Criminal Investigation 10th Edition by Christine Hess Orthmann – Test Bank
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Sample Test
Chapter 3: Writing Effective Reports
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The
statement “the man could not walk a straight line” is an example of
|
a. |
a fact. |
c. |
an observation. |
|
b. |
a conclusionary statement. |
d. |
any of these choices. |
ANS:
B
PTS:
1
REF: p. 78
OBJ: Compare how to differentiate among facts,
inferences and opinions.
2. The
term PC (probable cause) is needed in which report?
|
a. |
crime report |
c. |
forensic report |
|
b. |
arrest report |
d. |
rough notes |
ANS:
B
PTS:
1
REF: p. 80
OBJ: Summarize the common problems that occur in
many police reports.
3. Being
concise means to
|
a. |
leave out details. |
c. |
eliminate wordiness. |
|
b. |
limit yourself to one paragraph. |
d. |
be subjective. |
ANS:
C
PTS:
1
REF: p. 81
OBJ: Summarize the common problems that occur in
many police reports.
4. Which
of the following is not a
benefit of a well-written report?
|
a. |
It helps the criminal justice system
operate more efficiently and effectively. |
|
b. |
It reduces liability for the department
and officer. |
|
c. |
It reflects positively on the
investigator who wrote it. |
|
d. |
It is geared subjectively to enhance
prosecution. |
ANS:
D
PTS:
1
REF: p. 89
OBJ: Explain why reports should be well written.
5. Citizen
Online Report Writing is appropriate for
|
a. |
discovery crimes. |
|
b. |
involvement crimes. |
|
c. |
both discovery crimes and involvement
crimes. |
|
d. |
neither discovery crimes nor
involvement crimes. |
ANS:
A
PTS:
1
REF: p. 88
OBJ: Describe how reports are used.
6. Officers
should not write
reports in the
|
a. |
past tense. |
c. |
active voice. |
|
b. |
passive voice. |
d. |
first person. |
ANS:
B
PTS:
1
REF: p. 84
OBJ: Summarize the common problems that occur in
many police reports.
7. Due
process disclosure of what type of evidence must be determined and made by the
prosecutor?
|
a. |
informal statements |
c. |
exculpatory information |
|
b. |
informal attitudes |
d. |
hearsay |
ANS: C
PTS:
1
REF: p. 80
OBJ: Describe characteristics of effective
investigative reports.
8. Which
is not associated
with some of the common problems with police reports?
|
a. |
confusing or unclear sentences |
|
b. |
conclusions, assumptions and opinions
in the report |
|
c. |
missing or incomplete information |
|
d. |
misspelled words |
|
e. |
inability to type |
ANS:
E
PTS:
1
REF: p. 74
OBJ: Summarize the common problems that occur in
many police reports.
9. Investigative
reports are read by many people and used for many purposes. Which of the
following is not an
example of how a report would typically be used?
|
a. |
Plan for future law enforcement
services. |
|
b. |
Compile statistics on crime in a given
jurisdiction. |
|
c. |
Provide information to insurance
investigators. |
|
d. |
Convey information to the victim or the
victim’s family. |
ANS:
D
PTS:
1
REF: p. 74
OBJ: Describe how reports are used.
10.
The disposition of the case is stated in the ____________
paragraph of a report narrative.
|
a. |
opening |
c. |
narrative |
|
b. |
final |
d. |
summary |
ANS:
B
PTS:
1
REF: p. 75
OBJ: Explain whether form or content is more
important.
11.
In a police report, the majority of statements should be
|
a. |
facts. |
c. |
opinions. |
|
b. |
inferences. |
d. |
conclusionary. |
ANS:
A
PTS:
1
REF: p. 78
OBJ: Compare how to differentiate among facts,
inferences and opinions.
12.
When organizing notes for a police report, officers should not
|
a. |
use a table of contents. |
|
b. |
place the notes in chronological order. |
|
c. |
use headings to guide the reader. |
|
d. |
prepare an outline. |
ANS:
A
PTS:
1
REF: p. 75
OBJ: Explain whether form or content is more
important.
13.
