PNF Module4 CIDTW
PNF Module4 CIDTW
COLLEGE
MODULE 4
Subject:
Technical Writing
(Technical Writing)
This material has been developed in support to the Senior High School Program
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Unit Writing Skills in Criminal Justice and Criminology
Module Social Science with Philippines Constitution
CDI5-TE1TRWP Writing Skills in CJC Units: 80hrs Page |2
According to the book of Dr. Oscar Soriano, one of the most basic considerations of report
writing is the language used. Direct-to-the-point words are essential to good police reports writing.
Use of specific words also contributes to factual police reports. Every complete sentence must have
at least one subject and one predicate. Diction refers to the manner and style of expression in
words.
It is almost always necessary to use a photograph in any narrative report. A paragraph is simply
a warning to the reader that a change in thought is about to occur, or that a new subject to be
explored. The report should be complete, easily understood, brief and accruable.
2. Accuracy
Unclear writing can cause many problems and even inaccuracy in the report. If you mean to write
40,000 don’t write 400,000. If you mean to refer to fig 3.1 don’t refer to fig 3.2. Slightest error can
confuse or even annoy the reader of the report. If the reader suspects that you are slanting information
they have the right to doubt the entire document.
3. Brevity
When writing technically, all the information should be provided, its background must be described and
clear description of any process, or method of carrying out a specific work, should also be given. It also
includes results, conclusions and recommendations.
4. Specificity
The police report must be specific by using concrete examples. A good descriptive narration gives life to
the written words through particular terms that project hues, movements, quantities and changes.
5. Completeness
The police report must be complete by using the 5W’s and 1H.
6. Timeliness
The police report must be submitted on time. As much as possible immediately after the incident has
happened.
7. Security
The police report must be considered classified, hence, transmission, handling and access to these
reports should be limited only to police personnel who are granted by higher authority security
clearance. It is a top secret document.
8. Impartiality
The police report must know what the receiving office needs to know. Important dates must not be
omitted or added to conceal responsibilities, to impute liabilities or to favor parties.
collected
Suspect and victim injuries
Unique characteristics of the crime
Anything else not already mentioned
that the officer believes is relevant to
the case
An effective field interview should generally follow the following five step format.
1. Separate the involved parties. This minimizes distractions and interruptions. Separating the
involved parties also focuses their attention on speaking to the officer, rather than each other,
and also minimizes manipulation of witness statements by other involved parties.
2. Establish rapport. Be courteous, considerate, and patient. Briefly tell the person being
interviewed why the interview is being conducted, and describe the interview process to the
individual.
3. Listen attentively. Ask the person what happened, and allow them to talk about it freely. Let
them explain it in terms that they understand. Be sure to keep the person focused on the main
subject being discussed in the interview. If they begin to get off topic, guide the person back to
the subject, and always use active listening skills to encourage the person to talk. Listen
carefully, and pay attention to the details of the incident. Don’t take notes at this point in the
interview!
4. Take notes/Ask questions. Ask the person to repeat their account of what happened, but stop
the person and ask questions for clarification, where necessary. Take notes, but write in short,
simple statements, highlighting the important thoughts or ideas. Be sure to obtain accurate
identification information for the person at this point, and ask any additional questions that are
necessary for clarification.
5. Verify information. Repeat specific information to the person being interviewed from the
notes taken in the previous step, to ensure accuracy, and give them an opportunity to add
facts. Be sure to confirm direct quotes, time relationships, weapons information, and physical
descriptions of suspects. Be sure to verify any changes made in this stage.
It is important to note that while some officers may elect to record an interview with a digital voice or
tape recorder, the use of a recorder may inhibit an individual from talking freely. Also, electronic
devices can malfunction or fail, thereby eliminating the information from the interview. If interviews are
recorded, officers should also take written notes as a backup in the event of mechanical or device
failure.
The Importance Of Police Reports And Why And When They Can Be Sloppy
While police officers are given nearly free rein to do their jobs as they think best, they are also
expected to document their activities and their responses to public service calls on a continuous basis.
Most officers who retire medically do so because of ailments related to their hearts, backs, and knees.
But if you were to take an unofficial poll of working patrol officers, I'm sure the most common affliction
among them would be writer's cramp! Even the simplest "routine" report may take one hour or more to
complete.
Some officers may write one or two reports a week and others may have to complete three or four
lengthy ones per shift. The number and type of reports usually relate to the area of town where the
officer works (high-crime or not), the size of the city or county, and the value the officer s supervisors
and commanders place upon paperwork. Some police departments require their officers to write
volumes of reports, covering even minor incidents like a stolen bicycle or a lost dog. Other departments
are not so particular, and their apparent nonchalance about report-taking may have more to do with
antiquated record-keeping systems than with lazy police administrators. From your standpoint as a
paralegal, the more complete the records and the more up-to-date, efficient systems the better .
