This book teaches students about the report-writing process. Most students, especially those in the millennial generation, seem to learn best with firsthand experience. Throughout this book there are opportunities for students to apply lessons to realistic scenarios. We examined the actual report forms used by various agencies in the criminal justice field. Our next step was to develop report forms for students that are both authentic and practical. By giving students realistic scenarios, and having them write reports in a “real-world” setting, we sought to create an experience that is as close to actual report writing as possible. These report forms, which can either be printed off or submitted electronically, are central to the learning experience.
Travis A. Behem earned his BS and MS in Criminology and Criminal Justice from Indiana State University at Terre Haute, Indiana. He has experience as an emergency medical dispatcher, and is a graduate of the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy. After graduating, he worked as a police officer for the Indiana State University and Terre Haute Police Departments. He also worked in loss prevention for three Fortune 500 companies. Travis is a full-time instructor and academic advisor with the School of Criminology and Security Studies at Indiana State University. Some of his primary teaching duties include introduction to policing, introduction to criminology, and report writing. Research interests include the use of drones and privacy concerns, cyber-security, intelligence-led policing, and video scenario development for criminal justice report writing.
Christian W. Gallagher has a BA in English from Cornell University and a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction from Indiana State University. He is also a graduate of the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy. He is currently a detective sergeant with the Terre Haute Police Department, where he has served for more than twenty-five years. During that career, he has served as a patrolman, an undercover narcotics detective, a patrol supervisor, and a violent crime investigator. In addition to his police duties, Christian is a lecturer at Indiana State University, where he teaches in the School of Criminology and Security Studies. His research interests include the literature of George Orwell, legislative drug policy, technology in law enforcment, and the history of policing in the United States.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Report Writing Chapter 2: Ethics in Criminal Justice Chapter 3: What it Takes to Write a Report Chapter 4: Writing and Gathering Information Chapter 5: Report Examples Chapter 6: Vehicle Crash Reports Chapter 7: Investigative Policies and Procedures Chapter 8: Drug Investigations Chapter 9: Warrants Chapter 10: Corrections Chapter 11: Pre-Sentence Investigation Reports Chapter 12: Report Writing in the Private Sector Chapter 13: Privacy, Media, and Formal Correpondence Chapter 14: The Culture and Consequences