CRJ5446 CRIMINAL JUSTICE INTERVIEW AND REPORT WRITING
3 Credit Hours
Student Level:
This course is open to students on the college level in their freshman or sophomore year.
Catalog Description:
CRJ5446 - Criminal Justice Interview and Report Writing (3 hrs)
Focusing on the unique types of writing required to be in a criminal justice career, students are required to gather pertinent information and then record that information by writing a variety of report narratives representative of those prepared by individuals working in a profession within the criminal justice system. Students will also learn interview techniques and the application of those techniques during various stages of the investigation process.
Course Classification:
Lecture
Prerequisites:
None
Controlling Purpose:
This course focuses on the unique types of writing required in a criminal justice career as well as the techniques and observation skills needed to perform effective interviews. Students are required to gather pertinent information and then record that information by writing a variety of report narratives representative of those prepared by individuals working in a profession within the criminal justice system.
Learner Outcomes:
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to.
- Conduct an interview.
- Use active listening skills.
- Distinguish among fact, opinion, and inference.
- Develop strategies to obtain information in a variety of situations.
- Apply appropriate grammar and punctuation to written communication.
- Apply conventions of effective report writing in criminal justice.
- Document verbal and nonverbal behavior.
- Examine legal and ethical issues related to interviews.
- Take detailed field notes.
- Document facts of the case.
- Write comprehensive, detailed narratives using logical, coherent phrases, sentences, and paragraphs.
- Prepare appropriate criminal justice reports.
- Demonstrate skills in the collection and interpretation of information from an incident.
Unit Outcomes for Criterion Based Evaluation:
The following defines the minimum core content not including the final examination period. Instructors may add other content as time allows.
UNIT 1: The Need for Effective Communication
Outcomes: Upon completion of this unit, the students will be able to explain why both written and verbal communication skills are critical to today’s criminal justice professional. The student will also review basic report writing fundamentals.
- Explain why the ability to communicate both verbally and in writing is critical to law enforcement officers.
- Describe the differences between law enforcement reports and those from other professions and what establishes the need for the differences.
- Cover basic rules for improvement including, rules of capitalization, frequently confused words, repetitive statements, and common spelling mistakes.
- Complete practical application exercises.
- Complete written reports based on classroom scenarios.
UNIT 2: Basic Reports
Outcomes: Upon completion of this unit, the students will be able to describe the different types of reports associated with law enforcement work and list what information needs to be covered in those reports.
- List the various types of reports used in law enforcement.
- List required information for police reports.
- Discuss the organization of a police report.
- Analyze a report for content.
- Cover basic rules for improvement, the use of the comma, use of first person, use of active voice, correct usage of pronouns, and correct word usage.
UNIT 3: Improvement of Communication/Obtaining the Information Needed
Outcomes: Upon completion of this unit, the students will be able discus the barriers to communication and how to overcome them as well as.
- List the barriers to effective communication
- List the 10 keys to effective listening.
- Demonstrate how to interview the victims of crime.
- Cover basic rules for improvement including paragraph rules, correct word choice, effective listening exercises, and rules for modifiers.
- Complete written reports based on classroom scenarios.
UNIT 4: Questioning
Outcomes: Upon completion of this unit, the students will be able to determine the difference between an interview and an interrogation. The student will be able to correctly ascertain when to apply the Miranda Rule
and how to properly document Miranda.
- Explain the Miranda rule and how to professionally document Miranda.
- List the differences between an interview and an interrogation.
- Discuss different interrogation techniques. List what steps need to be taken to prepare for an interview.
- Demonstrate how to write a proper report concerning an interview.
- Cover basic rules including sentence structure.
UNIT 5: What Every Body is Saying
Outcomes: Upon completion of this unit, the students will be able to have a basic understanding of non-verbal communication between people. The student will be able to assess basic body language to help gauge the possible deceptiveness or truthfulness of a person.
- Discuss book “What Every Body is Saying”
- Describe what different body gestures could telescope about a persons intentions related to truthfulness, violent intentions, and deceptive intentions.
- Demonstrate how to properly document observations concerning mannerisms.
- Cover basic rules of improvement, verb problems.
- Complete written reports based on class scenarios.
UNIT 6: Question Formulation and Statement Analysis
Outcomes: Upon completion of this unit, the students will be able to discuss the decision making process on what questions are asked and how they are asked. The student will also have a basic introductory level understanding of statement analysis.
- Formulate appropriate questions for an interview or interrogation.
- List the general rules for question construction.
- Compare and contrast the current statement analysis techniques, the CBSA and the SCAN method.
- Review basic rules of improvement
- Complete written reports based on class scenarios.
Projects Required:
This class will place a heavy emphasis on the importance of professional written reports. There will be numerous report writing exercises. The student will be responsible for all course material and a reading. The student will be graded on written assignments, exams, quizzes, discussion questions, class participation, and other methods at the discretion of the instructor. Class projects will include exams, chapter quizzes, pop quizzes, and daily assignments.
Textbook:
Contact Bookstore for current textbook.
Materials/Equipment Required:
None
Attendance Policy:
Students should adhere to the attendance policy outlined by the instructor in the course syllabus.
Grading Policy:
The grading policy will be outlined by the instructor in the course syllabus.
Maximum class size:
Based on classroom occupancy
Course Timeframe:
The U.S. Department of Education, Higher Learning Commission and the Kansas Board of Regents define credit hour and have specific regulations that the college must follow when developing, teaching and assessing the educational aspects of the college. A credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally-established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester hour of credit or an equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time. The number of semester hours of credit allowed for each distance education or blended hybrid courses shall be assigned by the college based on the amount of time needed to achieve the same course outcomes in a purely face-to-face format.
Refer to the following policies:
402.00 Academic Code of Conduct
263.00 Student Appeal of Course Grades
403.00 Student Code of Conduct
Disability Services Program:
Cowley College, in recognition of state and federal laws, will accommodate a student with a documented disability. If a student has a disability, which may impact work in this class which requires accommodations, contact the Disability Services Coordinator.
DISCLAIMER: THIS INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. FOR THE OFFICIAL COURSE PROCEDURE CONTACT ACADEMIC AFFAIRS.
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