1. Class Name, Instructor Name
Lasley & Guskos, Criminal Investigation: An Illustrated Case Study Approach 1ed
Chapter 6
INVESTIGATIVE REPORT WRITING
Class Name, Instructor Name
Date, Semester

2. CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
Understand the importance of field notes and their use in incident/crime reports
Explain the circumstances in which field notes are commonly taken
Know the basic information contained in an incident/crime report
Explain the required contents of incident/crime reports and the term FACCCT
Know the different types of incident/crime reports
Summarize how to take written and recorded statements

3. Learning Objectives
After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes
Understand the importance of field notes and their use in incident/crime reports

4. Reasons for Field Notes
Observations
Interviews
Memory Recall

5. Explain the circumstances in which field notes are commonly taken
Learning Objectives
After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes
Explain the circumstances in which field notes are commonly taken

6. FIELD NOTE BENEFITS Persons involved in criminal activity
Previous interviews conducted
Exact statements made by suspects and witnesses
Information can help with future leads
References can be checked for consistency with other investigators’ notes
Refresh an investigators memory for testifying in court
Crime scene sketches
Notes, statements, etc. Can be used as admissible evidence

7. Know the basic information contained in an incident/crime report
Learning Objectives
After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes
Know the basic information contained in an incident/crime report

8. Basic Report

9. Emergency medical personnel
Who?
Who?
Victims
Suspects
Informants
Emergency medical personnel
Officers
Witnesses

10. What? What? Damages Weapons Suspect vehicles Behaviors observed
Sensory perceptions
Victim’s routine

11. Suspect Vehicle

12. Hiding places of suspect
Where?
Where?
Missing property
Weapons stashed
Hiding places of suspect
Victims location
Entry exit points
Suspects residence

13. Where?

14. When? When? Crime was reported Suspect arrest
Officer arrival and departure time
Victim, witness, suspect interviews
Physical evidence obtained
Weather conditions

15. Why? Why? Attraction to victim Offenders took Offender in crime scene
Victim in crime scene
Type of weapon
Crime not reported immediately
Offenders took

16. Type of Weapon

17. How? How? Carried Victims crossed path with offender
Suspected gained entry
Suspect exited
Stolen property disposed
Witnesses saw/heard

18. Summarize how to take written and recorded statements
Learning Objectives
After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes
Summarize how to take written and recorded statements

19. Strategies for Effective Field Notes
Attention to detail
Consistency and organized format
Adopt and effective recording style 19 19

20. Writing Incident/Crime Reports
Official Document that goes to:
Supervisors
Prosecutors
Judges
Probation
&
Parole
Officers
Defense
Attorneys
Insurance
Agents
Other
Investigators
Crime
Analysts 20 20

21. Crime Reports

22. The Face Sheet Face Sheet Time, date, nature of crime
Suspect, victim, subject
Reporting officer
Evidence obtained
Property stolen & value
Requests

23. Learning Objectives
After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes
Explain the required contents of incident/crime reports and the term FACCCT

24. FACCCT
F-factual, include only factual information that is objective and relevant
A-accurate, avoid including information that is inconsistent and illogical
C-clear, use words and terms that are clear and unambiguous

25. FACCCT
C-concise, don’t be wordy, don’t provide more information than is necessary
C-complete, make sure all Ws & H are covered and factually supported
T-timely, make sure the report is submitted within deadlines

26. Report Writing Tips Avoid imprecise or wordy forms of grammar
Avoid including personal opinions
Avoid misquoting statements
Avoid repeating information
Avoid using excessive or unfamiliar abbreviations
Avoid overstating or and overpunctuating
Avoid sloppy and careless work

27. Know the different types of incident/crime reports
Learning Objectives
After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes
Know the different types of incident/crime reports

28. Specialized Crime Reports
Private Person’s Arrest
Citizens arrest form
“Who Done it?”
Workable information that could lead to a suspect
Missing Persons
Missing after 24 hours

30. Report Classifications
Classification of categories:
Closed: settled by officer or investigator
Unfounded: not enough information or not factual
Referred for Follow-up: investigators decide on further investigations
Inactive: will not be investigated further 30

31. CHAPTER SUMMARY
Field notes are the basis for the incident report. An investigative report often is written several hours after the investigation of a specific event or incident. Certain types of information such as statements, times, observations, addresses, and so on can be easily forgotten or confused with other information if not recorded while still fresh in the officer’s mind. Noting times is very important to the crime because this establishes a timeline of events as they took place. Field notes are the first step in the investigative process and create a visual picture for those who need to further investigate the matter noted. The field notes are documented at the scene of the incident and afterward are transcribed to various parts of the incident report.
Field notes should be taken at the scene of an event or incident or when interviewing persons (e.g., victims, witness, suspects). They should also be taken whenever an officer wishes to record specific facts for a crime report and any time the officer wishes to remember specific details later on.

32. CHAPTER SUMMARY
Victims and witness information is to include full name, age, date of birth, race, sex, address, and both home and work phone numbers. This basic information will allow investigators to follow up as needed to further investigate the case.
FACCCT is an acronym describing the detail listed within an incident report. The first letter, “F”, refers to factual information. The second letter, “A”, refers to accurate information, as any report must provide accurate information to further investigations and prosecution. The three Cs stand for clear, concise, and complete. The last letter, “T”, refers to timely. Crime reports have to be clearly written and concise in the information presented.

33. CHAPTER SUMMARY
There is a report taken with no workable information, which is a report that has no information for follow-up by investigators. Another report is one that does have workable information for follow-up by investigators. Another type of report is a missing person report. This report must be taken in person or over the phone.
Incident reports assist with identifying, apprehending, and prosecuting criminals. They serve as source documents for filing criminal complaints and recording the entire investigation process, and they provide a basis for follow-up.