1. Correctional Report Writing: An Annual Review Version 2
Oklahoma Dept. of Corrections Training Administration

2. Course Information
Course created by Lynne Presley, Training Administration, Oklahoma Dept. of Corrections Data Sources:
Material furnished by Donna J. Burkhalter, Correctional Training Officer, William S. Key CC
Course Released: August 2001
Revised: April 7, 2004
Oracle Course Code ADMI Training Credit: Two Hours
Contact:

3. Course Objectives
After finishing this course, participants will be able…
to understand and define the most common types of reports used in the correctional workplace
to identify the three types of reports that have a high degree of legal implications
to identify the seven basic elements of a report
to identify the six requirements for writing effective correctional reports
to identify the items that should be included in hand-written notes

4. Introduction
Corrections is a business that relies on written communication. Accurate and complete written reports form the documentation that helps to complete our agency mission. When documentation is not complete, the result may be lost time, confusion, and costly personnel and legal proceedings.

5. Definition
Just what is a correctional report?
For the purpose of this training, a correctional report is defined as a written, formal presentation of facts.

6. Types of Reports
What are some of the most common correctional reports?
Log entries and written records are also considered forms of correctional reports:
Visiting logs
Telephone call logs
Mail logs
Canteen records
Property records
Disciplinary reports
Incident reports
Medical reports
Serious Incident Reports
Inspection reports
ACA reports

7. Report Accuracy
Why do correctional reports need to be accurate and well-written?
Every written report is an official document
Mistakes in grammar, composition, accuracy and ethics may come back to haunt you
You may have to defend your report in court
Because they provide a means of insuring that written policies and procedures are applied consistently by all staff and are appropriately documented

8. Review of Reports Who might review correctional reports?
Your supervisor
The facility head
Executive staff
Sheriff or jail administrator
Attorney General
An inmate’s attorney
Court personnel
The public

9. Legal Implications
Written reports may have legal implications. The report’s contents may well decide the outcome of litigation against the facility, the agency, or you personally. Reports that may have legal implications include:
Disciplinary reports contested by an inmate
Incident reports regarding a use of force
Other reports concerning conditions of confinement or civil rights

10. Basic Report Elements
Correctional reports contain common elements, which will be defined in the following pages. The elements are:
Who?
What?
When?
Where?
How?
Why?
Action taken?

11. Basic Report Elements: Who?
Was everyone involved identified in the report?
Is their involvement clear?
Does this include witnesses and people who gave assistance?
Have these secondary people been interviewed, or have they submitted a report?
Remember to identify inmates by their complete name and number.
Remember to identify employees by their complete name and title. (Although all facility employees may know who an employee is, a subsequent reviewer may not.)

12. Basic Report Elements: What?
Are the facts in the report clear, complete and accurate?
State the facts, not what you suspect happened
Precisely identify objects used or involved by furnishing complete descriptions and details. For instance, an officer inventorying property might write “one gold ring with diamond.” Instead, the officer should write “One gold-colored ring with a clear stone.”
Include all relevant events

13. Basic Report Elements: When?
Are all time elements connected with the event(s) identified in the report?
If the exact time is unknown, specify the approximate time and trace steps from the last known time. Example: “I just finished eating lunch (I started at 12:10 pm) and was on my way to relieve the A unit officer when I saw…”
Are events reported chronologically (in the order that they happened)?
Make sure there are no unexplained gaps in time

14. Basic Report Elements: How?
Remember to provide a chronological narrative of how the situation began, progressed, and ended
Are the conclusions in the report supported by the facts?

15. Basic Report Elements: Where?
Does the report identify locations where the event(s) took place?
Are the significant features of each place identified?
List identifiable locations. Example: “C Unit, McArthur side, in front of the Officers’ Station”
List the location of each person and important object

16. Basic Report Elements: Why?
Remember to stick to the facts. Don’t add your feelings, opinions or speculation to the report.
Was there a motive? (If this information is second hand, state so and furnish the source of the information)
Do not exaggerate or embellish the facts and circumstances of the incident.

17. Basic Report Elements: Action Taken
What was the final disposition of the incident?
If the problem was referred to someone else, to whom?
If the incident was handled informally, how was it handled?
Specify if any other related reports were completed
Report what the disposition of the evidence was, and identify the witnesses and victims, if any

18. Requirements for Good Reports
#1: Be complete
Is the report complete, with no missing information?
Have you proofread the report for accuracy and readability?
Have you included all essential information?
Did you use a passive voice when writing the report? (e.g. do not write “I went to the housing unit.” Instead, write “Officer [name] went to the housing unit.”)
Did you sign and date the report?

