1. Criminal Investigation, 7 th Edition By James N. Gilbert PRENTICE HALL ©2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Note ̶ Taking and Reports Chapter 4

2. Criminal Investigation, 7 th Edition By James N. Gilbert PRENTICE HALL ©2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Overview Note-taking Note-taking Reports Reports Review Questions Review Questions Opportunity for Student Questions Opportunity for Student Questions

3. Criminal Investigation, 7 th Edition By James N. Gilbert PRENTICE HALL ©2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Learning Objectives Understand how note-taking aids the criminal investigator Understand how note-taking aids the criminal investigator List and define the various styles of note- taking List and define the various styles of note- taking Use field notes to formulate the police report Use field notes to formulate the police report Understand the purposes of the police report Understand the purposes of the police report List the elements of a well written report List the elements of a well written report Understand the various types of investigative reports and the circumstances in which they are used Understand the various types of investigative reports and the circumstances in which they are used

4. Criminal Investigation, 7 th Edition By James N. Gilbert PRENTICE HALL ©2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Field Notes Field notes are the basis for a complete and accurate police report Field notes are the basis for a complete and accurate police report Field note-taking is essential to capture information that might otherwise be lost Field note-taking is essential to capture information that might otherwise be lost Field notes are written impressions and facts gathered during all investigative activities Field notes are written impressions and facts gathered during all investigative activities –Arrival at the scene –Witness interviews –Interrogations –Crime scene searches –Record searches and reviews –Crime scene sketches

5. Criminal Investigation, 7 th Edition By James N. Gilbert PRENTICE HALL ©2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Field Notes Serve as the factual foundation for the report Serve as the factual foundation for the report Good notes turn into good reports Good notes turn into good reports Serve as memory aids Serve as memory aids –Future interviews –Briefing other officers or supervisors –Testifying in court Enhance the credibility of the officer and the report Enhance the credibility of the officer and the report

6. Criminal Investigation, 7 th Edition By James N. Gilbert PRENTICE HALL ©2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Field Notes ̶ Specific Information to be Captured Location and time of offense Location and time of offense Names and identifying data of victims, witnesses, or suspects Names and identifying data of victims, witnesses, or suspects Verbatim statements Verbatim statements Property and injury listings Property and injury listings Investigative data and method of operation Investigative data and method of operation Crime scene recording Crime scene recording

7. Criminal Investigation, 7 th Edition By James N. Gilbert PRENTICE HALL ©2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Field Notes ̶ Styles Outline style Outline style –Arranged by subject –Arranged by time Verbatim method Verbatim method –Precise words of the individual giving the statement –Can be of great courtroom value –Officers should use quotation marks when documenting exact statements Keep crime scene notes separate from statement notes Keep crime scene notes separate from statement notes

8. Criminal Investigation, 7 th Edition By James N. Gilbert PRENTICE HALL ©2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Field Notes ̶ How to Write Them Notes should be legible and orderly Notes should be legible and orderly Keep them organized Keep them organized Follow a standardized pattern, regardless of the type of case Follow a standardized pattern, regardless of the type of case Be systematic Be systematic Don’t put the names of confidential informants in your notebook Don’t put the names of confidential informants in your notebook –Defense attorneys are entitled to see your notes if you use them to prepare your testimony –Use a code or number to refer to any informant (DD125) Keep them professional Keep them professional

9. Criminal Investigation, 7 th Edition By James N. Gilbert PRENTICE HALL ©2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Field Notes– Documentation Times Times –When you were dispatched –Arrival time –Beginning and end of interviews –All times! Verbatim statements Verbatim statements Proper names and date of birth Proper names and date of birth Phone number, address, etc. Phone number, address, etc. Remember: Effective notes are essential for effective reports!!!

10. Criminal Investigation, 7 th Edition By James N. Gilbert PRENTICE HALL ©2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Reports Police reports are the natural culmination of field notes Police reports are the natural culmination of field notes Reports are a permanent record and are intended to preserve information Reports are a permanent record and are intended to preserve information 15 ̶ 20% of an officer’s duty time is expended on report writing 15 ̶ 20% of an officer’s duty time is expended on report writing

11. Criminal Investigation, 7 th Edition By James N. Gilbert PRENTICE HALL ©2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 When are Incidents Documented by the Police? Reports are written Reports are written –Whenever an arrest is made –For all serious incidents including felonies that include Bomb threats Bomb threats Homicides Homicides Robberies Robberies Officer discretion is involved in the report decision for minor incidents, when no arrest is made, or when a crime has not been committed Officer discretion is involved in the report decision for minor incidents, when no arrest is made, or when a crime has not been committed –Minor disturbances –Noise complaints –Minor thefts

12. Criminal Investigation, 7 th Edition By James N. Gilbert PRENTICE HALL ©2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Who Reviews Reports? Other investigators or patrol officers Other investigators or patrol officers Supervisors Supervisors Officials from other law enforcement agencies Officials from other law enforcement agencies Prosecutors Prosecutors Defense attorneys Defense attorneys Judges (including appellate judges) Judges (including appellate judges)

