Principles and Concepts of
Investigating and Reporting
Course Orientation and
Introduction
Today’s Schedule
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Instructor Introduction
University Education
Course Outline and Expectations
Website Orientation
Course Beginning
Raymond E. Foster, MPA
EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
Doctoral Student, Touro University International – Winter 2007
MPA, Public Financial Management — California State University, Fullerton
4.0 GPA (Member Phi Kappa Phi) - 2003
BA, Criminal Justice — The Union Institute — 1999
National Institute for Justice, Technology Institute, Washington, DC
Federal Emergency Management Agency, Incident Command System
POST Courses
West Point Leadership Program
Instructor Development Course
Middle Manager
Watch Commander
Supervisory Development
POST Certificates
Management
Supervisor
Advanced Officer
Intermediate Officer
Basic Officer
•“De-briefing Suspects: An Analysis of the Crime Control Tactic of Gathering Criminal
Intelligence from Arrested Persons” LAPD Intranet, September 1999.
•“Change in Public Safety Organizations: It’s a Cultural Thing” www.hitechcj.com, October
2003. (Co-Author)
•“Police Technology” Prentice Hall, July 2004.
•“Five Tactics for Taking Civil Service Multiple Choice Examinations” www.hitechcj.com,
January 2004”
•“Strategies for Preparing for Promotion” www.hitechcj.com December 2004
•“Hi Tech Criminal Justice Newsletter” 2003 to Present (Editor)
•“Police Pursuit Technology” Modern Marvels, History Channel, September 2004, (Technical
Advisor)
•“Tailored Technology” Mobile Government, September 2004
•“Air-to-Ground Communications” Airbeat Magazine, October 2004
•“Returning to the Scene of the Crime: High Definition Survey Technology and Law
Enforcement” Government Technology Magazine, March 2005
•“Homeland Security and the New Threats of Global Terrorism: From Cold War to
Flaming Hot War” (Prentice Hall, February 2007)
•Prepared and submitted several successful grant applications
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FULLERTON
(Instructor) 2004 – Present
UNION INSTITUTE AND UNIVERISTY
(Faculty Advisor and Instructor) 2004 – Present
HI TECH CRIMINAL JUSTICE
2003 – Present – Owner
FOSTER YOUTH CONNECTION
2003 – Present – Founding Board Chair
LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
LIEUTENANT
(1997-- 2004)
SERGEANT
(1988 – 1997)
POLICE OFFICER (1980 – 1988)
1980-2003
What does a university education
mean?
You can manage a long term project.
You can work independently.
You can work in a group.
You can manage competing resources.
You can read and write.
You learned new ideas.
You were exposed to a variety of cultures.
You enhanced your critical thinking skills
Course Objectives:
This course will introduce the student to multiple aspects of
criminal investigations and the investigative activity
practiced by police, courts and correctional subsystems. It
will examine the reporting procedures and requirements,
crime scene management, technology, interviewing and
interrogation skills, and other aspects of criminal
investigations. This class meets the classroom portion of
upper-division writing requirement for Criminal Justice
majors, or as an elective in the concentration curriculum.
Contact Me
• Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday, 1000
to 1100 hours
• Office Location: UH541
• Office Telephone: 909.599.7530
• raymond@hitechcj.com
Learning Goals:
As a result of this course the student will:
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increase their critical thinking skills,
•
increase their writing skills and understand the differences between
writing in the academic field and criminal justice field,
•
gain an understanding of various investigative methods and
components,
•
expand their understanding of the criminal justice system and
especially the importance of solid police investigations,
•
increase their information literacy skills; and,
•
increase their technology skills.
Required Text Books:
(Available at the Titan Bookstore)
• Gilbert, James M. (2004) Criminal Investigations, 6/E,
ISBN: 0-13-112288-6, Prentice Hall
• Biggs, Michael (2004), Just the Facts: Investigative
Report Writing, 2/E, ISBN: 0-13-112383-1, Prentice
Hall
Course Requirements:
 Attend class and take notes.
 Read and prepare to discuss the assigned
reading by the dates identified in the course
syllabus.
 Complete Ten Practical Exercises
 Complete a mid-term paper.
 Complete the final examination.
Method of Evaluation:
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Exercises
50% (5% each)
Mid Term Paper
25%
Final
20%
Participation
5%
Extra Credit
5%
Semester Total 100% (105 with extra credit)
Grades:
In accordance with
University Policy Statement
(UPS) 300.020 the +/system of grading will be
used in this course:
A
94-100%
A-
90-93%
B+
87-89%
B
84-86%
B-
80-83%
C+
77-79%
C
74-76%
C-
70-73%
D+
67-69%
D
64-66%
D-
60-63%
F
Below 60
Attendance
Within the university setting, students are expected to
attend class on a regular basis and participate in topic
discussion to enhance the overall learning experience.
As participation is directly related to attendance,
students missing four (4) class session will not
receive any credit for attendance/participation.
Attendance will be recorded by a class roster that will
be passed among the students during each class. It is
the students responsibility to sign the roster.
Ethical Conduct
Students should be aware that there are severe
consequences for violations of academic ethical
conduct. Primarily, we are concerned with
cheating and plagiarism. Students who are
determined to have cheated or committed
plagiarism will face disciplinary action as identified
within CSUF regulations. For additional
clarification of cheating and/or plagiarism, refer to
the CSUF website or the instructor.
Practical Exercises
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Throughout the course the student will be
expected to complete ten exercises that
are associated with the class readings.
Specific information regarding the
exercises is available at the course
website. Late exercise will lose one
grade level per week late.
Your Answer should fit here nicely!
Think you know
investigative
techniques? The
Crime Library is
experimenting with
something new. We
invite you to
participate and give
us your feedback.
At key points in this
story, you'll find
questions that test
your knowledge of
investigative
techniques.
Whether you're
right or wrong, the
answers may
surprise you and
increase your
knowledge of the
way police solve
crimes.
As you read
through the story
asked questions
about which
direction the
investigation
should take
Mid Term
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The student will complete a 4-6 page
analysis of a “true crime” novel. At the
course website, the 10 true crime novels
are identified. The student should select
and obtain a copy of one of the novels.
Details concerning the expectations of the
student’s analysis are available at the
course website. Late papers will lose
one grade level per week late.
Mid Term Paper
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Exposition means spelling, grammar,
punctuation and composition do count.
Content means “academically sound.”
A thesis, topic paragraph or hypothesis
Properly sourced.
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At least three separate sources with a
bibliography that does not count as a page.
Final
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The final examination will consist of two essay
questions and will be cumulative. Shortly
after the Mid-Term, and as a means of preparing
for the final, the instructor will provide the
students with five essay questions, two of which
will be the final examination. Although this is
not an “open book” test, students may use any
notes they took during class or while studying
for the final examination. They must be the
students notes – refer to the syllabus section on
ethical conduct for further information.
Participation Log
Date
8.23
Class Main Subject
Course Orientation
Comment
This log can be downloaded at the course website.
Reviewed
Criminal Investigations