19. Requirements for Good Reports
#2: Be concise
Don’t editorialize – just state the facts
Be brief and to the point
Make every sentence count
Avoid repeating a point already made
Do not include unnecessary information that is not pertinent to the specific incident

20. Requirements for Good Reports
#3: Be clear
Use simple, descriptive words
Avoid exaggerated prose
Use names of people, numbers, titles, clock and calendar time, gender, and words that point to a specific person or thing
Don’t use needlessly formal words. Example: “Officer Wellman extracted the inmate from his cell.” (The word “removed” is more appropriate than “extracted.”)
Avoid slang and jargon. Example: “Catch out, ” “snitch,” “jigger,” and “punk” are slang and not appropriate to use

21. Requirements for Good Reports
#4: Be correct
Avoid poor grammar by using simple descriptive language (have a trusted co-worker check your work)
Check for correct spelling using a dictionary
Write neatly and legibly
Give accurate information
Record actual words or phrases spoken, and don’t paraphrase or generalize

22. Spelling and Grammar: A Closer Look
Remember that misspelled words detract from a report’s credibility. In fact, misspelled words can:
Make the officer look careless
Confuse the reader
Change the meaning of a sentence
Affect the officer’s credibility in court

23. Spelling and Grammar: A Closer Look
Here are some tips to improve your spelling and grammar:
Proofread your report, then have someone else proofread it
Use a dictionary and spell checker
Keep a list of corrected words that you commonly misspell
Make sure your verb tenses are correct
Make sure you know the meaning of a word before using it, especially when using technical and medical terms

24. Requirements for Good Reports
#5: Be courteous and objective
Avoid judgments, stereotypes, opinions and biases in your report
Avoid absolute statements. For instance, “Jones is always late for count” is an absolute statement. Unless Jones is late for every count, a more accurate statement would be “Jones is frequently late for count.”
If necessary, jot down your notes, then allow a cooling-off period before writing your report.

25. Requirements for Good Reports
#6: Be professional
The report should be neatly-written and free of physical flaws (avoid creases, wrinkles, smudges, etc.)
The report should be well-organized and error-free
The report should be prepared in a format that’s appropriate and easy to read (neatly written or typed)

26. The Importance of Taking Notes
It’s not always possible to write a report immediately after an incident has happened. Examples: Medical emergencies requiring transport, fire evacuations, and group disturbances.
When you cannot immediately write a report, make it a habit to record the facts of the situation in a pocket notebook. Notes can be an excellent memory aid when you write your report. Notes can also be used to refresh your memory when you testify in a court case.

27. What to Include in Your Notes, Part 1
Jot down all information you might need to complete your report, such as:
Dates and times of incidents
Inmates who were involved in or witnessed the incident
Employees who were involved in or witnessed the incident
Any other information pertinent to the incident

28. What to Include in Your Notes, Part 2
Points to remember when taking notes:
Notes should include the essential information you’ll need for your report
Make the notes as quickly as possible after the incident
Include verbal statements of participants and witnesses
If applicable, include sketches of the scene and locations of people and important objects
Note all evidence collected and its disposition. Describe any distinguishable marks and tags on the evidence.

29. What to Include in Your Notes, Part 3
More points to remember when taking notes:
If needed, have pictures taken and marked, and make note of this
Record events in chronological order and list approximate times of events
Always carry your notebook
Number the notebook’s pages consecutively, and don’t remove any pages
Record only facts and observations, not your opinions

30. What to Include in Your Notes, Part 4
More points to remember when taking notes:
Record your words accurately, so they won’t be misinterpreted and used against you in a legal proceeding
Make reference to all communications and reports concerning the incident
When the notebook is full, file it away in chronological order with others, in case you need to reference it at a later date.
Use your notebook only for business, not for personal use.

31. Advantages of Taking Notes
By following the note-taking tips in this course, you will have the basis of a report. Using this system will reduce your error rate and add to your credibility.
The most important benefit is that your reports will have a greater degree of accuracy relative to times, statements, and events than memory alone allows.

32. Click on the letter by the answer you think is correct.
Self-Test: Page 1
Click on the letter by the answer you think is correct.
1. This course defines a correctional report as a “written, formal presentation of facts.”
True
False
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33. Self-Test: Page 2
2. When correctional reports are not accurate and complete, the result may be:
Loss of staff time
Costly legal and personnel proceedings
Both A and B
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34. Self-Test: Page 3
3. The accuracy of visiting log entries is not as important as the accuracy of disciplinary reports.
True
False
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35. Self-Test: Page 4
4. Every written correctional report is considered to be an official agency document.
True
False
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36. Self-Test: Page 5 5. Who might review a correctional report?
A County Sheriff
An Attorney General
Both A and B
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37. Self-Test: Page 6
6. Correctional reports concerning conditions of inmate confinement or civil rights have:
Legal implications
The requirement that they must be destroyed when the incident is over
The requirement that they must be destroyed after six months
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38. Self-Test: Page 7
7. It is not necessary to include the complete name and title of employees mentioned in a correctional report.
True
False
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39. Self-Test: Page 8
8. When describing an incident, it is proper to include your suspicions as to why the incident happened.
True
False
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40. Self-Test: Page 9
9. If evidence was seized during an incident, the disposition of that evidence should be included in the incident report.
True
False
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41. Self-Test: Page 10
10. It is proper to refer to an inmate as a “snitch” in a report.
True
False
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42. Self-Test: Page 11
11. Misspelled words in a report can affect an officer’s credibility in court.
True
False
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43. Self-Test: Page 12
12. You should use absolute statements in your reports, such as: “Inmate Jones is always late for count.”
True
False
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44. Self-Test: Page 13
13. When you cannot write a report immediately following an incident, what should you do as soon as possible?
Share details of the incident with co-workers, so they can help you to remember details when you write your report
Record the facts in a pocket notebook to help you remember the details when you write your report
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45. Self-Test: Page 14
14. When recording incident details in your notebook, verbal statements of incident participants and witnesses should be included in your notes.
True
False
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46. Self-Test: Page 15
15. When entering incident details in your notebook, you should include facts, observations, and your personal opinions about the incident
True
False
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