Chabot College
Fall 2004
Removed Fall 2010
Course Outline for Administration of Justice 54
INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING
Catalog Description:
54 – Investigative Reporting
3 units
Investigative reports with emphasis upon accuracy and necessary details. Includes arrest
reports, incident reports and miscellaneous field reports. Techniques and methods used
to cover information; how to analyze and present information in a clear and concise
report. 3 hours.
Prerequisite Skills:
None.
Expected Outcomes for Students:
Upon completion of the course, the student should be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
record and use investigation notes;
recite the advantages and disadvantages of Form and Narrative types of reporting;
describe the physical content of arrest, incident, and other reports and the
rationale for different reporting styles;
explain the requirements for effective communication and how to find and
assemble information;
record information accurately and legibly enough in a police report to present to
others in the legal community for purpose of follow-up investigation and the
issuance of complaints;
demonstrate how to provide effective testimony in court as a witness;
demonstrate the ability to write clear, concise and detailed investigative reports
with a high level of grammatical accuracy.
Course Content:
1.
2.
3.
Introduction to investigative reporting
a. Overhead examples of good reports
b. Overhead examples of bad reports
Content of investigative reports
a. Arrest report – primary headings
b. Arrest report – secondary headings
c. Citations
d. Incidents against persons
e. Incidents against property
f. Miscellaneous field reports
Accuracy of Reports
a. Court use
b. Police use
c. Other agency use, including district attorney
Chabot College
Course Outline for Administration of Justice 54, Page 2
Fall 2004
4.
5.
6.
Effective oral and written communication
a. Preliminary steps to information gathering
b. Three phase interview process
Methods used to discover information
a. Techniques
b. Select style and assemble
Organizational tools and mechanics
a. First person, active voice, past tense (FAP)
b. Proper syntax and organization
Methods of Presentation:
1. Lecture – discussion
2. Outside assignments
3. Visual aids
Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
1.
2.
Typical Assignments
a. Do a brief incident report generated from news stories
b. Prepare to write an in-class report on a current arrest issue in the media
Methods of Evaluating Student Progress
a. Short quizzes
b. Spelling tests
c. Class participation
d. Midterm examination
e. Final examination
f. Reports written in class
Textbook(s) Typical:
Fidelity of Report – Revised Student Workbook, Bruce T. Olson, S. MacCrane
Production, Inc., 2002, or latest edition.
Special Student Materials:
Recommended: Good Pocket Dictionary – Thesaurus
sb:/word/AJ54
Revised: 12-5-03