Author: Robert C. Levie

Publisher: Allyn & Bacon

Published: 1978-01-01

Total Pages: 424

ISBN-13: 9780205060986

Since an adequate report is an essential part of an investigation, this step-by-step guide to the writing of police reports is intended for preservice law enforcement trainees and for inservice officers. Systematic instruction, guidance, and practice for preparing effective police reports are presented in three basic steps: (1) taking notes during the investigation, (2) analyzing and organizing the notes, and (3) writing the report. Practical instruction is provided in word usage, sentence construction, and paragraph construction. The book is divided into two parts. The five chapters of the first part are sequential, the whole section giving the user an overview of the written report, with each chapter substantially complete in itself. For this reason, there is some deliberate repetition from one chapter to another. Also, the steps in writing a police report are so interrelated that certain essentials need to be stressed in relation to two or more of the steps. Exercises for preservice students and inservice officers are provided in the chapters on taking notes, analyzing the notes, and writing reports. The last chapter, on the actual writing of reports, includes a concise handbook on basic grammar and composition designed especially for the law enforcement officer. The second part of the book contains sample completed reports, both adequate and inadequate. The samples include reports on various types of offenses, ranging from theft and burglary to rape, murder, and traffic accidents. The report on each type of case is preceded by a brief statement of the purpose of the report and an analysis of the sample report. The adequate samples can serve the officer or the student as guides in writing reports while the inadequate samples can serve as guides in checking reports for errors, flaws, and weaknesses. A practice exercise follows each type of report. The appendixes contain a list of flaws commonly found in police reports and a concise reference on written expression, designed to provide grammatical and vocabulary references for the law enforcement officer. An index is provided.