Criminal Justice Report Writing – CJUS 231

CG • Section 8WK • 07/01/2018 to 12/31/2199 • Modified 09/05/2023

Course Description

This course is an introductory course in criminal justice professional writing. It covers all major reports from first responder report to criminal case file. The emphasis is on criminal justice tradecraft reporting.

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Rationale

As technology continues to advance, so to do the number and types of reports that are required. There is a growing need to develop law enforcement and correctional officers that can utilize the writing style necessary to properly document factual events as reported to those officers. In completing these various reports, officers must understand the type of reports required when presented with a specific incident as well as the type of writing required in completing those reports.

Course Assignment

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is required to provide a thread in response to the provided prompt for each Discussion. Each thread must be 300 to 500 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge. In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to 2 other classmates’ threads. Each reply must be 150-300 words.
All threads and replies must reflect critical thought. Relate the course content to real-world applications with biblical perspectives and cite a minimum of 1 source, per response, in current APA format.

Research Paper: Case Report Assignment

The purpose of this assignment is to discuss the role of the case report and the language required to complete a case report. The paper should discuss the role of note-taking and how it serves as the foundation for the completion of case reports. Additionally, the paper should discuss the major components of a case report in detail, to include the face sheet/cover sheet, Introduction, Reporting Person/Victim Statements, Witness Statements, Suspect Statements and Facts of the case and how these elements are critical to both, the completion of the report as well as any future investigations. All papers must be completed through the lens of a Biblical Worldview where students will incorporate appropriate biblical passages and/or resources. The paper must be completed in APA formatting and consist of 3 to 5 pages of text (excluding all title, abstract and reference pages). In addition to the course text, all papers must utilize at least 3 outside scholarly sources to support evaluation an analysis.

Research Paper: Types of Reports Assignment

The purpose of this assignment is to identify and discuss the various types of reports that may be required. The paper should list and discuss in-depth, the various types of reports necessitated by events such as Traffic Crashes, Misdemeanor Crimes, Felony Crimes and Domestic Violence Crimes. Additionally, the purpose of this project is to familiarize students with the use of differing reports and the information that may be necessary to complete such reports. All papers must be completed through the lens of a Biblical Worldview where students will incorporate appropriate biblical passages and/or resources. The paper must be completed in APA formatting and consist of 4 to 6 pages of text (excluding all title, abstract and reference pages). In addition to the course text, all papers must utilize at least 5 outside scholarly sources to support evaluation an analysis.

Research Paper: Differences in Report Writing Documentation Assignment

The purpose of this paper is to examine and discuss the information necessary to complete various reports for both, misdemeanor and felony investigations. The paper should discuss the primary differences in report writing documentation for both, misdemeanor and felony investigations. The paper should also discuss, compare and contrast the primary differences between the use of internal and external statements and/or reports and when both might be utilized. All papers must be completed through the lens of a Biblical Worldview where students will incorporate appropriate biblical passages and/or resources. The paper must be completed in APA formatting and consist of 5 to 7 pages (excluding all title, abstract and reference pages). In addition to the course text, all papers must utilize at least 5 outside scholarly sources to support evaluation an analysis.