REPORTS ARE WRITTEN IN A SECOND LANGUAGE
JURORS DON�T SPEAK THE SECOND LANGUAGE
THE REPORTS DO NOT, THEREFORE, COMMUNICATE
THIS DOES THE CRIMINAL A FAVOR
DEFENSE LAWYERS USE THE PROSECUTION�S REPORTS AGAINST THE PROSECUTION
THE DEFENSE DOES THIS MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE
GOOD REPORTS TAKE LESS EFFORT, NOT MORE
COMMUNICATING
WHO READS PROSECUTION REPORTS?
OF THOSE WHO READ THESE REPORTS, WHICH GROUP SPEAKS THE LEAST �REPORTESE�?
WRITE YOUR REPORT TO THESE READERS
NATURAL V. ARTIFICIAL WRITING
NATURAL WRITING INVOLVES SPEAKING AND WRITING THE SAME LANGUAGE
ARTIFICIAL WRITING INVOLVES �FORMAL� WRITING
WRITING TO IMPRESS V. WRITING TO COMMUNICATE
�FORMAL� (ARTIFICIAL) WRITING IS DESIGNED TO IMPRESS
NATURAL WRITING IS DESIGNED TO COMMUNICATE
NATURAL IS EASIER
�HE PERSONIFIES THE QUINTESSENCE OF PARSIMONIOUS EXISTENCE.�
�HE�S STINGY.�
NOTICE THE LENGTH AND EASE OF SPELLING OF THE TWO SENTENCES
NATURAL COMMUNICATION LIMITATIONS
LEAVE OUT YOUR PROFANITY
LEAVE OUT RADIO CODES
LEAVE OUT STREET SLANG
LEAVE OUT POLICE JARGON
LONG SENTENCES
LONG SENTENCES ARE INHERENTLY HARD TO READ
LAWYERS USE LONG SENTENCES
LAWYERS ARE NOT POPULAR
BEING POPULAR WITH A JURY IS A GOOD IDEA
I, ME AND MY
DO NOT REFER TO YOURSELF AS:
THIS OFFICER
THE UNDERSIGNED OFFICER (U/S)
THE REPORTING OFFICER
USING I, ME AND MY
OBJECTIVITY COMES FROM ACCURACY AND COMPLETENESS, NOT FROM OBSCURE REFERENCES TO THE AUTHOR
CREDIBILITY IS ENHANCED
REDUCED EFFORT
WHO�S WHO
REFERRING TO SUSPECTS AS #1 AND #2 IS CONFUSING
USE NAMES
SAME IS TRUE FOR VICTIMS, WITNESSES
ONCE IDENTIFIED, NAMES ONLY, NOT SUSPECT JONES
SUBJECT
THE LABEL OF �SUBJECT� SHOULD NEVER BE USED
IT ADDS NOTHING AND MAY BE CONFUSING
ENGLISH IS A SUBJECT
�THE SUBJECT STATED AT THIS POINT THE SUBJECT APPEARED DROPPED�
�YOUNG JUVENILE FEMALE SUBJECT� MEANS GIRL
�CAUCASIAN ADULT MALE SUBJECT� MEANS WHITE MAN
BE SPECIFIC
"APARTMENT" IS MORE SPECIFIC THAN "RESIDENCE"
"CAR" IS MORE SPECIFIC THAN "VEHICLE"
WHODUNIT?
YOU CAN DESCRIBE WHAT WAS DONE, THEN TELL WHO DID IT, OR
YOU CAN TELL WHO DID IT, THEN TELL WHAT WAS DONE
IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE
NAME THE ACTOR FIRST, THEN TELL WHAT WAS DONE
IT�S SHORTER THAN TELLING WHAT WAS DONE, THEN NAMING THE ACTOR
GOOD: BROWN FOUND A KNIFE
BAD: A KNIFE WAS FOUND BY BROWN.
WORSE: A KNIFE WAS FOUND. (WHO FOUND IT?)
IF YOU DON�T START WITH WHO DID WHAT, YOU MIGHT LEAVE OUT THE �WHO� ENTIRELY
�THE SUSPECT WAS READ HIS MIRANDA RIGHTS.�
IT WAS LEARNED THAT...
IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT�
IT WAS ASCERTAINED THAT..
IT WAS FELT THAT�
THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY CANNOT SUBPOENA "IT"
GOBBLEDYGOOK
�THIS OFFICER INTERRUPTED THIS OFFICER�S FORWARD ACCELERATION, IMMEDIATELY BRINGING THIS OFFICER TO A STATUS OF ZERO ACCELERATION�
�I STOPPED�
PULE
PULE IS A SHORT WORD
NO ONE KNOWS WHAT PULE MEANS
DON�T USE IT
USE THE MOST COMMON WORD
NOT ALWAYS THE SHORTEST
SOUNDING IMPRESSIVE
NOT A LEGITIMATE GOAL OF REPORT WRITING
TRIED
MADE AN EFFORT
MADE AN ATTEMPT
ENDEAVORED
ATTEMPTED
WATCHED
MAINTAINED SURVEILLANCE OVER
KEPT UNDER OBSERVATION
VISUALLY MONITORED
SAID
RELATED
STATED
VERBALIZED
ARTICULATED
TOLD
INFORMED
ADVISED
INDICATED
COMMUNICATED VERBALLY
BEGAN
INITIATED
INSTIGATED
COMMENCED
INAUGURATED
ORIGINATED
GOT OUT
ALIGHTED FROM
EXITED
DISMOUNTED
PHONED
TELEPHONICALLY CONTACTED
REACHED VIA LANDLINE
CONTACTED BY TELEPHONE
WENT, DROVE, WALKED
RESPONDED
PROCEEDED
FIGHT
ALTERCATION
MUTUAL COMBAT
PHYSICAL CONFRONTATION
EXCHANGE OF BLOWS
THEN
AT THIS POINT
AT THIS TIME
AT WHICH TIME
AT WHICH POINT IN TIME
ASKED
REQUESTED
INQUIRED
QUERIED
SAW
VISUALLY PERCEIVED
VISUALLY NOTICED
OBSERVED
VIEWED
ABOUT
IN REFERENCE TO
REFERENCE
IN REGARD TO
REGARDING
ON THE SUBJECT OF
ROUND
ROUND IN SHAPE
RED
RED IN COLOR
HIGH, WIDE, LONG AND DEEP
6� IN HEIGHT = 6� HIGH
2� IN WIDTH = 2� WIDE
3� IN LENGTH = 3� LONG
8� IN DEPTH = 8� DEEP
BECAUSE, SINCE
DUE TO THE FACT THAT
CONSIDERING THAT
AS A RESULT OF THE FACT THAT
IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT
IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT