NCJ Number
179931
Date Published
1998
Length
415 pages
Annotation
The ability to write accurate, understandable, and complete reports is a basic requirement for police officers, corrections officers, and private security personnel who must document facts and circumstances of unusual occurrences through written reports.
Abstract
Guidelines to help police, corrections, and private security personnel fulfill their roles as objective reporters of facts and circumstances are presented in three sections. The first section covers the nature of report writing and specifically focuses on the why and how of report writing, starting to write, the face page, the narrative, habits that make for speedy writing, and reading and correcting reports. The second section addresses the mechanics of report writing, with emphasis on grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, spelling, using or abusing words, and abbreviating and capitalizing. The third section considers the modernization of report writing and looks at innovations and predictions in criminal justice. Appendixes contain model reports, examples of agency instructions for completing report forms, and a list of selected readings. References and figures