Principles of Investigations
and Report Writing
Criminal Investigations
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Principles of Investigations and
Report Writing
A criminal
investigation is
only as good as
the report that
supports it.
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Investigation Basics
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Who is an
investigator?
What is an
Investigation?
When does an
Investigation Begin
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Basic Legal Beginning of an
investigation.

Probable cause
-
Probable cause means that
police must have a
reasonable belief that a
crime has been committed,
or is being committed, by
the suspect
Reasonable Suspicion –
an objectively justifiable
suspicion that is based on
specific facts or
circumstances and that
justifies stopping and
sometimes searching a
person may be involved in
criminal activity

Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Basics of Report Writing Skills
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Write in the first
person.
Use chronological
order.
Use past tense.
Use active voice.
Use correct spelling
and punctuation.
Use correct subject/
verb agreement.
Use correct pronoun
reference.
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Avoid jargon and
wordiness.
Write facts rather than
opinions.
Choose the correct
word to describe the
incident.
Organize the report by
using openings,
paragraphs, and
headings.
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Quality
“The best investigation is only as good as the
report completed about it. A quality report is an
effective report, and to qualify as effective it must
be:




Complete
Clear
Concise
Accurate”

Police Magazine, May 1997
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Note Taking
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Purpose:
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Record storage
Building Blocks
Aid to Memory
Mechanics of Note Taking
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Readable
Accurate
Concise
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Notes to Sentences
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0700 rec’d call, 459 now, 123 N. Main
Street.
0710 arrvd scene
0711 PR R. Foster (3-16-59) arrvd busins,
0645, frnt door open.
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Sentences to Reports
On February 6, 2005, I was assigned to
uniformed patrol, unit 1A12. At 0700 hours,
I received a call of a burglary in progress at
123 North Main Street.
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Reports
Source of Activity:
On February 6, 2005, I was assigned to uniformed
patrol, unit 1A12. At 0700 hours, I received a
call of a burglary in progress at 123 North Main
Street.
Observations:
At 0710 hours, I arrived on scene were I was met
by the Person Reporting, Raymond Foster.
Foster told me that he arrived at his place of
business (123 N. Main Street) at 0645 hours and
found the front door of the business open.
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Tell the Story
What happened?
Create a mental picture so
the reader knows what happened.
The reader:
Supervisor
Detectives
Victim
District Attorney
Witnesses
Judge
Defense Attorney You
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Write in First Person
 To make reports easier to read and to
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understand, most department ask officers to
write in the FIRST PERSON.
The writer of the report refers to himself/herself
as I, and uses the first person pronouns me, my,
and mine.
The more formal third person this officer,
reporting officer (R/O) or this writer reference is
old-fashioned and unacceptable in modern law
enforcement.
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Missing Information
Missing information can be used to infer
that you are:
 Not very professional
 Not Thorough
 Do not have certain expertise
 Not Truthful
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Write in Chronological Order
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Chronological order is order by time. Your
report should tell what happened in the
order that the events took place.
Get all the facts and then list them in the
order in which they happened. It is much
easier to understand what happened if the
details are written in chronological order,
even if the people involved do not tell you
the information in chronological order.
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Write in the Past Tense

Everything you write in your report has already
happened, so use the past tense.

In present tense, you would write: The suspect lives
at 1010 Swanson Court. A defense attorney might
ask: “Does the suspect still live there?”
It’s likely you will have to say that you do not know. If
you have to say, “I don’t know” many times, you will
destroy your credibility. If you write in past tense,
you can say that what is in the report was correct at
the time you wrote the report.
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Past Tense
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Do not use the emphatic form (the word did) in
combination with other action words (verbs).
This form implies that something else happened.
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Incorrect: I did issue a citation. (But it was ignored.)
Correct: I issued a citation.
Incorrect: Markly did say that Norman had a gun.
(But later he changed his statement.)
Correct: Markly said that Norman had a gun.
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Basic English Rules
Or, the what your teachers
have been telling you for
years!
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Antecedent

Basic Principle:
A pronoun usually refers to something
earlier in the report (its antecedent) and
must agree in number — singular/plural —
with the thing to which it refers.
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Spelling and Punctuation
Basic Principle:
Spelling always counts!
Avoid looking –
Stupid
Careless
Unprofessional
Uneducated
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Use an Active Voice

Every sentence has a subject and a verb.
Active Voice: When the subject performs the
action of the verb.

