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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 14, 2004

SCHUMER ANNOUNCES OVER $490,000 TO UNIVERSITY OF BUFFALO FOR FORENSIC HANDWRITING ANALYSIS

University of Buffalo's Center of Excellence for Document Analysis and Recognition (CEDAR) will use funds to catch criminals better by developing better handwriting matching and analysis technology

US Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that the University of Buffalo at Amherst's Center of Excellence for Document Analysis and Recognition (CEDAR) will get $490,700 from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs. The money is part of the National Institute of Justice Continuation award to Buffalo to improve handwriting technology analysis at the Center

"By enhancing law enforcement's ability to fight crime, the University of Buffalo at Amherst will help improve the quality of life across the Northeast," Schumer said. "Forensic science is one of the new frontiers in law enforcement and the criminal justice community will benefit greatly from Buffalo's work in putting criminals behind bars."

University of Buffalo's program seeks to develop algorithms to use in analyzing handwriting in questioned documents. Today's funds will further develop software that tests eighteen algorithms for extracting handwriting features. The money will also be used to make design changes to avoid system crashes and to improve programs for easier navigation. The University of Buffalo will continue to collaborate with Forensic Document Examiners at the State and Federal levels.

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