Law-Enforcement Report Writing & Interviewing Vocabulary

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and definitions from the lecture on note-taking, interviewing, interrogation, Miranda, and report writing mechanics.

Note-taking

Writing down information concerning an incident, event, activity, or statement so details are preserved for reports and testimony.

your notes should provide answers as to :

The six crucial questions—Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How—that comprehensive notes must answer.

Where

The location of an incident, as well as the location of people and items involved. This is the legal requirement that verifies the jurisdiction

When

Documents the date and time an incident occurred, this is a legal requirement regarding the statue or limitation and the right to a speedy trial

Who

Lists and describes everyone who may have information about what happens or who was involved

What

Describes information regarding the nature of an incident. Consider questions such as “what happened”

How

Specifies how an incident occurred, should explain the action of an event or element

Why

Describes the reason for an incident and is sometimes called the motive, and it is possible that you will not discover the motive

Actions taken

You will need to describe the actions taken during the investigation

Timing

Capture information in a timely manner is important, taking notes while a complainant, witness, victim, or other person of interest is speaking may keep you from hearing some of the statements the person makes

Spelling

Correctly spell, inaccurately, record, all names, addresses, and other relevant information. examples: asking them to spell or write out their name

Abbreviations

Using _______ can increase note taking speed, but she you should adopt consistent system for abbreviations. examples: W/H/F white/ hispanic /female

Interview

A conversation with a person who has knowledge of an event or individual in which the person is free to leave.

Statement

Is a person’s permanent or oral record that explains an incident

Oath

A solemn and formal promise to tell the truth regarding what one says were intended to do offering invoking God as a witness

Affirmation

A solemn, formal declaration made in place of an oath to avoid religious implications, still carrying penalties for perjury.

Interviewee considerations

Interview with level of education, intellect, experience, culture, language, background, and whether they are an adult or a child. Remember to treat the interview with respect and dignity.

An interviewee will fall into 6 categories

Complaintant, victim, witness, source, suspect

Generally, you will interview the _______ or ________, first followed by the witness

Complainant, victim

Typically, the ________ is the last person you interview

Suspect

Examples of open ended the questions

Who were you with? who was involved? how can I help you? What happened? What did you see?

Examples of close and questions

Did you see the knife ? where you injured?

Avoid asking ______

Leading questions. I.e “your husband hut you didn’t he?”

Open-ended question

A question that allows the interviewee to answer freely and provide detailed information (e.g., “What happened next?”).

Leading question

A question that suggests its own answer and can improperly influence a witness’s response.

Whenever possible?

Interview each person in isolation

A planned interview has three stages

Warm-up, primary, and closing

Warm-Up Stage

The first stage of an interview where rapport is established and the purpose is explained.

Primary Stage (interview)

The central phase in which most fact-gathering questions are asked.

Closing Stage (interview)

The final phase where information is summarized, follow-up questions are asked, and contact details are verified.

Rapport

A sense of mutual understanding and comfort built between interviewer and interviewee to facilitate honest communication.

You have to have a lot of discretion when you conduct an interview, but there are some tactics that must be avoided:

Do not make threats,

do not promise leniency,

do not create physical evidence for you during an interview

Mirroring

Appropriately matching another person, speech patterns, gestures, body, language, mannerisms, or posture

Minimal encourager

Brief statements that indicate that you heard what the interview he said and want to hear more and these can include non-encouragers such as nodding your head

Cognitive interviewing

Tries to re-create the event either physically, or psychologically to enhance memory recall

Trauma-informed approach

Interviewing includes maintaining a demeanor that is reassuring, empathetic, and nonjudgmental

Behavioral signs of deception

Observable actions (e.g., fidgeting, avoiding eye contact) that may indicate dishonesty during an interview.

Physiological signs of deception

Involuntary bodily reactions (e.g., sweating, voice pitch changes) that can suggest possible deception.

Sworn statement

Written or oral facts given under oath with penalties for perjury if false.

Reasons a person may object to taking an oath

Religious or philosophical belief

True or false an interviewee who is non-English speaking may write a statement in their preferred language?

True

If a person is injured and requires immediate medical attention and unable to give a statement at the scene what shoukd you do?

Always document why they did not provide a statement

Interrogation

Questioning initiated by law enforcement designed to elicit an incriminating response. (No longer free to leave )

Miranda Rights

Warnings advising a suspect of the rights to silence and counsel to protect statements from being excluded in court.