Active voice: I asked the man about the broken
mirror.
Passive Voice: When the action is done to the
subject. The subject receives the action of the
verb.
 Passive voice: The fire was reported by the child.
 Reports should be written in active voice
whenever possible.
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Use Active Voice

The report was
written by Officer
Jackson.
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Passive voice
Seven words
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Officer Jackson wrote
the report.
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Active voice
Five words
If you save two words
per sentence, in a five
paragraph report, you
will save
approximately 40
words.
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Subject/Verb Agreement
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Singular subjects require a singular verb. (Note:
Verbs that end in s are singular!)
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A plural subject must have a plural verb.
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I was not aware of the new procedure.
They were sent to the hospital.
The pronoun “you” always requires a plural verb.
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You were never good at telling a lie.
You all were to finish the exercise before you left the
class.
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Subject/Verb Agreement
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Singular (He/ She)
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Is
Was
Has
Does
Knows
Wants
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Plural (They)
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Are
Were
Have
Do
Know
Want
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Subject/Verb Agreement
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Collective nouns are words which indicate
a group (like committee, jury, department,
squad).
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If the noun is used to show the group as an
entity or whole (one), use the singular verb.
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The jury was able to reach a verdict.
If the noun shows members acting as
individuals, use the plural.
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The Squad cast their votes for a new president.
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Subject/Verb Agreement
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Certain subjects look like they are plural
when they are really singular. The words
each, either, neither and any word that
ends in –one, -body, or -thing are singular.
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Anyone
No one
Everyone
Someone
Anybody
Nobody
Everybody
Somebody
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Anything
Nothing
Everything
Something
Subjects Joined by And
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If two or more singular subjects are joined
by and, they are considered plural. (1 + 1
= 2)
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Officer Thompson and Officer Sims were
transferred to District 5.
If singular and plural subjects are joined
by and, they are plural.

Officer Green and three teenagers were asked
to testify in court.
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Subjects Separated by Or or Nor
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If two subjects are separated by or or nor,
the verb agrees with the subject
positioned nearest to it in the sentence.
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Mrs. Gayle or her sons were in the house at
the time of the incident.
Her sons or Mrs. Gayle was responsible for
the fire.
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Pronoun Antecedent Agreement
Basic Principle:
A pronoun takes the place of a noun. Each
pronoun has an antecedent – the word that
the pronoun takes the place of and refers
to. Each pronoun refers to only one
antecedent.
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Pronoun Antecedent Agreement
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The pronoun must agree with the
antecedent in gender and in number.
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Incorrect: Each officer must bring their notes
to the meeting.
Correct: Each officer must bring his (or her)
notes to the meeting.
Better: All officers must bring their notes to
the meeting.
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Pronoun Antecedent Agreement
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The same rules that apply to subject/ verb
agreement also apply to pronoun
antecedent agreement.
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The female child held her pencil in her closed
fist.
Attorney Jim Spartus was asked to bring his
estimates on the damage to his client’s boat
to court on Wednesday.
The three suspects asked for their lawyers
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Ambiguous Pronouns
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When a sentence is
written in such a way
that the reader does
not know who or
what the pronoun
refers to, the
sentence has an
ambiguous pronoun
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Ambiguous Pronouns
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Each pronoun in a sentence should refer to only
one antecedent.
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Incorrect: Officer Swanson saw the man carrying a
television set, and he began to run. Who does he refer
to– Officer Swanson or the man?


Correct: Officer Swanson saw the man carrying a
television set, and the man began to run.
Correct: Officer Swanson saw the man carrying a
television set, and he, Swanson, began to run.
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
What is Jargon?
And, why should we avoid it?
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Avoid Wordiness
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Good police reports can avoid wordiness
by doing the following:
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Use simple words
Use active voice
Avoid wordy phrases
Avoid redundancy
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Examples
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Incorrect: In
subsequent
endeavors to
ascertain her
whereabouts on July
28, I questioned the
suspected perpetrator
as she exited the
premises of her
employment.

Correct: I later
questioned the
suspect as she left
work to learn where
she had been on July
28.
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Avoid Wordy Phrases
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Each and every
Red in color
Due to the fact that
If this should prove to
be the case
Paced back and forth
Members of the gang
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Each
Red
Because
If
Paced
Gang members
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Avoid Redundancy
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Past experience
True facts
Future plans
Meet together
Reduce down
Final result
Join together
Basic fundamentals
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Experience
Facts
Plans
Meet
Reduce
The result
Join
Basic/ fundamental
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Report Facts, Not Opinions
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How do you
know?
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See
Hear
Taste
Touch
Smell
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Report Facts, Not Opinions
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Report facts, not your opinions.
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Opinion: Peterson is a violent person.
Fact: Peterson has been arrested twice for domestic
abuse.
Be sure to cite the source of your information.
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The victim entered the garage at approximately 2311
hours. (How do you know? Were you there?)
The victim said she entered the garage at
approximately 2311 hours.
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Use Specific Words
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Accuracy involves detail,
so be sure your
sentences are specific
enough to give the reader
a clear picture.
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The suspect was driving
recklessly.
The suspect did not stop
the vehicle before it struck
the child on the sled.
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Attitude Toward Reports
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Defense Attorney:
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“If it isn’t on paper, it didn’t happen.”
Defense attorneys always check to see who
was the arresting officer. Every officer earns
a reputation for the quality of reports that he
or she writes.
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Attitudes Toward Reports
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Juries:
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“If I don’t hear it in court, it didn’t happen.”
If something is not in the report, it is harder to bring
up in court. If you testify about information but it’s
not in the report, you’ve lost credibility. There is no
good answer to the question, “Why isn’t it in the
report?”
On the witness stand, if an officer can’t remember
but says that the information is in the report, the jury
usually believes the report.
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Writing a Report
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Most reports will begin with a face sheet.
Face sheets are used to
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Direct information gathering
Record pertinent statistics
Organize information
Reduce the length of the narrative
Provide a quick reference for others
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Writing a Report
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Once your notes are in
order, write the
narrative. Each
narrative will have
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An opening or Source
of Activity
Chronological facts of
the investigation or
Observations
A closing or disposition
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Writing a Report
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The opening will contain
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Who the officer(s) and complainant(s) are
What the officer was doing at the time of the
call
What the incident was
When (time and date) the officer received the
call
Where the incident occurred
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Writing a Report

A typical opening, with heading, may read
as follows:
Source of Activity:
On Tuesday, March 18, 200-, I was on
patrol alone. At approximately 1042 hours,
Dispatch called and said that a Henry Bartell
had reported a battery in progress outside
Katy’s Café, 123 Main Street.
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Writing a Report
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
The chronological narration of the incident
should outline what you did to investigate
the incident.
Use headings to keep your report
organized. Exact headings will depend on
the type of incident that you are
investigating.
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Writing a Report
 Headings may include:
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Source of Activity
Observations
Victim’s Statements
Witness’ Statements
Officer’s Actions
Suspect’s Statements
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Description of Stolen
Goods
Evidence
Disposition
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Arrests
Citations
Juvenile Custody
Status
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Writing a Report
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Under each heading use one or more
paragraphs. Use a new paragraph to signal
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A shift in focus
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A change of time
A change of location
A new person or speaker
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New perspective/ viewpoint
New topic or idea within a topic
Set off dialogue
A new section of the report
Paragraphs may include numbered or bulleted
lists.
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Principles of Criminal
Investigations and Report
Writing
Find out more about forensic science at
www.forensicprofiles.com
Copyright 2005-2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster