The term forensics has experienced buzz word status lately due to the popularity of television crime dramas. As a result most people view the science of forensics as applied only in gritty, macabre murder scenes. But how about well-known Christmas poems? Rhyming Santa stanzas may not seem to need a forensics team, but the longstanding field of literary forensics has solved many a famous document drama.

Literary forensics is the investigation of documents with disputed authenticity. The authorship of the documents may be in dispute or the legitimacy of the documents themselves.

The identity of the author of the famous Christmas poem, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas has been in dispute since the 1800s. Typically attributed to Clement Clarke Moore, the family of Henry Livingston long protested that Livingston was the true author. Vassar professor, Don Foster, was solicited to give opinion about the author. Foster is well-known as a literary sleuth having made determinations about lost Shakespeare sonnets, best seller Primary Colors and writings of the Unabomber. After analysis of other published and collected writings of each man, Foster sided with the Livingston family.

Examinations of writing style, word choice, handwriting analysis, and paper tests among other investigations are employed in the field literary forensics to solve crimes.

Literary Forensics has been used in many investigations of fraud and violent crime.
Infamous cases where literary analysis was sought include:
• Hitler Diaries
• Jack the Ripper diary
• JonBenet Ramsey case
• Charles Lindbergh baby kidnapping
• 2001 Anthrax attacks

Perhaps not the featured aspect of racy television shows, literary forensics plays in integral role in identifying the criminal.