Which of the following is true of writing completed in the
active voice?
|
a. |
The subject does not take any action. |
|
b. |
The subject of the sentence performs
the actions. |
|
c. |
The sentences are active in terms of
the reader. |
|
d. |
Exact quotations are always used. |
ANS:
B
PTS:
1
REF: p. 84
OBJ: Describe characteristics of effective
investigative reports.
14.
The most important step in report writing is to
|
a. |
write with caution to avoid lawsuits. |
|
b. |
gather the facts. |
|
c. |
determine the motive. |
|
d. |
determine the modus operandi. |
ANS: B
PTS:
1
REF: p. 78
OBJ: Compare how to differentiate among facts,
inferences and opinions.
15.
Which of the following statements is in the first person?
|
a. |
“This officer made the arrest.” |
|
b. |
“The arrest was made by this officer.” |
|
c. |
“Previously this officer made this
arrest.” |
|
d. |
“I made the arrest.” |
ANS:
D
PTS:
1
REF: p. 84
OBJ: Describe characteristics of effective
investigative reports.
16.
Words that have little emotional effect, for example, cried, are called
|
a. |
emotive. |
c. |
denotative. |
|
b. |
psychological. |
d. |
corroborating. |
ANS:
C
PTS:
1
REF: p. 80
OBJ: Describe characteristics of effective investigative
reports.
17.
Words that have an emotional effect, such as wept or blubbered, are called
|
a. |
denotative. |
c. |
exculpatory. |
|
b. |
connotative. |
d. |
exclusionary. |
ANS:
B
PTS:
1
REF: p. 80
OBJ: Describe characteristics of effective
investigative reports.
18.
Slanting, that is, including only one side of a story or only
facts that tend to prove or support the officer’s theory, can make a report
|
a. |
objective. |
c. |
subjective. |
|
b. |
exclusionary. |
d. |
exculpatory. |
ANS:
C
PTS:
1
REF: p. 80
OBJ: Describe characteristics of effective
investigative reports.
19.
Presynct_DictaTrans
field-based reporting system
|
a. |
is paperless. |
|
b. |
combines voice and text in one
application. |
|
c. |
requires minimal training. |
|
d. |
all of these choices. |
ANS:
D
PTS:
1
REF: p. 87
OBJ: Explain whether form or content is more
important.
20.
Approximately what percentage of an officer’s time is spent
writing reports?
|
a. |
10 percent |
c. |
25 percent |
|
b. |
20 percent |
d. |
5 percent |
ANS:
B
PTS:
1
REF: p. 72
OBJ: Explain why reports are important to an investigation.
21.
The words apparently or appeared can be
used to
|
a. |
justify expressing an opinion. |
|
b. |
make an inference stand out clearly as
an inference. |
|
c. |
turn an inference into an objective
statement. |
|
d. |
describe a fact. |
ANS: B
PTS:
1
REF: p. 78
OBJ: Compare how to differentiate among facts,
inferences and opinions.
22.
Which of the following statements is most accurate?
|
a. |
The car was traveling in excess of 90
mph. |
|
b. |
The suspect was taller than the bank
guard. |
|
c. |
The witness refused to give a
statement. |
|
d. |
The victim heard what happened. |
ANS:
A
PTS:
1
REF: p. 79
OBJ: Compare how to differentiate among facts,
inferences and opinions.
23.
One benefit of a well-written report is that it can
|
a. |
reduce legal liability for the officer
and the department. |
|
b. |
enhance an officer’s career. |
|
c. |
make a positive impact on a
prosecutor’s case. |
|
d. |
all of these choices. |
ANS: D
PTS:
1
REF: p. 89
OBJ: Explain why reports should be well written.
24.
Which of the following statements is not true?
|
a. |
Being brief is the same as being
concise. |
|
b. |
The way a report is written can have major
consequences for the disposition of a case. |
|
c. |
Inferences can prove valuable in a
report, provided they are based on sufficient evidence. |
|
d. |
Almost everything that a police officer
does must be reduced to writing. |
ANS: A
PTS:
1
REF: p. 81
OBJ: Describe characteristics of effective
investigative reports.
