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I.Q.1. Review the structure of the criminal justice system.
Assessment Strategies
showing the structure of the criminal justice system
Criteria
discuss the three branches of government (executive, legislative and judicial) and the separation of powers between all the branches
discuss the units within the criminal justice system
list examples of agencies within each unit of the criminal justice system
explain how various criminal justice units are related
explain how the units flow within the criminal justice system
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I.Q.2. Identify situations where constitutional rules are applicable.
Assessment Strategies
list examples of violations for each amendment
Criteria
list at least two violations for each amendment
list the elements that must be met for each violation
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I.Q.3. Identify situations where an officer may use reasonable suspicion to contact a subject.
Assessment Strategies
case study
Criteria
describe the elements of the case that meet the standard of reasonable suspicion to make a “stop”
list the steps they would take as the officer to make the contact, what conversation they would have, how they would obtain identification, how long the contact should last and any limits on officer control of the subject’s movements
describe the scope of the frisk relevant to a Terry stop
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I.Q.4. Identify the elements of a lawful arrest.
Assessment Strategies
develop probable cause for violations based on the case study/scenario
Criteria
describe the elements of the case that meet the standards for probable cause to make an arrest
explain the type of search they can perform on a person who is arrested
identify the procedure for making an arrest with and without a warrant (depending on the group’s case study/scenario)
determine the extent of force that may be used when making the arrest with or without a warrant
explain the jurisdiction of the arresting officer and where the arrest can occur based on the group’s case study
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I.Q.5. Identify the legal requirements for obtaining confessions and statements.
Assessment Strategies
outline key points of a Miranda vs. Arizona case study
Criteria
outline the key elements of the Miranda case
outline the key elements of the Miranda decision
specify the key rules for police interrogations laid out by the Miranda ruling
outline the key Supreme Court decisions that have modified or further interpreted the original Miranda ruling
outline the key Supreme Court decisions that have extended additional protections to juveniles
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I.Q.6. Analyze the relationship between law enforcement actions and the admissibility of evidence in court.
Assessment Strategies
outline of evidence violations
Criteria
outline includes at least seven types of evidentiary rule violations
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I.R.1. Identify basic concepts of criminal law.
Assessment Strategies
determine the elements of crimes described in written scenarios
Criteria
compare the facts of a given case to the specific elements of the crime
identify the crime committed and list the facts that support each element of that crime
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I.H.1. Examine the fundamentals of interviews.*
Assessment Strategies
conduct a basic interview
Criteria
describe that a good interviewer is inquisitive, observant, energetic, good communicator, good problem solver, and patient
explain that the goal of an interview is to find out as much relevant information as possible about an event while also putting the victim or witness at ease
explain that interviews tend to be friendly, loosely structured, and non-confrontational
take good field notes during the interview
get as much information on the person as possible during the interview (where did the interview take place, what is the person’s basic contact information, what clothing were they wearing, describe the person’s demeanor and tone, etc.)
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I.H.2. Conduct interviews. *
Assessment Strategies
conduct an interview with a victim and witness
Criteria
Preparation and Planning
explain that they need to understand and know their agency policy on interviewing victims/witnesses
provide any support or address any victim/witness needs prior to the interview
determine what format to use during the interview (recorded, structured, unstructured, more than one interview needed, etc.)
minimize distractions at the location of the interview
Engage and Explain
introduce self, provide instructions, and explain the procedure for the interview
encourage the victim/witness to take an active role in the interview rather than only answering questions
Account Clarification and Challenge
ask the victim/witness to explain what happened, in their own words, with minimal interruptions
after the victim/witness provides a narrative, follow up with relevant, probing questions
Closure
review notes and other materials for completeness and accuracy
ask the victim/witness if there is anything he/she wants to add
encourage the victim/witness to contact them if he/she has more information in the future
thank the victim/witness for his/her cooperating and closes the interview
Evaluation
examine whether the goals and objectives for the interview were achieved
review the investigation in light of the information obtained during the interview
reflect upon how well they conducted the interview and consider what improvements could be made in the future
explain that they must follow their agency policy and procedures for documenting victim/witness interviews (follow instructors guidance for this PAT)
describe additional techniques for interviewing various types of victims/witnesses (friendly, neutral, interested, hostile, child victim/witnesses, vulnerable victim/witnesses, traumatized victims)
describe eyewitness identification best practices
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I.P.1. Explain the context of law enforcement report writing.
Assessment Strategies
explain characteristics of a good law enforcement report
Criteria
list the internal and external audiences who read law enforcement reports
discuss arrest reports, offense reports, information reports, protective custody reports, and emergency detention reports
identify that they must include the 5 W’s (+2Hs), elements of the crime, identifying information, observations at the scene, and directions for follow up in law enforcement reports
explain that reports should exclude opinions, editorials, assumptions and identifying information on confidential informants in law enforcement reports
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I.P.2. Take effective field notes.
Assessment Strategies
interview an individual in a simulated environment
recording interview information
Criteria
participate in a discussion about what field notes are and explain what purpose they serve
participate in a discussion explaining how to take good/accurate field notes
document conditions during the interview
document observations of the individual during the interview
write down direct quotes
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I.P.3. Describe elements of effective law enforcement reports. *
Assessment Strategies
write a narrative for a report from field notes
Criteria
review field notes
make a rudimentary outline
organize documents
follow a format in their report to make the report east to read/follow
use the first person writing style, using ordinary words making sure they know the meaning of the words they use
ensure facts are accurate
ensure the elements of the crime are fulfilled
include direct quotes if applicable
ensure the report is grammatically correct, clear, and complete
ensure the report avoids law enforcement jargon
ensure the narrative paints a picture of the incident and is specific and detailed
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I.P.4. Describe what information should be included in certain types of reports. *
Assessment Strategies
writing a Use-of-Force Report
writing a Crimes Against Property Report
writing a Crimes Against Persons Report
writing a Probable Cause Affadavit
Criteria
Use-of-Force Report:
explain why good use-of-force reports are important
explain how serious the crime was
explain that there was an imminent threat (to the officer or the public) and explain what the threat was
explain what the level of resistance (if any) there was and/or explain if the suspect tried to flee
include approach considerations, intervention options, and follow-through considerations in the report
Crimes Against Property Report:
include the 5 W’s (+2 H’s – How and How Much) in the report
include the elements of the crime
include identifying information of the suspect(s) and property in question
include observations at the scene
include directions for follow-up
do not include options, editorials, assumptions, or identifying information on confidential informants
Crimes Against Person(s):
describe the scene
describe any injuries
document witness statements and contact information
document every individual’s spontaneous statements/excited utterances
document every individual’s demeanor (including children)
document any attempt made by a suspect to intimidate the victim or manipulate the interview
document any evidence collected
document the victim’s rights information given and information regarding community resources/safety planning
Probable Cause Affidavit:
outline the factual justification for why a judge should consent to an arrest or search warrant
outline the factual justification for why an arrest was made during a crime-in-progress
state the various facts leading up to the decision to arrest or search the suspect
show that it is more than likely that a crime took place and specific items and people involved in the crime are likely to be found at a certain place at a certain time
written statement, made under oath, establishes probable cause beyond suspicion