If you're curious, here's a short list of the variety of police reports an officer might need to take:
Arrest reports
Crime case reports
Traffic collision reports
Hit-and-run reports
Driving Under the Influence reports
Under the Influence of Controlled Substance reports
Runaway juvenile reports
Found property reports
Stolen vehicle reports
Recovered stolen vehicle reports
Like people in other professions, police officers are human beings with personal likes and dislikes
about their jobs. Police report writing offers no exception. Some officers enjoy writing reports, carefully
documenting their activities, painting "word pictures" of the events, and adding their own distinctive
style and trademark to their efforts. Officers of this type can quickly establish a good reputation among
the people who read police reports all day-police supervisors, city and district attorneys, judges, defense
attorneys, etc.
Other officers, however, don't particularly enjoy writing reports, and their distaste for this work
is evident on the pages they complete. Poor reports-with missing or incomplete information, poor inter
viewing or investigation procedures, and a sense of shoddy "word- smithing"-will haunt officers just as
good reports will help their writers.
Just as good report writers develop a reputation among their colleagues, so do bad report writers. In
some cases, prosecuting attorneys will even fail to "issue" or bring the case to court (even if they can
win it) because of inferior reports. Officers who turn in poor- quality reports do more harm to their
careers than they realize.
What many officers fail to recognize is that a police report, no matter how mundane it seems,
serves as a public record. Because the wheels of our criminal justice system turn so slowly, some
criminal and civil cases involving the police can go on for years and years, bouncing from one appeals
court to the other. The report that documents these cases must be good enough to stand the test of
time. One single arrest report can go from the city prosecutor's office all the way to the United States
Supreme Court. That report will carry that officer s name on it wherever it goes. Hundreds of people
may read it and make pointed comments about its accuracy, content, style, and overall appearance.
That's why police officer recruits are taught from their first day in the academy: "Write each and every
report as if your career depended upon it; it just might."
INFORMATION SHEET P1 1.2.3
Significance of Self-Leadership
favorite police reports to take and write. Again, the sense of accomplishment, closure, and efficient use
of the officers' time come into play.
Burglary reports:
With those with very little physical evidence, no suspect information, or no other viable clues or leads
are often little better than the paper they're written on. Most people have no idea of the brand names,
model numbers, or even colors for their stolen TVs, VCRs, and other appliances. Stolen jewelry, cash,
silverware, etc. are usually hard to trace, identify, or recover.
Traffic collisions
Present a variety of other problems for officers arriving on the scene. The participants are usually mad at
one another; the physical evidence is nearly always moved before the officers can look at it; and each
party tells a different story about the course of events. Witnesses are sometimes reluctant to get
involved, or worse, tell the officers what they heard instead of what they actually saw.
Many officers dislike taking traffic collision reports because in most cities these reports require them to
gather more information than any other report. There are a myriad of boxes to be checked, names to be
entered, insurance policy numbers, witness information, diagrams, injuries, and property damage to
document, and statements to take. Even the smallest fender-bender report can take an inordinate
amount of time to complete.
But since nearly all insurance companies require some police report of the damage before they pay a
claim, these reports are a necessity for the victim. Most police agencies realize this and will complete
hit-and-run reports as a courtesy to the public.
References:
Character Formation 22 (Leadership, Decision-Making, Management and Administration, Nicholas S.
Caballero PhD and Liza Joy B.. Barican, MSCrim, Published by Wiseman’s Book Trading Inc. 2021
https://www.google.com/search?q=+harold+s.+geneen+++quotes&tbm=isch
SELF-CHECK PR-4.1.1
1. Technical document must convey a single meaning that the reader can understand.
2. It means the ease with which the readers can locate the information they seek. To increase
Accessibility, include headings and lists in the report.
3. This is vital to achieving the goal of voluntary compliance with the law.
4. Qualities of technical report writing also includes correctness. Good technical report must also
be correct.
5. When writing technically, all the information should be provided, its background must be
described and clear description of any process, or method of carrying out a specific work, should
also be given.
1. Clarity
2. Accessibility
3. Communication
4. Correctness
5. Comprehensiveness
WRITTEN TASK OBJECTIVE: The learners independently demonstrate in understanding the lessons
discuss above.
MATERIALS:
Pen and Paper
TOOLS & EQUIPMENT:
None
ESTIMATED COST: None
CRITERIA SCORING
Did I . . .
1 2 3 4 5
1. Observe safety precautions?
2. Use proper syntax?
3. Use for loop statement?
4. .
5. .
6. .
7. .
8. .
9. .
10. .
TEACHER’S REMARKS: QUIZ RECITATION PROJECT
GRADE:
5 - Excellently Performed
4 - Very Satisfactorily Performed
3 - Satisfactorily Performed
2 - Fairly Performed
1 - Poorly Performed
_______________________________
TEACHER
Date: ______________________