What is Technical Writing?
Technical writing is a type of writing where the author Writing about a
particular subject that requires direction, instruction or explanation.
The subject of technical writing can either be:
Tangible- Something that can be seen or touched, such as a computer or
software program, or information on how to assemble a piece of furniture.
Abstract – Something that involves a series of steps that aren’t related to a
tangible object, One example of this might be step required to complete an
office process.
Characteristics of Technical Writing
The characteristics of Technical writing are as follows:
1. Simplicity and Conciseness - considerable amount of time
and effort is needed to keep things as simple as possible.
2. Accuracy - there is no room for ambiguity or errors in a
Technical document.
3. Audience Focused - every piece of writing should be written
with its audience in mind, Audience’s subject knowledge varies
widely.
4. An Objective, Fact and Task Based Approach- technical
writing is not emotive in style. It uses a very objective, fact-
Based approach, because it aims to convey information.
5. Careful Consideration of Design Issues - technical writers
often have to do more than simply write. They also have to
consider the design of their document to make it easier to read.
Criminal Justice System
The criminal justice system, is the system or process in the Community by
which crimes are investigated, and the persons suspected thereof are taken
into custody, prosecuted in court and punished, if found guilty, provisions
being made for their correction and rehabilitation.
Five Pillars of Criminal Justice System
The Philippine Criminal Justice System is made up of five pillar, They are:
• Law Enforcement - It is the prime mover of the criminal justice System.
They are the one who are responsible for controlling And preventing crime
in society.
• Prosecution - It is the Philippine legal context. It plays a crucial role in the
administration of the criminal justice System because it occupies a central
and very important position between police and the court.
• Court - It is the forum where the prosecution is given the opportunity to
prove that thero is strong evidence of guilt against the accused.
• Corrections - It is involved in the custody and safekeeping of PDLs and
criminal offenders. Punishment is the isolation of the convicts by
imprisonment for the periods laid down by the court.
• Community - It refers to the elements that are mobilized and energized to
help authorities in effectively addressing The law and order concern of the
citizenry.
What is Technical Writing in Criminal Justice?
According to Carol Zimmerman, an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice,
leadership ability and program development are closely related to writing
skills. Writing proficiency is imperative in Criminal Justice. Most careers in
this field exist in the context of bureaucracies.
Types of Written Communication in Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice as a system relies on myriad forms of communication, and
the types of communication a specific criminal Justice worker will use
depends on her role in the system, specific jobs Duties and similar factors
(Thompson, 2017).
Here are some of the type of written communication used in the field of
Criminal Justice:
1. Narratives and Reports - Narrative writing is a daily job duty for
many police Officers, who must write clear reports detailing their
interactions with and arrest of suspects.
2. Legal Pleadings and Citations - Legal pleadings are formal pieces
of writing submitted to the court, such as motions for summary
judgment and complaints for damages.
3. Judicial Orders - A judicial order is a document written by a judge
that renders a decision about a case. It outlines the legal rationale
For the judge’s decision, and may also outline the basic facts of the
case.
4. Studies and Research - The criminal justice system is a massive
institution
that includes courts, jails and even mental health facilities.
5. Informal Communications - Like in any other profession, criminal
justice professionals routinely draft informal communications, such
as emails to police officers or lawyers. When these emails are
between government officials, they are often open records subject to
public review.
Narrative Writing
One of the most common writing assignments of a law enforcer is
writing an Incident Report, it includes a narrative describing an incidents.
The parts of narratives are as follows:
1. Introduction - It is the first paragraph of the document. It is the
reader’s first exposure to the incident or the event that officers
are writing about.
2. The Body - The succeeding paragraphs of a narrative should
each focus upon a single idea or theme. The officer might write
separate paragraphs to discuss an incident scene, a victim’s
statement, stolen property or the suspect/s.
3. Conclusion - Serves as the reminder as to what the narrative is
all
About. A writer can effectively do this by restating the thesis
Of the narrative.
Writing Styles
1. Narration - It is the dominant writing style in criminal justice
document narrative. Narration tells a story by presenting Events
in an orderly structure and logical sequence.
2. Descriptive Writing - Documents used in the criminal justice
field need to be
very detailed and specific about names, times, dates, events, and
geographical location.
Narrative Point of View
Point of view is the “eye” or narrative voice through which a story Was told.,
The story could be told by a character who is involved in the story, or from a
perspective that sees and knows all of the characters but is not one of them
(Atwood, 2021). There are three primary types of Point Of View:
1. First Person Point of View - Part in official activities in the first
person point of view, one of the characters is narrating the story. This
is generally revealed by the “I” Sentence construction and relies on
first person pronouns such as I, Me, My, We, Us, Our, Myself, and
Ourselves.
2. Second Person Point of View - Second person point of view is
structured around the “You” pronoun, It uses second-person pronouns
like “you” And “your” as well as third-person POV words like hers,
They,” and “itself” but not “I” op us.”
3. Third Person Point of View - The author is narrating a story about
the characters and refers to them with the third person Pronouns
“he/she,” It uses third person Pronouns: He/him/his, She/her/hers, Its,
and hey/then/their/theirs.
Tips for Good Criminal Justice Narratives
1. Answer the Interrogatives - Interrogatives introduce questions.
They are the who, what, when, where, why and how required in most
criminal Justice documents.
2. Eliminate Emotions - writers of criminal justice narratives should
strive for an overall tone that reflects impartial, courteous fair
observers, that contains nondiscriminatory language
and appropriate level of difficulty for the audience.
3. Eliminate Slang and Jargons - Officers would do better in writing
narratives if they do so in a clear and easily readable report, rather
than using Slang, jargon, or codes for policing profession.
Police Report
A Police Report is an exact narration of facts that are discovered during a
criminal investigation and serves as a permanent written record for future
reference.
Tone of Police Reports
Narration is effective in writing police report. They are more effective
when they have an objective tone.
Characteristics of an Effective Police Report
Factual
Accurate
Clear
Concise
Complete
Timely
Categories of Police Report
1. Operational Reports include those relating to the reporting of the
police investigation, arrest, identification of persons, and a mass of
miscellaneous reports necessary to the the conduct of routine police
operations
2. Internal Business Reports refers to the reporting necessary to the
management of the agency and include financial reports, personal
reports and etc.
3. Technical Reports present data on any specialized subject but
usually relate to completed staff work.
4. Summary Information Report furnish intelligence information
necessary to the solution of a crime , accident, and police
administrative problems.
Police Reports can also be classified according to its purpose, they are:
Performance Report
Fact-Finding Report
Technical Report
Problem Solution Report
Types of Police Reports
1. Spot Report – Is one that after an important incident takes place
in a certain area at a given time.
2. Special Reports – Are done either because one feels he has
some reporting to do or a lower police unit or office is obligated
based on the directive.
Problem
Rationale
Action
3. Progress Report – Is an accomplishment report which may be
analytical and may be comparative longer.
4. Investigative Report – It is an official record of information
relevant to the investigation which the investigator submits to
his/her superior.
5. Beat Inspection Report or After-Patrol Report – The beat
inspection is one of the most common forms of written
communication.
6. Situation Reports – The situation report is similar to the patrol
reports. Both are submitted every hour.
7. Formal Report – Essentially, a formal report is a presentation of
facts or ideas.
Radio Message Form
1. Message is any idea expressed in plain language prepared in a form
suitable for transmission by any means of communications there are
three(3) types of messages:
a. Single – A message which has only me addressee.
b. Book – A message which has two or more addresses.
c. Multiple – A message which has two or more addresses.
2. Originator It is the authority of the message sent, or is the police
office or unit in whose name a message is sent.
3. Drafter is a person who actually composes a message.
4. Releasing Officer is the person who may authorize the transmission
of a message.
5. Text is the part of a message which contains the idea that the
originator desires to communicate.
Filing Out of Radio Message
1. For Electronic Communications Service or signal use, routing indicator
for operator’s use.
2. Precedence Action
3. Precedence Information
4. Date – Time Group
5. Message Instructions
6. From
7. TO and INFO
8. Security Classification
This involves the following:
a. Responsibility
It is the responsibility of the originator to ensure that proper
security classification is indicated on the that proper security
classification is indicated on the message before it is Forwarded
for transmission.
b. Security Classification
The following are the classification of messages:
Top Secret – unauthorized disclosure would cause exceptionally
grave damage or danger to the nation.
