An effective report omits opinions, generalizations, insensitive language, jargon, and passive voice.

1. CRIMINAL JUSTICE REPORT
WRITING
THE HOW AND WHY
Part 7
Writing Effective Police
Reports: What to Omit

2. CRIMINAL JUSTICE REPORT
WRITING
THE HOW AND WHY
Part 7
Writing Effective Police
Reports: What to Omit

3. When you write a report, your first concern is
including everything needed for completeness.
But…

4. You also need to think about what needs to be
omitted.

5. There’s no place in a criminal justice report for:
 opinions, hunches, and guesses
 generalizations
 insensitive language

6. Let’s take a look at each one of these.

7. Opinions, guesses, and hunches…
 can’t be verified in a courtroom
 can’t be documented or proven
 can be challenged by an attorney

8. Provide only observable facts and details:
 not Clare was obviously lying but Clare
gave a different address the second
time
 not Lasko didn’t want me to see the ring
but Lasko kept her right fist tightly
closed while we were talking
 not Chauvin was confused but Chauvin
said “What? What?” when I asked about
the missing items

9. Generalizations…
 make prosecution difficult
 are too vague to be followed up in an
investigation
 can cause a criminal to go free

10. Be specific when you report what you saw or
did:
 not I processed the area but I
photographed three sets of footprints
 not the room was ransacked but I saw
shirts, jeans, pajamas, and shoes piled
on the closet floor.
 not she looked frightened but her hands
were trembling, and she kept looking at
the kitchen door

11. Insensitive language…
 casts doubt on your professionalism
 leaves you open to charges of
unprofessionalism
 damages your credibility

12. Be sensitive when you speak or write about
minorities and special groups. Avoid:
 sexually charged terms like babe,
stacked, broad, and bombshell for
women
 offensive terms like crippled, crazy,
demented, and retarded for physical and
mental conditions
 ethnic, religious and sexual slurs

13. Modern criminal justice reports should also
avoid:
 passive voice (The door was opened by
Mrs. Waite)
 jargon (Mirandized, Baker Acted, perp)
 unnecessary repetition (I asked for his
name. He told me it was Thomas Vinh. I
asked what happened. He told me a
blond woman grabbed his wallet and ran
out of the shop with it.)

14. These statements are more professional:
 Mrs. Waite opened the door (active
voice)
 I used my Miranda card to read him his
rights (jargon free)
 He told me his name was Thomas Vinh.
He said a blond woman grabbed his
wallet and ran out of the shop with it.
(no unnecessary repetition)

15. To Learn More:
Criminal Justice Report Writing is available in
softcover ($17.95) from www.Amazon.com and in a
variety of ebook and Apple formats (Kindle, Nook,
SONY etc.) for $11.99 from www.Smashwords.com.
Read a free sample online!

16. Find FREE report writing
resources online at
www.YourPoliceWrite.com