1. CRIMINAL JUSTICE REPORT WRITING THE HOW AND WHY Part 7 Writing Effective Police Reports: What to Omit

2. CRIMINAL JUSTICE REPORT WRITING THE HOW AND WHY Part 7 Writing Effective Police Reports: What to Omit 3. When you write a report, your first concern is including everything needed for completeness. But 4. You also need to think about what needs to be omitted. 5. Theres no place in a criminal justice report for: opinions, hunches, and guesses generalizations insensitive language 6. Lets take a look at each one of these. 7. Opinions, guesses, and hunches cant be verified in a courtroom cant be documented or proven can be challenged by an attorney 8. Provide only observable facts and details: not Clare was obviously lying but Clare gave a different address the second time not Lasko didnt want me to see the ring but Lasko kept her right fist tightly closed while we were talking not Chauvin was confused but Chauvin said What? What? when I asked about the missing items 9. Generalizations make prosecution difficult are too vague to be followed up in an investigation can cause a criminal to go free 10. Be specific when you report what you saw or did: not I processed the area but I photographed three sets of footprints not the room was ransacked but I saw shirts, jeans, pajamas, and shoes piled on the closet floor. not she looked frightened but her hands were trembling, and she kept looking at the kitchen door 11. Insensitive language casts doubt on your professionalism leaves you open to charges of unprofessionalism damages your credibility 12. Be sensitive when you speak or write about minorities and special groups. Avoid: sexually charged terms like babe, stacked, broad, and bombshell for women offensive terms like crippled, crazy, demented, and retarded for physical and mental conditions ethnic, religious and sexual slurs 13. Modern criminal justice reports should also avoid: passive voice (The door was opened by Mrs. Waite) jargon (Mirandized, Baker Acted, perp) unnecessary repetition (I asked for his name. He told me it was Thomas Vinh. I asked what happened. He told me a blond woman grabbed his wallet and ran out of the shop with it.) 14. These statements are more professional: Mrs. Waite opened the door (active voice) I used my Miranda card to read him his rights (jargon free) He told me his name was Thomas Vinh. He said a blond woman grabbed his wallet and ran out of the shop with it. (no unnecessary repetition) 15. To Learn More: Criminal Justice Report Writing is available in softcover ($17.95) from www.Amazon.com and in a variety of ebook and Apple formats (Kindle, Nook, SONY etc.) for $11.99 from www.Smashwords.com. Read a free sample online! 16. Find FREE report writing resources online at www.YourPoliceWrite.com