25.
Once a report is written, the writer should:
|
a. |
File it and forget it. |
|
b. |
Proofread it. |
|
c. |
Immediately present it to the
prosecution. |
|
d. |
Prepare for the appeal. |
ANS:
B
PTS:
1
REF: p. 87
OBJ: Describe characteristics of effective
investigative reports.
TRUE/FALSE
26.
An effective report needs to be subjective for effective
prosecution.
ANS:
F
PTS:
1
REF: p. 80
OBJ: Describe characteristics of effective
investigative reports.
27.
Officers should review their reports to make certain they are
well organized.
ANS: T
PTS:
1
REF: p. 75
OBJ: Discuss who reads the reports.
28.
Reports are permanent written records of important facts in a
case to be used in the future.
ANS:
T
PTS:
1
REF: p. 72
OBJ: Explain why reports are important to an
investigation.
29.
Reporters are never permitted to read police reports.
ANS:
F
PTS:
1
REF: p. 74
OBJ: Discuss who reads the reports.
30.
Good report writing is a learned skill.
ANS:
T
PTS:
1
REF: p. 75
OBJ: Explain whether form or content is more
important.
31.
An inference is not really true or false; it is sound or
unsound.
ANS:
T
PTS: 1
REF: p. 78
OBJ: Compare how to differentiate among facts,
inferences and opinions.
32.
Being objective means eliminating those facts from the report
that may appear damaging to your case.
ANS:
F
PTS: 1
REF: p. 80
OBJ: Describe characteristics of effective
investigative reports.
33.
If an officer did not see who signed a check, the statement “the
check was signed, John Doe” is more objective than “the check was signed by
John Doe.”
ANS:
T
PTS:
1
REF: p. 80
OBJ: Compare how to differentiate among facts,
inferences and opinions.
34.
An excellent report is more likely to cause the defendant to go
to trial.
ANS:
T
PTS: 1
REF: pp. 88-89
OBJ: Explain why reports should be well written.
35.
When writing a report, you should start a new paragraph when you
change speakers, locations, time or ideas.
ANS:
T
PTS: 1
REF: p. 84
OBJ: Explain whether form or content is more
important.
36.
The statement “he saw what happened” is an objective statement
based on fact.
ANS:
F
PTS:
1
REF: p. 80
OBJ: Compare how to differentiate among facts,
inferences and opinions.
37.
Recording or dictating reports is common in some departments.
ANS:
T
PTS:
1
REF: p. 85
OBJ: Explain whether form or content is more
important.
38.
The length of a report is the single most important factor in
ensuring quality.
ANS:
F
PTS:
1
REF: p. 81
OBJ: Describe characteristics of effective
investigative reports.
39.
Officers should include all the facts in a report, even those
that may appear to weaken the case against the charged individual.
ANS:
T
PTS:
1
REF: p. 80
OBJ: Describe characteristics of effective
investigative reports.
40.
An officer may use derogatory, biased terms referring to a
person’s race, ethnicity, religion or sexual preference in police reports.
ANS:
F
PTS:
1
REF: p. 80
OBJ: Describe characteristics of effective
investigative reports.
41.
Uniform Crime Reporting information is automatically aggregated
in the CARE system.
ANS:
T
PTS:
1
REF: p. 86
OBJ: Explain whether form or content is more
important.
42.
One component of writing a report is to remember that many
people will be reading the report and it is important to impress the audience
with your writing skills.
ANS:
F
PTS:
1
REF: p. 74
OBJ: Discuss who reads the reports.
43.
It doesn’t matter whether a report is typed, written or
printed—as long as others can read it easily.
ANS:
T
PTS:
1
REF: p. 85
OBJ: Describe characteristics of effective
investigative reports.
44.
The first person to evaluate your written report should be your
supervisor.
ANS:
F
PTS:
1
REF: p. 87
OBJ: Explain why reports should be well written.
45.
Officers should feel free to use police jargon in their notes,
but should not use police jargon in their reports.
ANS:
T
PTS:
1
REF: p. 74
OBJ: Summarize the common problems that occur in
many police reports.
COMPLETION
46.
