CHAPTER 7: DOCUMENTATION
Report Writing
 Purpose is to capture the essence of what occurred so that
others (DA, judge, jury, appellate courts, Supreme Court) can
assess blame or culpability.
 Elements of the crime must be present.
Basics of Reports:
WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, HOW
CHAPTER 7: DOCUMENTATION
Report Writing
 Basic Reports: Crime reports, arrest reports, incident reports.
 Face sheet: logistical facts such as date, time, location, witness,
victim, suspect information.
 Narrative page: WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, HOW
Narrative must be comprehensive, providing adequate detail
which substantiates the charges.
CHAPTER 7: DOCUMENTATION
SUPPLEMENTAL REPORTS:
 Reports that supplement another officer’s original, preliminary
investigative report. Often used in major crime scenes such as
homicides.
SKETCHES
Sketches demonstrate relationships concerning space and the
distance of relative objects, including a fixed object that is unlikely
to be moved in the near future.
CHAPTER 7: DOCUMENTATION
PHOTOGRAPHS
 Document the scene of an investigation.
 Proper general procedure is to move from general to specific.
 Tell a story with the photographs. Example: progressing through
a house, room to room to exactly where the actual crime
occurred.
CHAPTER 7: DOCUMENTATION
PHOTOGRAPHS
 General to specific:
CHAPTER 7: DOCUMENTATION
PHOTOGRAPHS
 General to specific:
CHAPTER 7: DOCUMENTATION
PHOTOGRAPHS
 General to specific:
CHAPTER 7: DOCUMENTATION
FALSIFICATION OF REPORTS
 P.C. 118.1-False Report by Peace Officer M/F
 P.C. 118a-False Affidavit M/F
 P.C. 134-Falsifying Documents to Be Used in Evidence F
 P.C. 135-Destroying or Concealing Documentary Evidence M
 P.C. 141a/b-Tampering with Physical Evidence a-M, b-F
CHAPTER 7: DOCUMENTATION
CHARACTERISTICS OF AN EFFECETIVE INVESTIGATIVE REPORT
FACCCT
 Factual
 Accurate
 Clear
 Concise
 Complete
 Timely
CHAPTER 7: DOCUMENTATION
INVESTIGATIVE REPORT WRITING MECHANICS
 Proper nouns: Los Angeles City Hall, James Thomas.
 First person pronouns: I, we.
 Third person pronouns: He, she, they, it.
 Differentiate between commonly used words that sound alike
but have different meanings:
Their property was placed there. You’re giving us your account of
events.
Avoid text language: ur, ok,
CHAPTER 7: DOCUMENTATION
INVESTIGATIVE REPORT WRITING MECHANICS
 Reports are written in the past tense.
 Use abbreviations in notes; use complete words in reports.
SKETCH EXERCISE: 10-22-2015
 Needed materials: pencil(s), stencils, sketch pad or graph paper.
 We will be sketching a fictional murder scene that occurred in a house.
SKETCH EXERCISE
Rough Sketch: Sketch created with pencil and paper which is done at the crime
scene. All crime scene sketches are from a bird’s eye perspective No artistic
ability is needed. Items which should be included in the rough sketch:
 North Arrow Indicator.
 Four walls of the structure, windows and doors.
 Measurements within the structure.
 All relevant objects and evidence in structure, including furniture, walls.
SKETCH EXERCISE
 Include a legend which must contain:
 A file/report/DR number (make one up)
 Date
 Address
 Names of victim(s) and/or suspect(s), if known.
 Name of person who created sketch.
 Include a “Not to Scale”
SKETCH EXERCISE
Finished Sketch
 Cleaned-up sketch based on the rough sketch incorporating all the elements
used in the rough sketch.
SKETCH EXERCISE
SKETCH EXERCISE-Rough Sketch
SKETCH EXERCISE-Finished Sketch
SKETCH EXERCISE-Rough Sketch
SKETCH EXERCISE-Finished Sketch
SKETCH EXERCISE
After completing the rough and finished sketches, write a 1 page report using MS
Word in 12 point font answering the following questions:
 What type of scene you are detailing.
 What is the value of a crime scene sketch?
 What is included in a crime scene sketch?
 Why are you asked to use fixed points in the drawing?
 Attach the sketches with the report and submit.
 Sketch Exercise will be conducted on 10-22-2015.
 EXERCISE DUE 10-29-2015***NO LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED***