Criminal Investigation

FIVE
Field Notes and Investigating Reporting

eighth edition

Swanson Chamelin Territo

McGraw-Hill
2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Understand the importance of field notes Distinguish between basic and primary investigative questions List the six primary investigative questions Understand formats for basic incident reports Discuss aids to information gathering Summarize the report approval and disposition processes List elements common to incident reports Explain techniques involved in writing effective reports
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THE IMPORTANCE OF FIELD NOTES

Field notes are more reliable than an officer's memory Field notes are the primary information source for the incident report Field notes completed in detail may reduce the need to re-contact the parties involved Field notes can be used to defend the integrity of the incident report

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BASIC INVESTIGATIVE QUESTIONS

Asked by the first-responding officer Used to fill in the blank spaces on the face of an incident report Typically includes items such as:
Identity of victims and witnesses How to recontact victims and witnesses Specific information about the crime Descriptions of the suspect

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PRIMARY INVESTIGATIVE QUESTIONS

Primary questions meet most investigative information needs There are six recognized categories of primary questions:
What When Where Who How Why

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INCIDENT REPORT
While the exact layout for incident reports typically varies from one jurisdiction to another, they all have a face with blanks into which the officer conducting the preliminary investigation enters basic case information.
Suspects: Additional information about suspects. Witnesses: Information from witnesses, including their descriptions of events and things as they experienced them through their four senses. Evidence: The evidence seized, how it was marked, the chain of custody, and numbers assigned by the property or evidence control room is recorded. Interviews: All persons with whom the investigator talked during the course of the inquire should be identified, even if they could not provide information at the initial contact. Investigation: A short description of the crime scene may be given to permit a basic conceptualization of it by persons to whom it is unfamiliar. Reconstruction: The reconstruction is a narration of the probably manner in which the crime was committed.
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INCIDENT REPORT (contd)

(Source: Courtesy Athens-Clarke County, Georgia, Police Department)

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NIBRS
The National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), is administered by the FBI Its format allows for much more data about an offense to be gathered Data gathered allows police to look for relationships between:
Victims and offenders drugs/alcohol and crime

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NIBRS INCIDENT REPORT

The NIBRS incident report collects a significant amount of information for later analysis by investigators

(Source: Courtesy Sterling Heights, Michigan, Police Department)

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SUSPECT DESCRIPTION FORM

There are numerous aids that investigators can use to gather information from witnesses. The suspect description form is one such aid.

(Source: Courtesy Philadelphia, Police Department)

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ASSORTED HANDGUNS
Another valuable aid for investigators is the handgun identification chart such as the one shown. This is a useful tool for witnesses who are unfamiliar with guns.

9-mm Smith & Wesson Semiautomatic

.22 RG-10 Revolver

.357 Herters Derringer

.357 Colt Python Revolver

.25 Colt Semiautomatic McGraw-Hill

.45 U.S. Semiautomatic

.22 Ruger Revolver

(Source: A Visual Aid for Firearms Identification, Federal Bureau of Investigation.)

.38 Smith & Wesson Chiefs Special Revolver

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REPORT APPROVAL AND DISPOSITION PROCESS Police reports are subject to supervisory review for corrections and guidance before their final disposition Well written reports are very helpful to investigators who may be conducting followup investigations at a later date
Officer sends/gives Incident Report to supervisor Supervisor reviews report

Requests corrections and/or additional information

Corrections made and/or additional information provided

Approves/Signs report

Makes disposition

Retained for further uniformed officer investigation

Unfounded

Inactivated Referred for plainclothes investigation

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THE REPORT DISPOSITION PROCESS

Supervisory options for report disposition following approval include:
The case may be retained for further investigation by uniformed officers It may be unfounded (i.e., the complaint is false) The case may be inactivated due to the lack of leads It may be referred to plainclothes investigators

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COMMON ELEMENTS OF INCIDENT REPORTS Race, Ethnicity and Sex Age Physical and Email Addresses Telephone/Pager/Wireless Numbers Personal Descriptions Property Description Occupation Value Date Time

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WRITING EFFECTIVE REPORTS

If incident reports are going to serve the many uses to which they can be put, they must meet certain standards.
Fill in all of the blanks on the incident report Write the report in the first person Avoid unnecessary technical or legalistic jargon Write short sentences Use shorter paragraphs for the same reason. Support any conclusions you express with details Dont repeat facts more than once Check your spelling Edit what you write

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SUPPLEMENTAL REPORTS
Supplemental reports are written to:
Document new or corrected information Document specific acts or accomplishments, such as the issuance of a warrant, arrest of a suspect, or the recovery of property Unfound an offense Exceptionally clear an offense Inactivate a case Should be written every 10 days

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