SCCJA Unit 3 Exam Questions Fully Solved Graded A+ (Already Passed)
People that read reports - Answers Immediate supervisor, investigators, attorneys, judges, backup
officers, victims, civil courts, probation officers, advocates, and the media.
Communication - Answers The exchange of information or the technique of expressing ideas effectively
Report - Answers Any written or electronic communication on a departmental form. They are made at or
about the time of an event and should be accurate to the best of the officer's knowledge, reflecting
what they heard at the time, because they serve as a permanent record of events.
Report Classifications - Answers Operational- ex: crimes, incidents, arrests, etcAdministrative- ex:
personnel evaluations, budget, stats, etc
When to initiate report - Answers When police action is taken or policy dictates
Elements of a good report - Answers Factual, clear, complete, concise, impartial, transition words, and
the cardinal rule- if it needs to be supplemented verbally then it is not complete.
Steps of successful report writing - Answers Prewriting, organizing, revise for clarity, write in "first
person", proofread
Objective information - Answers verifiable facts as the subjects address, the color of a vehicle, or the
date and time of an incident
Subjective Information - Answers Observations that an officer makes at the scene of an incident.
Field notes - Answers Personal observations recorded by the officer at the scene of an event or at the
time information is first gathered
Reasons to take field notes - Answers Memory aid, key to other records, investigative aid, protection,
evaluation, memorandum or official information
Field notebook - Answers Should be carried on the officer. Use a new, dated, page for each new event.
Leave out personal information
Report writing checklist - Answers -Gather preliminary info (source of call, type of incident, location,
weather)
-victim/witness/suspect statement (what they saw/heard/did, using direct quotes)
-investigate the scene (describe the scene, thoroughly list all your actions, take photographs, collect
documents/evidence)
-disposition (particulars of arrest, location of suspect and charges, recovery of any property/contraband,
follow up)
,Page 1 of a report - Answers Incident report. Never have more than one of these, use other pages if
more space is necessary.
Page 2 of a report - Answers Supplementary report. Used when additional narrative space is required.
Used to add to or change the original report at a later time (supplement)
Page 3 of a report - Answers Supplemental incident report. AKA "overflow page". Used for additional
victims, suspects, witnesses, stolen property, or narrative that could not fit on the first page . Contains
NCIC selection section for property that may be found in NCIC.
Sections of an incident report - Answers Property types: If several of the same type of item are taken
there should only by one entry with the sum of all things taken/damaged
Location: Motor vehicles of any sort do not satisfy this section, you must put the location of the motor
vehicle. If a parking lot is used, you must also list the premise type to indicate what kind of parking lot it
is.
Miscellaneous Forms - Answers Vehicle tow sheets, suspect identity charts, field interview cards, SLED
missing person report (required to enter missing persons into NCIC), use of force report
Interview - Answers A conversation with a purpose designed to obtain and evaluate information
Interrogation - Answers The process of asking questions of a person arrested or suspected of a crime.
Requires Miranda warnings
Field Interview - Answers Street level encounters or contacts with individuals initiated by LE in an effort
to obtain info
Statement - Answers A single declaration/remark/assertion.
Types of people interviewed - Answers Victims, witnesses, suspects (usually possess the most significant
info, including motive)
Detailed physical descriptions - Answers Can help in identifying wanted/BOLO suspects. Info such as:
build, complexion, hair, scars, teeth, clothing, speech, facial hair, etc.
Interview classifications - Answers Formal/Structured (requires preparation, intelligence gathering,
looking for specific info, non-threatening environment), Informal/Casual (appears to be a normal convo),
Combination (most often used)- ALWAYS TAKE NOTES
Physical and physiological reactions - Answers 80% human communication is nonverbal (eye contact,
adjusting clothes/jewelry, crossing legs, 1000 yd stare, sweating, laughing, rubbing hands/back of neck).
Body language is useless without establishing a baseline (silence before answering,repetition of
question, tapping, stuttering, etc.)
Verbal characteristics of untruthful behavior - Answers Qualifying answers, suggesting the interviewer is
wrong, taking a long time to answer questions, lying with specific details
, Verbal lie detector questions - Answers Did you do it? Have you told me everything? Has everything you
told me been the truth?
Interview considerations - Answers Status (emotions and attitudes), demographic info (age, race,
education, sex, ethnicity, etc) attitude (cooperative, reluctant, hostile), Attitude of interviewer,
communication skills of both parties (MOST IMPORTANT ARE INTERVIEWERS LISTENING SKILLS),
interview environment, types of questions (funnel), timing, case background
Additional resources for interviews - Answers Doctors, DSS, DJJ, PPP, Records/ ID, other officers, school
officials/teachers, ministers/church personnel
Field Interview Best practices - Answers Use discretion, employ necessary safety precautions,
cover/concealment, NCIC checks (everyone), take notes on info and observations.
Methods of taking statements - Answers Verbal, written, taped
Initial interview order of progression - Answers Identify self, build rapport, let interviewee talk freely,
question and answer (specifics, pin down and figure out inconsistencies), get all facts, use comparisons,
separate fact from inference, verify and test info, summarize and get descriptions when possible, close.
Voluntariness (Miranda) - Answers Coerced confessions are inherently untrustworthy. Voluntariness is
used to determine admissibility. State bears the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence
that any confession made by the defendant was voluntary.
2 Threshold requirements for Miranda warnings - Answers 1) Suspect in custody 2) Suspect is being
interrogated
4 Parts to Miranda Warnings - Answers 1) Right to remain silent 2) Anything you say can and will be used
against you in court 3) You have the right to the presence of an attorney 4) If you cannot afford one, one
will be appointed to you prior to any questioning if you so desire, at no cost to you
Wording of Miranda - Answers Does not need to be verbatim, simply needs to adequately convey to the
suspect their rights
Is Miranda a Constitutional decision? - Answers US Supreme Court has clearly stated that Miranda is a
constitutional decision
Subjects of discussion after Miranda - Answers Can ask questions pertaining to any
investigation/suspected crime without being advised that it is a separate investigation
Refusal to sign a rights waiver - Answers Oral waiver may be deemed to cancel out refusal to sign waiver
documents
Initial failure to administer warnings - Answers If the suspect responds to unwarned and uncoercive
questioning, but the officer later provides an adequate Miranda warning, the subsequent statement is
