Use concise and clear language and an appropriate voice to communicate the factual information effectively.

Week 3 Assignment 2 – Criminal Justice Report

Overview

Report writing is an important aspect of your responsibilities as a criminal justice professional. For this assignment, you will review a scenario and complete a report commonly found in a particular criminal justice profession.Review the four following options and choose one to complete this assignment. For your chosen option, review the associated scenario and complete the provided report template:

Option 1: Law Enforcement Officer

• Scenario: Watch and take notes on the video scenario: CJ in Practice Video: Traffic Stop.
• Report Template: Assume that an arrest is made in the scenario and complete the Traffic Stop Arrest Report [PDF].

Option 2: Juvenile Parole and Probation Officer

• Scenario: Watch and take notes on the video scenario: CJ in Practice: Juvenile Detention.
• Report Template: Pre-Sentence Investigation Report (Juvenile) [PDF].

Option 3: Criminal Investigator

• Scenario: Read “A Mutilation Murder” on page 670 of your textbook.
• Report Template: Crime Scene Investigation Report [PDF].

Option 4: Adult Parole and Probation Officer

• Scenario: Read the following scenario:

The defendant, Lindsey Nahol, entered Sparkle Jewelry and asked the sales clerk to show her several pieces of expensive jewelry. When the clerk turned his back, the defendant slipped a diamond necklace into her purse and walked toward the exit. When the security guard attempted to stop the defendant, she kicked and scratched him. With help from the store clerk, the security guard restrained the defendant and held her in a room until the local police arrived and placed her under arrest for robbery. Ms. Nahol has been in jail for 60 days and has pleaded guilty to robbery and assault and battery. Judge Fairmont has requested a pre-sentence investigation and report.The pre-sentence investigation reveals that Ms. Nahol, now 30, has been involved in the criminal justice system since she was 14, when she was adjudicated for car theft, for which she was placed on juvenile probation. She violated her probation but subsequently completed a 36-month probational term. As an adult, Ms. Nahol has been sentenced three times for various crimes including shoplifting, burglary, and possession of a controlled substance. She successfully completed her probation for these offenses one year ago. Ms. Nahol states that she stole a car when she was 14 because she wanted her friends to think that she was cool and that this is also why she started using drugs. As for the security officer, during the interview, Ms. Nahol stated that she was defending herself and standing her ground, because the security guard grabbed her first, when he was trying to prevent her from leaving the store.Ms. Nahol has her high school diploma. She has not spoken to any of her family members in more than a year but states that she has very close friends who let her stay at their house anytime she wants. She spends her time thinking about her future and is interested in earning her degree in criminal justice from Strayer University and becoming a juvenile probation officer.The prosecutor has asked for five years in prison, followed by five years of probation. The defense attorney has asked for time served plus two years of probation.

• Report Template: Pre-Sentence Investigation Report (Adult) [PDF].

Instructions

Once you have chosen one of the options and reviewed the scenario and required report template, complete the report template in which you:

1. Fill out the report with the specific information provided in the scenario.
2. Fill out the report in its entirety, making the necessary assumptions and/or creating needed details not included in the scenario.
3. Articulate the circumstances of the scenario in the narrative portion of the report, as appropriate.
4. Use concise and clear language and an appropriate voice to communicate the factual information effectively.

The specific course learning outcome associated with this assignment is:

• Prepare common criminal justice reports that communicate effectively with a range of audiences and use appropriate information technology.