Santana_CRJU_4169_MM_Chapter15.ppt

CRJU 4169: Correctional Forms and Reports

Introduction

This chapter is intended to acquaint the student with the various forms and procedures in the field of corrections.
The real operational differences of corrections vs. patrol paperwork are minimal.

Correctional Incident Report (1 of 2)

The incident report is a written narrative that can be applied to a variety of incidents:
Escape attempts
Inmate disciplinary infractions
Hunger strikes
Inmate/staff injuries
The incident report is a written narrative that can be applied to a variety of incidents:
Discovery of contraband
Visitor infractions
Intelligence information
Building maintenance concerns
Damage to jail/prison property
The incident report is the most common form that will be used in any correctional setting.

Correctional Incident Report (2 of 2)

The incident report serves a variety of purposes:
Use of less-than-lethal devises to control inmates
Discharge of a firearm or other weapon
Use of force to control inmates
Staff or inmate injury
Inmate suicide or suicide attempt
Instead of the elements of a crime, the incident report would document the rule infraction violated.
The same techniques and procedures for the narrative of the law enforcement case report apply to the correctional incident report.
Documenting an incident in a correctional facility is very important, as this report could be used later to charge an inmate for a criminal offense.
Therefore, the incident report must be accurate and free of any grammar, spelling, or word use errors.

Inmate Disciplinary Form

For anyone working in a correctional facility, the inmate disciplinary form will probably be the second most common form used on a regular basis.
The inmate disciplinary process is an administrative process, not a judicial process.
The purpose of this administrative process is to secure the good order of the institution.
In all correctional incidents resulting in a request for disciplinary action, documentation must include, but not be limited to, the following information:
Specific institutional rule violated
A formal statement of the charge
Any usual inmate behavior
Any staff witness
An explanation of the events that includes:
People involved and events that transpired
Time and location of the occurrence
Any physical evidence and its disposition
Any immediate actions taken
Staff signature, date, and time of report

The Pre-Sentence Investigation Report (P S I R)

When an offender is found guilty or pleads guilty to an offense, the court of jurisdiction will usually have a P S I R completed by an officer of the court or a parole officer.
The P S I R is the history of the offender that may be used by the judge in determining whether or not other factors influenced the offender during the commission of the crime.
The P S I R will usually have the following information:
Age
Social information
Personal information
County of conviction
Evaluation of recommendation
Description of the current event
The P S I R will usually have the following information:
Criminal history
Summaries of all previous community placements and terminations
Victim impact statements
Initial needs assessments
Level of supervision inventory
Any other documents that may be needed in determining decision
Some P S I Rs are completed with the help of the original police report.
The case report may be helpful in completing the P S I R, but do not copy and paste it directly from the report into the PSIR without proofreading it for the accuracy.

Figure 15-1 Adult Pre-Sentence Investigation Report (1 of 3)

Figure 15-1 Adult Pre-Sentence Investigation Report (2 of 3)

Figure 15-1 Adult Pre-Sentence Investigation Report (3 of 3)

The Right Way to Write

Correctional forms and reports are very similar to law enforcement documents.
The same general principles describing law enforcement report writing apply to correctional officers.

Tips for Correctional Forms

In most instances, correctional paperwork and forms will resemble law enforcement paperwork and forms.
The same basic principles and writing style presented for law enforcement report writing in this textbook apply to correctional paperwork.
Every correctional, probation, or parole agency will have some minor modifications regarding their specific paperwork.
Review and be familiar with your agency’s policy and procedure manual and standard operating procedures regarding all professional written correspondence.
Remember, anything written that involves someone under custodial/correctional care can be subpoenaed into a court of law.