NCJ Number
14440
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 41 Issue: 7 Dated: (JULY 1974) Pages: 40
Date Published
1974
Length
1 page
Annotation
TERMINOLOGY USED BY THE POLICE IN OFFICIAL BUSINESS SHOULD APPROACH COMMON USAGE FOR MORE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION.
Abstract
VICTIMS, WITNESSES, OR SUSPECTS - THE PEOPLE IN POLICE REPORTS NEVER SAY ANYTHING. INSTEAD, THEY STATE, RELATE, OR (WORST OF ALL) ADVISE. OFFICERS NEVER TELL ANYTHING, THEY ADVISE, INFORM, INDICATE, OR NOTIFY. RATHER THAN MEET A VICTIM, THEY CONTACT HIM. SUSPECTS ARE NOT DRIVEN TO THE STATION, BUT ARE CONVEYED OR TRANSPORTED. FINGERPRINTS ARE NOT FOUND, INSTEAD, INVESTIGATION REVEALS THEM. COMMON TO ALL OF THESE INSTANCES, AND OTHERS THAT COULD BE CITED, IS THE USE OF A POLYSYLLABIC WORD FOR A MONOSYLLABIC ONE. SUCH USAGE WAS VERY ACCEPTABLE AT ONE TIME IN THE HISTORY OF ENGLISH PROSE, BUT THAT ERA ENDED ROUGHLY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL NEED TO REALIZE THAT THE SIMPLE, SHORT, DIRECT WORD IS OFTEN JUST AS COMMUNICATIVE AND LESS PRETENTIOUS THAN THE MORE LEARNED SUPPOSEDLY FANCIER WORD. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)