Exploring Writing Process: Mr. Joel Allen

Mr. Allen is my Intro to Criminal Justice teacher this semester at MSU. I was going to conduct an interview Judy Mathews, but as I have stated before, I have changed my field from astronomy to criminal justice. Therefore, it is more appropriate for me to interview someone in the field of criminal justice.

Here are a few questions my professor was able to answer for me:

Q: How would you describe the style of policing here at MSU?

A: Although I was never a policeman here in East Lansing, I would describe it as a community style. Police are looking to have a positive relationship with people on campus here, and not just enforce the law 100% of the time.


Q: What are some advantages and disadvantages to using Uniform Crime Reports?

A: Advantages: We are able to compare with past performance
Disadvantages: If you don't have your own method of crime reporting, you can be late when turning in files each year.


Q: Besides UCR's, what are some other things officers have to write down or put on file?

A: Daily activities, witness statements, victim statements, and self evaluations.


Q: How would you describe the style or form of writing that is used in law enforcement? 

A: I would describe it as a formal style of writing. Using formal styles can reduce the amount of bias an officer may have when writing UCR's.


Q: Where do you see law enforcement in 10-15 years in terms of police/citizen relations?

A: I see improvement. Info sharing will also improve along with improvement of technology. Citizens will be able to go online and see what agencies are doing and how they are doing it.

Works Cited

Allen, Joel. Personal interview. 31 Oct. 2012.