A good report can make an excessive-force ___________ less
likely to be filed in the first place, and if it does go to court, less likely
to be successful.
ANS: lawsuit
PTS:
1
REF: p.
85
OBJ: Explain why reports should be well written.
47.
Inferences are also referred to as ____________ language.
ANS: conclusionary
PTS:
1
REF: p. 78
OBJ: Compare how to differentiate among facts,
inferences and opinions.
48.
When organizing notes for a report, list the facts of the
investigation in ____________ order.
ANS: chronological
PTS:
1
REF: p. 75
OBJ: Explain whether form or content is more
important.
49.
An effective report uses the ____________ tense, the
____________ person and the ____________ voice.
ANS: past, first, active
PTS:
1
REF: p. 78
OBJ: Describe characteristics of effective
investigative reports.
50.
In the ____________ voice, the subject of the sentence performs
the actions.
ANS: active
PTS:
1
REF: p. 84
OBJ: Describe characteristics of effective
investigative reports.
51.
Verbs in the ____________ tense refer to events that have
already occurred.
ANS: past
PTS:
1
REF: p. 84
OBJ: Describe characteristics of effective
investigative reports.
52.
Once you have written your report, you should always take the
following three steps: ____________, ____________ and ____________ it.
ANS:
evaluate, review, proofread
evaluate, proofread, review
proofread, review, evaluate
proofread, evaluate, review
review, proofread, evaluate
review, evaluate, proofread
PTS:
1
REF: p. 87
OBJ: Describe characteristics of effective
investigative reports.
53.
Being ____________ means making every word count, without leaving
out important facts.
ANS: concise
PTS:
1
REF: p. 81
OBJ: Describe characteristics of effective
investigative reports.
54.
CARE stands for ____________.
ANS: computer-assisted report entry
PTS: 1
REF: p. 86
OBJ: Explain whether form or content is more
important.
55.
A way to increase clarity in reports is to include sketches and
____________.
ANS: diagrams
PTS:
1
REF: p. 83
OBJ: Describe characteristics of effective
investigative reports.
SHORT ANSWER
56.
Explain why it is necessary for officers to write clear reports.
ANS:
Reports are permanent records of all important facts in a case.
They are a stockpile of information to be drawn on by all individuals on a law
enforcement team. They are an aid to individual law enforcement officers and
investigators, supervisors, administrators, the courts, other governmental
agencies, reporters, and private individuals. Further, a department’s
efficiency is directly related to the quality of its reports and reporting
procedures.
PTS:
1
REF: pp. 89-90 OBJ:
Explain why reports should be well written.
57.
List the characteristics of effective reports.
ANS:
In addition to a well-structured narrative, an effective report
exhibits several other characteristics, which generally fall into one of two
areas: content or what is
said, and form, or how it
is written.
PTS:
1
REF: p. 78
OBJ: Describe characteristics of effective
investigative reports.
58.
Describe how the report narrative should be structured and what
to include
in each part of the narrative.
ANS:
Usually the narrative, the “story,” of the case in chronological
order, is structured as follows:
1. The
opening paragraph of a police report states the time, date, type of incident,
and how you became involved.
2. The
next paragraph contains what you were told by the victim or witness. For each
person talked to, use a separate paragraph.
3. Next
record what you did based on the information you received.
4. The
final paragraph states the disposition of the case.
Steps 2 and 3 may be repeated several times in a report on a
case where you talk to several witnesses/victims.
PTS:
1
REF: p. 75
OBJ: Explain whether form or content is more
important.
59.
List four benefits of citizen online reporting.
ANS:
Allowing citizens to file crime reports online has the potential
to increase caseload processing efficiency, increase patrol office
effectiveness and ease reporting delays for those jurisdictions suffering from
staffing shortages or unmanageable caseloads. An additional benefit is a
reduction in time and resources spent responding to and writing reports for
minor incidents that often lack a suspect and are usually filed only for
insurance purposes. These systems often allow the police department to e-mail a
copy of the report, once approved by the agency, back to the citizen for
easier, more timely submission to their insurance company. Furthermore, such
systems often meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements and can
receive reports in multiple languages, features that help agencies overcome
communication barriers and better serve segments of the population that have
traditionally been less likely to report crime and victimization.
