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Report Writing - The Supervisor's Responsibility

NCJ Number
90657
Author(s)
I Newlan
Date Published
1981
Length
0 pages
Annotation
The film explains the essential features of good report writing, what facts must be in the report, and the process which supervisors must follow to ensure that their officers have satisfactorily reported the information needed by the agency and the criminal justice process.
Abstract
Reports should include the corpus of the crime, the modus operandi of the suspects, statements of victims and witnesses, and physical evidence from the preliminary investigation (points of entry and exit, suspects' actions, fingerprints, weapons used, other items of importance to the investigation as observed by the reporting officers, and victim and witness information). Officers must pay particular attention to the facts of the incident and be able to separate them from opinion and speculation. These distinctions should be given in the narrative sections of the report. Supervisors should explain to their officers that the report's main purpose is to provide solid evidence for prosecution. After review by the supervisor, the report may be used by detectives, prosecutors, defense counsel, judges, probation officers, juries, and by other law enforcement agencies. It may also be used by law enforcement management personnel for developing deployment information, aiding in the recovery of stolen property, retrieving information stored in records systems, and developing future budgets. Supervisors must make certain that the reports are brief, timely, and accurate. A discussion leader's guide accompanies the film.

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