The more complex criminal justice systems become, the greater its need for clear, direct communication. The sad reality is that many people have difficulty writing a simple declarative sentence. In all areas of criminal justice, no skill is recognized as more important than that of getting messages on paper clearly in order to get business done. If you learn to write well, you will be more valuable in whatever line of work you pursue.

Administrators in criminal justice agencies are looking for people who can condense a mass of data to one sheet of clear comment. They are looking for men and women who can report the day-to-day activities of a complex system concisely and accurately. Administrators want more than undigested, descriptive data; they want to know what the experts in each area believe the data mean.

This book is designed to help you improve your writing. You will find principles and guidelines to help you write complex reports as well as summarize information into condensed presentations. Good writers know and use the terminology of their discipline. In writing reports and professional communication, criminal justice professionals often need to draw from the lexicon of several disciplines, e.g. law enforcement, forensics, psychology, sociology, law, and management. We have included a broad and extensive glossary to aid you in writing the assignment in this manual. As you continue to use this manual throughout your college and professional career, we hope your writing skills evolve and aid you in attaining your professional goals and objectives.