PTS:
1
REF: p.
88
OBJ: Describe how reports are used.
60.
Do you think form or content is more important in a police
report?
ANS:
The effective report writer attends to both content and form
because they are equally important in a well-written report. The content of an
effective report is factual, accurate, objective and complete. The form of a
well-written report is concise, clear, grammatically and mechanically correct
and written in Standard English.
PTS:
1
REF: p. 78
OBJ: Explain whether form or content is more
important.
61.
Give a one-sentence example of an inference, and then rewrite
the statement as a fact.
ANS:
Answers will vary. Here is an example:
Inference: The child was probably frightened by seeing a
stranger in the house, and his reaction could explain why he forgot to look for
cars before he ran across the street.
Fact: The child did not know the man in the house. He ran
outside, down the brick steps and directly out into the street without looking
to either side.
PTS:
1
REF: p. 78
OBJ: Compare how to differentiate among facts,
inferences and opinions.
62.
What types of abbreviations should you avoid using in a report?
ANS:
Some abbreviations (such as Mr., Dr., Ave., St., Feb., Aug., NY, CA)
are so commonly used that they require no explanation. Other abbreviations,
however, are commonly used only in law enforcement. Do not use these in your
reports because not all readers will understand them. Consider the following
example as information that can be written in your notes but should not appear, as
such, in a report: Unk/W/F/, nfd, driving Fd/4DRed, nfd. Instead, write out, “I
saw an unknown white female (no further description available) driving a red
Ford 4-door (no further description available).” Use only abbreviations common
to everyone.
PTS:
1
REF: p. 83
OBJ: Describe characteristics of effective
investigative reports.
63.
Briefly describe how citizen online reporting works.
ANS:
In accessing the local department’s Web site and pulling up the page
with the crime report form, citizens are able to complete an online report with
such required fields as name, address, type of incident or loss experienced,
and so on. Before the citizen can submit the report, a warning appears stating
the penalties for filing a false report.
It should be noted, however, that such reporting is used only
for discovery crimes, not involvement crimes, and is most appropriate for
property crimes where no suspect information is available.
PTS:
1
REF: p.
88
OBJ: Explain why reports should be well written.
64.
What is the difference between an officer’s notes and a report?
ANS:
Notes are written by the officer to help him or her recall
observations, statements, dates, times, etc. Notes are then used as a
foundation for the official report. Reports are permanent written records of
important facts of a case to be used in the future and are a crucial and
necessary cog in the wheel of justice. While it is important to keep notes, the
report is the permanent record of all important facts in a case.
PTS:
1
REF: p. 72
OBJ: Explain why reports are important to an
investigation.
65.
How might a report be used to refresh a witness’s memory?
ANS:
If a witness originally gave specific details about a person of
interest at the scene of a crime—details such as the color of the suspect’s
shoes or the belt buckle he was wearing—the officer’s report could later be
used to refresh the witness’s memory of these details. For example, several
months later the witness might not remember exactly what she had observed, but
a prompt from the officer or a leading question based on the report might help
the witness recall her own observations.
PTS:
1
REF: p.
74
OBJ: Describe how reports are used.
66.
Give a one-sentence example of an opinion, and then rewrite the
statement as a fact.
ANS:
Answers will vary. Here is one example:
Opinion: The child was terrified, but he didn’t have the brains
to look for cars before he tried to dash across the street.
Fact: The child ran out of the house, down the brick steps and
directly out into the street without looking to either side.
PTS:
1
REF: p. 78
OBJ: Compare how to differentiate among facts,
inferences and opinions.
67.
How might a report be used to plan for future law enforcement
services?
ANS:
Consider the case of an officer called to the scene of a
hit-and-run. The initial accident report will be used to continue the
investigation of the offense. If the offender is apprehended, the report will
be used by the prosecuting attorneys in preparing the case, by the responding
police officer when testifying in court, by the judge in determining the facts
of the case and by the jury if a trial results. The report might also be used
by the department in determining where dangerous intersections exist and in
making future plans.
