Written Communication and Report Writing
What this domain measures
Report-writing items test clarity, accuracy, objectivity, and completeness. Know these concepts: the factual narrative (who, what, when, where, how, and who was notified), objective language (observable behavior rather than conclusions about character), chronological order, precise terminology (use official terms for locations, posts, and actions), and confidentiality (no unnecessary personal information about staff or inmates).
Traps to watch for
- Conclusion instead of observation. "Inmate was angry and aggressive" states a judgment; "Inmate spoke in a raised voice, clenched his fists, and stepped toward the officer" states facts.
- Vague quantifiers. "Several inmates" versus "three inmates"; "later" versus "at approximately 1415 hours."
- First person opinion. Reports should record what you saw and did, not speculation about motive.
- Passive voice that hides the actor. "The door was left open" conceals who did what; name the responsible person when known.
- Grammar and usage errors. Watch subject-verb agreement, pronoun reference, and misplaced modifiers.
Rule of thumb
Write so a reader who was not present can picture the event and knows exactly what you did and whom you told. Quote direct statements verbatim in quotation marks; paraphrase everything else accurately. Keep sentences short and in past tense.
Worked example
Weak: "Inmate Smith was acting crazy so I had to put him in restraints." Revised: "At approximately 1930 hours, Inmate Smith (ID 12345) began shouting and striking the dayroom wall with his fist. I directed him to stop. He continued and approached me with clenched fists. I applied handcuffs with Officer Jones present and notified Lieutenant Adams. Smith was placed in the holding cell at 1938 hours and checked every 15 minutes." The revision is chronological, observable, and names witnesses and notifications.