In the present system a crime category has been dispensed with in order that a single search of the files may suffice to establish whether or not a duplicate exists therein, which is believed to conform more closely to the modern idea of centralization of records. Thus, as with fingerprints, the writing specimen itself contains all the elements necessary for its correct classification, regard less of the criminal proclivities, name, description, etc., of the author. A thief to-day may turn forger to-mor row or blackmailer the next day; so were his specimen filed first according to criminal specialty, and second according to the graphic characteristics of his writing, search would be necessary under a number of crime di visions in order to make his identification certain.