PTS:
1
REF: pp. 73-74 OBJ:
Describe how reports are used.
68.
How would the writing of a report be different if a box-style
format was used instead of the traditional narrative report?
ANS:
Many departments use box-style law enforcement report forms for
certain offenses and incidents. “Report forms . . . contain boxes or separate
category sections, e.g., property
loss section, for placement of descriptive information,
addresses and phone numbers of those involved. It is unnecessary to repeat this
information in the narrative unless
it is
needed for clarity because it tends to interrupt the flow of
words and clutter the narrative” (Hess and Orthmann, 2008). In contrast,
narrative reports that do not use
the box-style format include descriptive information, addresses and phone
numbers within the body of the narrative.
PTS:
1
REF: p. 75
OBJ: Describe characteristics of effective
investigative reports.
69.
Describe the difference between connotative and denotative
language.
ANS:
Words that have little emotional effect, for example, cried, are called
denotative words. The denotative meaning of a word is its objective meaning.
In contrast, words that do have an emotional effect are called connotative
words, for example, wept,
blubbered. The connotative meaning of a word comprises its positive
or negative overtones.
PTS:
1
REF: p. 80
OBJ: Compare how to differentiate among facts,
inferences and opinions.
70.
Discuss the difference between inculpatory and exculpatory
evidence and the role of the police report toward both.
ANS:
Inculpatory evidence is evidence that supports a prosecution
whereas exculpatory evidence supports a defense. Officers should include all
known material, statements, and evidence in reports. Doing so supports the
criminal justice system and the carriage of justice. It also helps avoid civil
liability and the reversal of convictions.
PTS:
1
REF: p. 80
OBJ: Describe characteristics of effective
investigative reports.
Chapter 5: Forensics/Physical Evidence
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Ultraviolet
light is good for finding
|
a. |
trace evidence such as semen or fibers. |
|
b. |
bullet trajectories. |
|
c. |
paint or glass. |
|
d. |
tire tracks. |
ANS:
A
PTS:
1
REF: p. 130
OBJ: Identify the kind of evidence UV light can help
discover.
2. When
evidence is collected, an officer should record in his or her notes the
|
a. |
time the item was found and the
disposition. |
|
b. |
time and date the item was found. |
|
c. |
time, date and location the item was
found. |
|
d. |
time, date and location the item was
found; the individual who found it; the case number; a description of the
item; and who took it into custody. |
ANS:
D
PTS:
1
REF: p. 131
OBJ: Explain what should be recorded in crime scene
notes.
3. Which
term refers to the spiral pattern cut down the length of a firearm’s barrel?
|
a. |
rifling |
c. |
lands |
|
b. |
bore |
d. |
caliber markings |
ANS:
A
PTS:
1
REF: p. 162
OBJ: Explain how to mark and care for weapons used
in crimes.
4. This
type of fingerprint, which is not readily visible, consists of impressions of
the ridges of the fingers, transferred to other surfaces by sweat on the ridges
of the fingers or because the fingers carry residue of oil, blood, dirt or
another substance. These prints are referred to as
|
a. |
ten-print fingerprints. |
c. |
ID-match prints. |
|
b. |
latent prints. |
d. |
comparison prints. |
ANS:
B
PTS: 1
REF: p. 139
OBJ: Explain where fingerprints can be found and how
they should be preserved.
5. Powders,
Magnabrush techniques, laser technology, gelatin lifters and cyanoacrylate are
all used to process what type of evidence?
|
a. |
petechiae |
c. |
fingerprints |
|
b. |
adipocre |
d. |
cadavers |
ANS:
C
PTS:
1
REF: pp. 141-143
OBJ: Explain where fingerprints can be found and how
they should be preserved.
6. AFIS
stands for
|
a. |
Automated Fingerprint Issuing Society. |
|
b. |
automatic fingerprint intake system. |
|
c. |
automatic fiber identification system. |
|
d. |
automated fingerprint identification
system. |
ANS:
D
PTS:
1
REF: p. 143
OBJ: Explain where fingerprints can be found and how
they should be preserved.
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