Secret – Unauthorized disclosure would endanger national
security.
Confidential – Unauthorized disclosure would endanger national
security.
Restricted – Requires special protection other than top secret.
9. Cite Number/ Originator number
This is to be filled up by the originator with the office, unit or
originator’s cite number for the message.
10. Text – to save transmission and circuit time required for
indenting.
11. Reference Message – If the message refers to another
message, appropriate identifying data of the reference message will
be inserted in the block.
12. Classification (Yes or No)
13. Page Number and Number of Pages
14. Drafter Name Title and Phone Number
15. Releasing Officer’s Name, Title and Signature
16. PNP Addressees
17. Purely Civilian Address
Routing Slip Is primary aimed at transmitting papers from office to
office within the Headquarters.
What is a Jurat?
Jurat is that part of an affidavit in which of officer certifies that the
instrument was sworn to before him.
What is an Acknowledgement?
Acknowledgement is the act of one who has executed a deed, in
going before some competent officer or court and declaring it to be his
act or deed.
What is an Affidavit?
Affidavit is a voluntarily sworn declaration of written facts. It is sworn
before a notary or other officers entitled to administer an oath or take
acknowledgement.
Parts of Affidavit
1. Venue – The place where the affidavit was taken. This will show
whatever the official administering the oath of affirmation has
acted within this jurisdiction.
2. Body – The facts stated in the body of an affidavit must be stated
positively, and not merely a matter of belief.
3. Signature of the Affiant and the Jurat – The proper place of
the signature is below the body of the affidavit.
Affidavit of Loss
An affidavit of Loss is a document declaring the loss of a security usually
through theft or destruction. The affidavit contains all the details regarding
the loss, such as the owner’s name and any information pertaining to the
security.
Affidavit of Birth
An Affidavit of Birth is a legal document that can be used to verify the facts
surrounding an individual’s birth, including birth date, location, and the
name of each parent.
Affidavit of Death
An Affidavit of Death is a sworn legal document used to attest that a
person is dead.
Affidavit of Good Faith
Affidavit of Good Faith Efforts is an Affidavit filed to show that good faith
efforts have been made to do something.
Judicial Affidavit
Is a written, out -of-court statement taken before a notary public or any
person authorized to administer an oat, is in a question and answer form,
and serves as witness direct testimonies, subject to cross-examination in
accordance with existing rules on evidence.
Affidavit of Desistance
An Affidavit of Desistance is a written statement under oath by the
complainant stating that he/she is no longer interested in pursuing the
complaint or criminal case against another person.
Reply/Answer Affidavit
Can be defined as an Affidavit served in court proceedings in which a
deponent responds to another party’s evidence where that party’s evidence
was itself in response to evidence served by the party serving the reply.
Counter Affidavit
Is an Affidavit filed by the respondent in reply to a petion. It is an
affidavit responding to and contradicting the affidavit produced by an
adversary.
Rejoinder Affidavit
Is the response by the petitioner to the counter affidavit filed by the
respondent.
Affidavit of Undertaking
This affidavit is voluntarily executed in order to attest to the
truthfulness of the foregoing narration of facts and undertaking under pain
of administrative, criminal and civil liabilities, and for whatever legal
purpose it may serve.
Affidavit of Disinterested Persons
The affidavit contains the sworn statements of two disinterested
persons clarifying discrepancies in a person’s name.
Chapter 3
Legal Form
Legal Form are binding written documents that serves as means for
putting into effect legal proceedings, court orders and notices.
Legal Form covers the study of:
1. Business Forms
2. Judicial Forms
Contract
It is a meeting of minds between two persons whereby one bind himself,
with respect to the other, to give something or to render some service.
3 Elements of a Valid Contract
1. Consent of the contracting parties
2. Object Certain which is the Subject Matter of the Conduct
3. Cause of the Obligation Which is Established
Notarization or Notarial Acts
Refers to any act that a notary public is empowered to perform . Notary
is a public official whose duty is to attest the genuineness of any deed or
writing in order to render them available as evidence of the facts that it
contains.