Criminal Tech

This exercise is intended to have the student practice their note taking techniques. Post all work on your discussion thread for the Week 6 Discussion Forum.
On the Pearson website, watch the video of a law enforcement official interviewing a witness to a crime and complete your own notes as the witness explains what she observed. Use the Interview Sheet to document key information. Additionally, produce a bulletized summary of the key points of the call as if you were taking notes in preparation to write the narrative on an Offense Report (Face Sheet).
Additional Information:
Case Number: 14-56090
Zone: 4
Date: Your current date
Time: Your current time
Mrs. Jackson's information:
Occupation: Bottle label maker
Phone Numbers: Cell: 719-555-0163
A driver license:

CRJU 4169: Reports, the English Language, and Police Jargon

Introduction

Report writing is one aspect of the law enforcement profession most officers look upon with disdain.
Report writing is an acquired skill that can be mastered in a short period of time.
As the first officer on the scene, your response to the incident is not finished until a complete and thorough case report has been written and submitted for filing.
It may be easy to arrest somebody, but when you do, you need to have a case that you can prove in court.

The Case Report

The case report is critical in capturing every significant detail of the incident.
The report is an investigative tool utilized to find perpetrators and begin to bring some type of closure to a criminal incident.
The case report is a legal document which can be subpoenaed into court.
You must be able to defend every work written about the incident.
When preparing your case report, always be thinking about your future courtroom testimony.

Importance of the Case Report

The case report enables others who were not at the crime scene to understand the facts that occurred at the scene.
If it isn't written, it doesn’t exist.

Who Might Examine Your Case Report?

Your initial supervisor
Chain of command (Command staff)
Follow-up investigators
Any officer of the court
Judge, district attorney, defense counsel, jurors
The media

When Composing Your Case Report

Think about how you would describe all of the activities that took place.
What are the elements of the crime that will help prove your case in court?
Is it written in proper English?
Keep it simple.
Were you careful of grammar and punctuation?
Ask the question, “How do you know?”

Agency Requirements

Each agency has a specific format and style, which will be contained in their case reports.
This class focuses on the common elements of writing a good case report.
These specific elements can be transferred to any style and format that your agency may require.

Basic Principles of the English Language (1 of 2)

The case report should be written as a free-flowing type of document that reads as a story.
Be concise, yet thorough.
Avoid abstract working.
It is best to use the first person singular style of writing in case reports.
“I” instead of “this officer”
Use the past tense.
Put information in chronological order.
Use active voice instead of passive voice.
Put the “who” before the “what.”
Use: Sgt. Smith placed the knife into evidence.
Avoid: The knife was placed into evidence.

Basic Principles of the English Language (2 of 2)

Factual Statements
What you observed
What you heard
What you stated
What you smelled
What you touched
If possible, use the names and titles of the involved individuals.
Use quotes sparingly.
Avoid run-on sentences.
Avoid police jargon.
Avoid abbreviations.
Avoid overcomplicated and sophisticated wording.
Avoid subjective wording.
Objective wording is essential.
Avoid stating conclusions.

Ethical Considerations

Always remember that you are not the judge and the jury.
Your mission is not to prove a suspect’s guilt, but to gather the facts and let the judicial system determine the outcome.
You must report all facts of the case, not just those that point in one direction.

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CRJU 4169: The Art of Note -Taking

Introduction

Note-taking is a skill that must be mastered by report writers working in the field of criminal justice.
Note-taking should never be attempted until the crime scene is rendered safe.

Types of Note-taking Tablets

Pocket type
Steno pad
Preprinted note sheets
Legal pad
Loose-leaf notebook

General Guidelines for Taking Notes

Start at the beginning.
Collect all the information necessary for an accurate report.
It eliminates the need to contact someone again before you forget to collect the information the first time.
Begin to list events/elements of the case.
Use your notepad for investigations only, especially if you are required by your agency to retain your case notes.

Other Issues in Note-taking

Using a recording device
Using dispatch
Officer safety is paramount!
Officers should not be placing their hands into their pockets to retrieve cell phones or other items when interviewing or contacting people that are involved in possible criminal activity.

The Right Way to Write

Abbreviations are best avoided in report writing, but they can be useful in note-taking.
Note-taking requires a different style of writing.
Documentation and recall play an important part in what style of writing is best for note-taking.
Good note-taking is characterized as a fast-paced endeavor which requires you to take notes quickly and efficiently.
Write notes legibly.
Make a mark in your notes when you start a new topic.
Document each subcategory of events as it unfolded.
Your writing style must be accurate and complete, while balancing your other duties.
The key to an effective writing technique is to find a balance between accurate, reliable note-taking, and officer safety.

Tips for Note-taking

Leave some room in your notes.
If you are in doubt about something, include it in your notes.
Document key words and phrases expressed by a victim, witness, or suspect.
Mechanical pencils are handy if the weather is too cold.
Summarize as soon as possible after the event, while your memory is fresh.
Try to keep things in chronological order.
Crime scene note-taking is an essential element in preparing your case report.
Your notes are the first step in completing a professional case report.
It is essential to organize your actions and the facts of a case into a logical and comprehensive outline.
Break down the information in your field notes into logical categories of manageable size.
Use clear and concise words whenever possible.
Use good penmanship.
Leave personal information of yours out of your notebook.
Number the pages of your notebook.
Use some type of organizational method.
Your notebook is a permanent record.

CRJU 4169: The Parts of the Narrative Case Report

Introduction

The completion of the narrative report is the final step in documenting what transpired with regard to the incident.
This document is a reflection of your training, skills, and abilities as a law enforcement officer.

Major Parts of the Case Report

The chronological order of the report:

Face Sheet

Introduction

Reporting Individual/Victim Statements

Witness(es) Statement

Facts of the Case

Suspect Statements

Conclusion

Synopsis

A brief summary of the incident, which informs the reader of the essential facts and the disposition of the case
The synopsis should support the title of the report.
The overall goal of the synopsis is to support the elements of the crime and to inform the reader about what is and what is not included in the report.

The Narrative Report

This is the part of the case report where you tell the story.
It is the main body of the written report.
It gives an overview of the criminal incident.
Use paragraphs to help paint the picture of how the incident unfolded.
Always start a new paragraph when you change locations, individuals, or significant events.
Each paragraph should have one central idea or theme.
Your goal is to guide the reader through the incident.
The narrative report should tell the story in simple and understandable language.

Supplemental Reports

Refers to any one of numerous types of subsequent narratives or attachments that will be added to the original case report
It may include witness statements, waivers, laboratory findings, or other forms connected with the incident.

Figure 3-1 Harassment Face Sheet/Cover Sheet Report

Figure 3-2 Completed Harassment Report

Follow Up Reports

Usually authored by someone other than the writer of the initial case report
These typically involve issues that arise at a later date after the case report has been filed.

The Right Way to Write

The writing style of the narrative case report is where it all comes together.
Present clear, concise, and comprehensive information that is grammatically correct and understandable to readers with a wide variety of educational levels.

Tips for the Parts of the Narrative Case Report

Use proper English.
Use careful punctuation and grammar.
Keep it simple.
Keep things in chronological order.
Do not forget to include who, what, when, where, how, and why.
When interviewing victims, witnesses, or suspects, ask the question “How do you know?”
Follow your agency’s requirements when dealing with issues such as format and style.
Use clear and concise wording.
Avoid abstract words.
Use the active voice.

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