NCJ Number
57458
Date Published
1978
Length
0 pages
Annotation
IN THIS TRAINING FILM FOR CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS, THE ELEMENTS OF EFFECTIVE COURTROOM TESTIMONY ARE OUTLINED BY TRACING AN OFFICER'S ACTIONS FROM THE TIME HE WITNESSES AN INMATE CRIME TO HIS APPEARANCE IN COURT.
Abstract
WHEN A CORRECTIONAL OFFICER WITNESSES A CRIME IN PRISON, THAT OFFICER WILL PROBABLY BE REQUIRED TO FILL OUT A REPORT ON THE INCIDENT AND MAY EVEN HAVE TO TESTIFY IN COURT. THIS FILM CAUTIONS OFFICERS TO PREPARE THEMSELVES ADEQUATELY BEFORE THE ACTUAL TESTIMONY--AN EVENT THAT MAY BE SEVERAL MONTHS IN THE FUTURE. OFFICERS SHOULD PREPARE DETAILED NOTES ON THE INCIDENT, MAKE SKETCHES OF THE CRIME SCENE, RETURN TO THE SCENE SEVERAL TIMES TO REVIEW PERTINENT DATA RELATING TO THE CRIME, REVIEW NOTES REGULARLY, AND DEVELOP RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS THAT MIGHT BE ASKED BY ATTORNEYS. A PRETRIAL CONFERENCE WITH THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY WILL BE NECESSARY, AND AT THIS TIME, CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS SHOULD PROVIDE OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE CONDUCT AND NATURE OF THE INMATES INVOLVED AND DESCRIBE THE INCIDENT AND CRIME SCENE WITHOUT TRYING TO HIDE PERSONAL FEELINGS ABOUT THEIR OWN ACTIONS IN RELATION TO THE CRIME. IN THE COURTROOM, OFFICERS ACTING AS WITNESSES SHOULD BE CAREFUL NOT TO DISCUSS THE CASE WITH OTHERS, DRESS NEATLY IN CONSERVATIVE CLOTHES, ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS TO THE BEST OF THEIR KNOWLEDGE, AND MOST OF ALL, REMAIN OBJECTIVE, DIGNIFIED, COURTEOUS, AND FAIR TO BOTH SIDES.