NCJ Number
138289
Journal
Aslet Journal Volume: 7 Issue: 3 Dated: (July/August 1991) Pages: 40-43
Date Published
1992
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This final article in a series of four reviews the major components of a process developed to improve the quality of police reports.
Abstract
Nine standards create police reports that are simple to write and to read, complete, and useful: use the first person singular when reporting actions; use names rather than abbreviations; use the past tense of the verb as the main verb in most sentences; use the active voice of the verb, unless the doer of the action is either unknown or unimportant; write factual rather than opinion statements; write to express and not to impress; sort ideas for the reader by using headings appropriate to the situation; use headings in field notes; and use indented bullets whenever appropriate. These standards facilitate the effort to "keep it simple," a theme that is emphasized throughout this series of articles. An actual police report and a rewritten version of the same report demonstrate the value of the recommended standards.