13. Criminal Investigation, 7 th Edition By James N. Gilbert PRENTICE HALL ©2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Reports are Public Documents Most agencies must release law enforcement reports as public documents Most agencies must release law enforcement reports as public documents –To media –To a private requester Mandated by statute or case law in most states Mandated by statute or case law in most states

14. Criminal Investigation, 7 th Edition By James N. Gilbert PRENTICE HALL ©2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 The Paper Trail…Starts with the Initial Report

15. Criminal Investigation, 7 th Edition By James N. Gilbert PRENTICE HALL ©2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 The Paper Trail…Ends with Lack of Leads or Arrest

16. Criminal Investigation, 7 th Edition By James N. Gilbert PRENTICE HALL ©2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 The Six Questions All Police Reports Should Answer Who Who –Committed the crime –Was the victim –Are the witnesses –Reported the incident What What –Happened –Was stolen –Evidence exists When When –Did the crime occur –Was the crime reported Where Where –Did the crime occur –Is the evidence How How –Did the crime occur –Was the crime discovered –Were the police notified Why Why –Did the suspect commit the crime

17. Criminal Investigation, 7 th Edition By James N. Gilbert PRENTICE HALL ©2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 General Report Writing Guidelines It must contain precise data It must contain precise data The typical report is totally objective The typical report is totally objective Opinions and conclusions not based on fact do not belong in a report Opinions and conclusions not based on fact do not belong in a report Information in the report should be based on fact Information in the report should be based on fact The majority of facts in a report will have been experienced by the officer directly The majority of facts in a report will have been experienced by the officer directly

18. Criminal Investigation, 7 th Edition By James N. Gilbert PRENTICE HALL ©2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Specific Report Writing Rules It should be well organized It should be well organized Events should be in chronological order Events should be in chronological order Reports should be accurate and brief Reports should be accurate and brief Reports must be complete Reports must be complete No slang or police jargon should be used No slang or police jargon should be used Quotations should be accurate and reflect exactly what was said ̶ including vulgarities, slang, profanity, etc. Quotations should be accurate and reflect exactly what was said ̶ including vulgarities, slang, profanity, etc.

19. Criminal Investigation, 7 th Edition By James N. Gilbert PRENTICE HALL ©2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Five Essential Elements to a Police Report Completeness Completeness Conciseness Conciseness Clearness Clearness Correctness Correctness Courteousness or fairness Courteousness or fairness

20. Criminal Investigation, 7 th Edition By James N. Gilbert PRENTICE HALL ©2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Types of Investigative Reports Preliminary reports Preliminary reports Progress reports Progress reports Prosecution reports Prosecution reports

21. Criminal Investigation, 7 th Edition By James N. Gilbert PRENTICE HALL ©2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Preliminary Reports: What the Officer Documents The offense The offense Current date and time Current date and time Date and time of the offense, if known Date and time of the offense, if known Identification data pertaining to the victim or other reporting party Identification data pertaining to the victim or other reporting party Location of the offense Location of the offense Method of operation Method of operation Identification data pertaining to the suspect Identification data pertaining to the suspect Identification of the officer Identification of the officer

22. Criminal Investigation, 7 th Edition By James N. Gilbert PRENTICE HALL ©2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Progress Reports Document the progress of the investigation Document the progress of the investigation Are normally due at specified intervals or whenever investigative activity dictates Are normally due at specified intervals or whenever investigative activity dictates Designed to ensure constant follow-up to the initial crime occurrence Designed to ensure constant follow-up to the initial crime occurrence Are common to all detective bureaus Are common to all detective bureaus

23. Criminal Investigation, 7 th Edition By James N. Gilbert PRENTICE HALL ©2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Closing and Prosecution Reports May be on a separate “Closing Case” form May be on a separate “Closing Case” form Should be used with greater frequency Should be used with greater frequency –Filters out essential information –Identity of victims and witness are included –Evidence information is included Lab test results Lab test results How evidence was located at the scene How evidence was located at the scene Transmission of evidence Transmission of evidence

24. Criminal Investigation, 7 th Edition By James N. Gilbert PRENTICE HALL ©2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Reports are Links to Successful Prosecution Well-organized, accurate, and complete reports are key Well-organized, accurate, and complete reports are key Many successful plea negotiations resulting in guilty pleas are due to well- written police reports Many successful plea negotiations resulting in guilty pleas are due to well- written police reports One of the biggest factors to a case going to trial is a poorly written police report One of the biggest factors to a case going to trial is a poorly written police report

25. Criminal Investigation, 7 th Edition By James N. Gilbert PRENTICE HALL ©2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Review Questions 1. Explain what “field notes” are. 2. List five examples of what should be documented during an investigation in field notes. 3. Why shouldn’t you put the names of informants in your field notes? 4. Explain the relationship of field notes to formal police reports. 5. What are the six questions that all police reports should try to answer? 6. Give an example for each of the six questions in Question 5. 7. What are the three types of investigative reports?

26. Criminal Investigation, 7 th Edition By James N. Gilbert PRENTICE HALL ©2007 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 Student Questions