualities of the manuscripts’ authors were outlined. The author of the article formulated recommendations on the application of a comprehensive approach to the usage of the obtained research results and on how to provide substantiated expert opinion based on these results. The results of experimental studies of manuscripts of persons with schizophrenia are represented as well. The experience of forensic handwriting research is generalized. The author emphasizes on a gradual, comprehensive and objective approach of an expert in the set task solving. The research is provided by the following system of scientific methods: method of formal logic (analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, analogy, abstraction) – for a detailed clarification of the considered issues content; theoretical method – for the analysis of scientific and methodological literature; method of systematic analysis – in the context of solving the set expert task.
Keywords: handwriting object; «distinctive» factor; forensic handwriting examination; diagnostic studies; identification characteristics; mental disorders; manuscripts; expert opinion.