Instructor's Manual for Report Writing for Criminal Justice Professionals, 5th Edition (Miller & Whitehead, 2013) | All Chapters 1–14 Covered

?? ??
EK ED
GE OV
ED PR
AP
M
?_
?_ IA
IA UV
UV ST
ST

, TABLE OF CONTENTS
Instructor Manual: Report Writing for Criminal Justice
Professionals, 5th Edition
Authors: Larry Miller, John Whitehead
ST




??
SECTION ONE: THE NATURE OF REPORT WRITING
UV



EK
1. The Why and How of Report Writing
2. Starting to Write
3. The Face Page




GE
IA

4. The Narrative — The Continuation Page and Follow-Up Report
5. Habits that Make for Speedy Writing
?_

6. Other Types of Writing
ED
7. Reading and Correcting Reports
AP

SECTION TWO: THE MECHANICS OF REPORT WRITING
_M

8. Simplified Study of Grammar
9. Avoiding Errors in Sentence Structure
PR

10. Making Punctuation Work
11. Breaking the Spelling Jinx
A?


12. Using or Abusing Words
13. Abbreviating and Capitalizing
OV

SECTION THREE: THE MODERNIZATION OF REPORT WRITING
VI




14. Innovations in Criminal Justice
ED
U
ST




? ?

, Larry Miller & John Whitehead: Report Writing for Criminal Justice Professionals,
Fifth Edition
Chapter 1: The Why and How of Report Writing

Introduction
ST




??
Chapter 1 provides an understanding of why reports are written. Writing reports ensures the
information will be available in the future and allows sharing of information with other people.
UV
Additionally, the chapter examines the various purposes of law enforcement, security, corrections,




EK
parole/probation, and forensic and scientific reports. The chapter also provides insight into effectively
writing your report. The chapter concludes with a discussion pertaining to the documentation of
evidence.




GE
IA
Objectives

 Why reports are written.
?_
 The operational and administrative purposes of the various types of reports.



ED
The process of effectively writing a report.
Understand the importance of using a notebook in preparation for report writing.
Why legalese and old-fashioned terminology should not be used.
AP
 How to properly use abbreviations.
M
 How sketches, photographs, and diagrams enhance reports.
 Be able to identify the different types of evidence.
 Understand what should be documented with regard to evidence.
PR
?_

 The ABCs of report writing.

Key Terms
IA

OV
 Presentence  Circumstantial  National Incident-
Investigation Reports Evidence Based Reporting
 Log  Accuracy System
 Notebook  Brevity  American Society for
UV




 Legalese  Completeness Industrial Security
ED
 Evidence  Modus Operandi  Chain of Custody
 Real Evidence  Uniform Crime
 Direct Evidence Report
ST




??
Discussion Points

 Discuss the security logs created in the classroom exercise. Did everyone follow the general
guidelines provided in the book? Discuss why you should never log things in advance.

,  The importance of using fixed objects as a point of reference when drawing sketches.
 How does the type of evidence collected vary from police, security, and probation/parole?



Classroom Exercises
ST




??
 Have students complete a security log based on the following information. The log is attached at
the end of the document.
You started your shift at 0800. The person going off shift, John Doe, gave you a set of keys and a
UV



EK
two-way radio. At 0845, you conducted a walk around the perimeter. You noticed a large
section of the chain link fence in your garden center was cut. At 0930, you conduct a safety
meeting with the store management team. In the meeting you discuss the importance of making
sure all the sidewalks and walkways are free of obstructions (water hoses, watering cans, plants)




GE
IA
during the upcoming garden season. You also discuss the need to stress the importance of
hydration to all workers as the temperature increases. At 1100, you observe someone in the
tool section of the store that appears to be casing the area. You continue to observe the
?_
individual. At approximately 1115, another individual enters the same aisle. The original
ED
individual hands the second individual several drill bits. The second individual places the drill bits
inside his jacket pocket. You observe the individuals leave the area via CCTV. You exit your office
at approximately 1118 to continue observation as they approach checkout. They walk past
AP
customer service and exit the building. You make the apprehension of the two individuals at
M
approximately 1125. You complete an incident report for the apprehension. You spend the next
two hours interviewing the individuals and processing the paperwork. You release the
individuals with a warning at the direction of your manager. After releasing the individuals, you
PR
take a lunch break from 1345 to 1445. When returning from lunch you walk the interior
?_

perimeter of the store. You discuss the importance of locking ladders when not in use with two
associates. Additionally, you discuss the importance of team lifting large products with a group
of associates. You spend the rest of your afternoon analyzing various store level reports for
IA

OV
discrepancies. At 1700, you end your shift and give the keys and two-way radio to Sally Smith.
 Have the students draw a sketch of a car accident using the following information.
Main St runs in an east to west direction across the city. State Ave runs in a north to south
UV




direction. The road to the immediate east of State Ave is Mascot Ave. Car #1, a red Toyota
Tacoma was traveling east bound on Main St. Car # 2, a blue Honda Civic was traveling north
ED
bound on State Ave. Car #1 failed to obey the traffic signal at the intersection of Main St and
State Ave. Car #2 was struck by Car #1 as it crossed the intersection. The point of impact is the
front driver’s side of Car #2 by the front of Car #1. The cars came to rest east of Main St
ST




between State Ave and Mascot Ave. Car # 1 was facing in the east direction, and car #2 was
??
sitting across the roadway partially blocking both lanes of traffic. The front of the car was facing
the South.