NCJ Number
17126
Date Published
1973
Length
50 pages
Annotation
THIS PROJECT IDENTIFIED SENTENCES AND PHRASES COMMONLY USED IN POLICE REPORTS ON CERTAIN INCIDENTS, DEVELOPED PRE-STRUCTURED PARAGRAPHS, AND TESTED THEIR EFFICACY.
Abstract
THE STUDY FOUND THAT PRE-STRUCTURED REPORTS WERE SUITABLE FOR 13 TYPES OF INCIDENTS INCLUDING ASSAULT, RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY, SHOPLIFTING, THEFT FROM AUTO (NOT AUTO PARTS), THEFT OF AUTO PARTS, BICYCLE THEFT, THEFT FROM BUILDING THEFT FROM COIN-MACHINE, AUTO THEFT, MISCELLANEOUS THEFT, FORGERY, FRAUD (ESPECIALLY WORTHLESS DOCUMENTS), VANDALISM, DEAD BODY REPORTS, AND LOST OR FOUND REPORTS. OFFICERS USING THESE PRE-STRUCTURED REPORTS CAN INDICATE BLOCKS OF INFORMATION BY MERELY JOTTING DOWN A FEW NUMBERS TOGETHER WITH THE REQUIRED INFORMATIONAL ELEMENTS. THE ACTUAL WRITING OF THIS NARRATIVE INFORMATION IS DONE BY A TYPIST AT HEADQUARTERS WHO USES AN AUTOMATIC TYPEWRITER, THUS ALLOWING THE OFFICER TO RETURN TO HIS PRIMARY DUTIES. THE APPENDIX CONTAINS THE PRE-STRUCTURED REPORTS THAT WERE DEVELOPED BY THE PROJECT.