FORENSIC REPORT WRITING STANDARDS

FORENSIC REPORT WRITING STANDARDS Definitions Forensic – refers to anything done with the aim of presentation to and use by a court of law. Report – in the context of forensic investigation, a report is a narration of what the investigator did, the investigative procedures and tests carried out, the findings, and finally the recommendations or expert opinions based thereon. Standards - in this context, standards are the measures, requirements, and/or norms for quality in report writing. In the context of a forensic report, these will refer to the flawlessness of the report. FEATURES OF A GOOD FORENSIC REPORT A good forensic report must have the following features: 1. USE OF A PROFESSIONAL EDITOR In the two previous lectures on forensic report writing, we mentioned casually the use of a professional editor. A professional editor is very important and can even sign somewhere on the report for having thoroughly edited the report before release or issuance. I do recommend that the final report be subjected to the scrutiny of a professional editor who will ensure that: A. All the standards of report writing outlined in the previous Lecture are adhered to. B. That the report does not have excess wording, sentences, or duplications. C. Also advice on the language used avoiding all manner of unexplained jargon. D. As an independent professional he or she will look at the report objectively noticing and correcting all errors and mistakes.