Florida Basic Recruit Training Program (CO) PDF

Unit 4 Report Writing Lesson 2 Preparing to Write Lesson Goal You will be able to gather, organize, and review facts before writing a report. Think About This An officer witnesses a fight but decides not to immediately write down any details from the in- cident, thinking they have a good memo...

Unit 4 Report Writing Lesson 2 Preparing to Write Lesson Goal You will be able to gather, organize, and review facts before writing a report. Think About This An officer witnesses a fight but decides not to immediately write down any details from the in- cident, thinking they have a good memory. Later, when the officer sits down and prepares their report, they cannot remember all of the details that were necessary to include in the report. What should the officer have done differently? Basic Steps to Prepare a Report Incidents in a correctional facility are primarily documented in a narrative format. This means writ- ten in paragraph form including the specific details and pertinent information. The officer collects information from victims, witnesses, possible suspects, and other sources. Relevant facts must be then organized to make sure a report reflects the recorded incident accurately. ✅ CO242.1. Follow the basic steps to prepare a report There are five basic steps to follow when writing a corrections report: 1. Gather information. 2. Record facts. 3. Organize facts. 4. Write the report. 5. Evaluate the report. Note-Taking Before you begin writing a report, gather the information relevant to the incident or event. This may require interviewing the people involved or collecting background details and facts that set the context for the incident. 62 / Florida Basic Recruit Training Program (CO): Volume 1 ✅ CO242.2. Understand how note-taking is used when preparing a report The second step to preparing a report is to record this information in the form of notes. Note-taking consists of writing down brief observations or, if it is an interview, quotes from people involved. Taking notes is a way to make sure that pertinent information is recorded, as it is difficult to rely on memory alone to recall all the details of an incident or event. Use note-taking to provide detailed documentation for writing a report, information for further investigation, and, in some cases, as evidence in court. The following list of important rules will help you take the best notes: Use a notebook (not loose pieces of paper) to record notes. Write legibly and in ink. Identify notes by date. Record all relevant facts as soon as possible. Check spelling and numbers (inmate name, cell, or bunk number). Use only common abbreviations. ✅ CO242.3. Know the types of critical information to record when taking notes Types of critical, basic information that you should record in your notes include: Who—names of victims, witnesses, suspects What—details of the incident such as illnesses, injuries, and behavioral descriptions of persons involved Where—location of the incident When—date and time the incident occurred or timeline of events How—means by which the incident occurred Why—reasons or causes of the incident Action taken—steps taken to resolve the incident, such as disposition, confinement, medi- cal treatment, or verbal reprimand Organize and Review Facts The third step in writing a report is organizing all the information in your notes that you have gath- ered and recorded about the incident. Chapter 2 Communications / 63 ✅ CO242.4. Know how to organize facts Generally, there are two ways to organize facts for report writing that work together to present a complete account: chronologically and categorically. Arranging information chronologically involves the grouping of recorded information by date and timeline, usually from the first event to the last. This method of grouping information is especially useful when writing a narrative report as readers can easily tell what happened and in what order. Organizing information categorically involves the grouping of recorded information into types of collection sources, such as informants, victims, witnesses, suspects, weapons, rule violations, evidence, and crime elements. This is especially helpful when an officer collects information from several sources. Remember that the report reader needs to understand what happened when and who was involved. If you do not provide this information, your supervisor or reader will not have a complete picture of the incident, understand the purpose of the report, or grasp what you are trying to convey. ✅ CO242.5. Understand the importance of reviewing facts before writing a report Once you have organized the information and selected the relevant forms and format, you are ready to write the report. Review the organized information regarding the incident to make sure that you have collected all the facts. If pertinent facts are missing—for example, an inmate’s cell number, or time of incident—collect the additional information. 64 / Florida Basic Recruit Training Program (CO): Volume 1