Four elements to the Miranda decision

Custody, interrogation, understanding, and the free involuntary waving of rights

Custody (Miranda)

They have been deprived of freedom in a significant way

Ramirez v state

Determination of whether a reasonable person in the suspects position would consider himself in custody for purposes of Miranda requires consideration of the manner in which the police summon the suspect for questioning the purpose place in manner of custodial interrogation, the extent to which the suspect is confronted with evidence of guilt, whether the suspect is informed that he is free to leave the place of questioning

Maryland V shatzer

If in response to Miranda if in response to Miranda warnings as in custody respect in votes, their right to council, you may re-initiate contact with the suspect if they experience a break in police custody of at least 14 days still, you should provide Miranda warnings to the suspect, depending on the conditions of the interrogation

What is another word for interrogating or questioning a suspect

Custodial interview

14-day rule

Officers must wait at least 14 days before re-initiating questioning after a suspect in custody invokes the right to counsel.

The Miranda rule also applies to who else?

Juveniles, factors include their understanding of their rights and that their parent can be present

Report

A written document that gives information about an event situation, occurrence or incident

Sentence

Is a group of words that contain a subject, a verb, and usually an object in every sentence should express a complete thought

Sentence fragment

A group of words lacking a subject, verb, object, or complete thought (e.g., “Witnessed a robbery.”).

Noun

A word that names a person, place, thing, or idea (e.g., “officer,” “city”).

Pronoun

A word used in place of a noun (e.g., “he,” “they,” “it”).

Verb

Expresses an action or state of being

Adverb

Describes, identifies or quantifies a verb, adjective or other adverb

Preposition

Links words and phrases and provides temporal, spatial, and logical relationships

Conjunction

Connects words with other words, clauses with other clauses

Most reports are written in

The first person

First person

is written from the authors perspective. I saw , I spoke , I arrived

Third person

Written from an outside perspective. The witness saw, the victim spoke

When writing reports, use _________ not passive

Active

In active voice

The subject of the sentence comes before the verb and is clearly stated

In passive voice

The object and subject are reversed

which tense are most law enforcement reports written in?

Past tense

You can organize information in two ways

By order of events

By category

When you refer to someone for the first time

Give their full name

Jargon

Technical slang or coded language (e.g., “Signal 0”) that should be avoided in formal reports for clarity.

Narrative

The larger and most important part of the report, a detailed account of an incident and events related to the incident.

To present a clear narrative you must have :

Introduction, body and a conclusion

Slang

Informal nonstandard words often used by regional or specific groups

Textspeak

Comes from text messages and digital communications and consists of abbreviations, acronyms or initials

To present a clear narrative a report should contain :

Introduction, body, an conclusion

The body

Contains the narrative and a detailed chronological account of the incident. May include the actions you took. May have 1-2 or more paragraphs

Capitalize the names of:

• people

• streets

• cities

• states

• organizations & buildings when they are specific

• holidays

• days

• months

• geographical locations but not directional words

• titles of professionals only when names are used

• brand names

Using a comma to separate two complete sentences joined by a coordinating conjunction

I met with the victim, and she gave me a statement.

If the two complete sentences are not joined by a coordinating conjunction, use a semicolon or period to seperate them NOT a comma.

I met with the victim; she gave me a statement OR

I met with the victim. She gave me a statement.

Use a comma after an introductory clause

When the alarm sounded, the burglar ran from the store.

use a comma to separate items in a series of THREE or more items

The victim said someone stole his digital camera, television, DVD player, radio, and computer.

Use a comma to separate nonessential phrases in a sentence

The finger prints, which I found on the window, belong to the victim.

Use a comma between two or more adjectives when they separately describe the same noun.

The inmate used a small, sharp object to cut his own arm.

Do NOT place a comma between two or more adjectives when the adjective before the noun changes what the noun is.

He threw the white toaster oven at me.

Use a comma to introduce a quote

The suspect yelled, “ I’m going to burn his house down when I get out”.

Use commas when writing dates and addresses

The first robbery occurred on Jan. 12, 2018, at Monroe Street. Tallahassee, Florida.

During an interrogation, officers may use what type of questioning?

direct or indirect

When are you required to provide a suspect with Miranda Warnings

when the elements of custody and interrogation are present.