2. Introduction
• One of the most important skills investigators must
develop is report writing
• Will examine how evidence is located and processed
• Will examine how witnesses, victims, suspects and
others are questioned
• The report captures the essentials of an investigation
Hess 3-2
3. The Importance of Reports
EFFECTIVE REPORTS
• Need to be proficient
• 20 percent of time spent
writing reports
• Poor reporting jeopardizes
criminal prosecution
• Consider report usage
Hess 3-3
4. Uses of Reports
VARIETY OF USES
• By the prosecuting attorneys in preparing the case
• By the responding police officer when testifying
• By the judge in determining the facts
• By the jury if a trial has resulted
• Will be read by many different people for many
different reasons
Hess 3-4
5. The Audience
VARIETY OF READERS
• Other officers
• Supervisors
• Attorneys and judges
• Jurors
• City officials
Continued
Hess 3-5
6. The Audience (Continued)
VARIETY OF READERS
• Insurance adjusters and investigators
• Civil rights groups
• Citizens
• Media
Hess 3-6
7. Common Problems with Many Police Reports
INEFFECTIVE REPORTS
• Writing effective reports is a skill that must be learned
• Training officers encourage recruits to take shortcuts
• Overtime can occur with thorough, accurate, complex
reports
• Effective report writing skills may not be recognized as
important
Hess 3-7
8. The Well-Written Report: From Start to Finish
ORGANIZING INFORMATION
• Cornerstone of good report writing is organization
• The writer plans in advance
• First make an informal outline
• List what to include under each outline heading
• List the facts in chronological order
Hess 3-8
9. The Well-Written Report: From Start to Finish
STRUCTURING THE NARRATIVE
• Opening paragraph
• Next paragraph contains what the victim or witness
said
• Next record what you did
• Final paragraph states the disposition of the case
Hess 3-9
10. The Well-Written Report: From Start to Finish
CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE REPORTS
• Content, or what is said
• Form, or how it is written
• Factual
• Accurate
• Objective
Continued
Hess 3-10
11. The Well-Written Report: From Start to Finish
(Continued)
CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE REPORTS
• Complete
• Concise
• Clear
• Grammatically and mechanically correct
• Written in Standard English
Continued
Hess 3-11
12. The Well-Written Report: From Start to Finish
(Continued)
CHARACTERISTICS OF
EFFECTIVE REPORTS
• Paragraphs
• Past tense
• First person
• Active voice
• Audience focused
• Legible and on time
Hess 3-12
13. Recording and Dictating Reports
TRANSCRIPTION
• Recording or dictating reports is common in some
departments
• Demand for transcription services and software is
increasing across the country
• More efficient and less costly
• Bulk of writing to records division
Hess 3-13
14. Computerized Report Writing
EFFICIENT DATA TRANSFER
• Hardware
• Software
• Spell check programs
• Presynct_DictaTrans
• Cannot correct
sloppy data entry
Hess 3-14
15. Evaluating Your Report
EVALUATION CHECKLIST
• Reread it
• Proofread
• Check spelling, punctuation and capitalization
• Check grammar
• Is it audience focused?
Hess 3-15
16. Citizen Online Report Writing
ONLINE CRIME REPORTS
• Benefits
Increase caseload processing efficiency
Increase patrol officer effectiveness
Private security guards file shoplifting reports
Reduction in writing reports for minor incidents
Directly download into the department’s records
Hess 3-16
18. A Final Note on the Importance
of Well-Written Reports
REPORT OVERVIEW
• The importance of reports is clear
• Maximize the benefits a report can provide
• Write it well the first time
• Keep everyone current and clear on the facts
• Can greatly enhance an officer’s career
Hess 3-18
19. Summary
• Reports are permanent written records of important
facts of a case
• The effective report writer attends to both content and
form
• An effective report is factual
• A well-written report helps the criminal justice system
operate more efficiently and effectively
Hess 3-19
