Effective Evidence Reporting PRKS 3140

Upon successful completion, the student will be able to:

Module 1 - Effective Statements

• Define Statement as it relates to a person suspected of committing an offence or involvement in an incident, or to the witness of an incident.
• Define inculpatory and exculpatory statements giving examples of each.
• List two reasons statements should be used by investigators.
• List two changes that will affect the use of statements and the statement taker directly, as a result of legislative changes and high court rulings.

Module 2 - Model Statements

• List in the proper sequence, nine components or parts of a typical statement.
• Provide two reasons why the Charter of Rights Notice must be given to arrested or detained persons before taking a statement.
• Provide the most recent definition of detained as interpreted by the higher courts.
• Explain why the POLICE WARNING must be given to a suspect before taking a statement.
• Describe four different methods of recording information from a statement giver.
• List two advantages and two disadvantages of each of the above methods.

Module 3 -Admissibility

• Define:
• A person in authority.
• The IBRAHIM rule.
• Explain why some inducements will render a statement inadmissible.
• Provide at least three examples of inducements that would probably render a statement inadmissible.
• Explain how to remove any minor inducements that were previously involved.
• Define a 'Voir dire' including information about potential witnesses for Voir dire and anticipated questions related to statements involved.
• List three types of statements/testimonies that are inadmissible in courtroom proceedings.

Module 4 - Guidelines and Judges' Rules

• Describe the 'Judges' Rules' as they relate to statements and Canadian Law.
• List at least three of the original 'Judges' Rules' (1912/18) and three of the revised 'Judges' Rules' (1964).
• List four guidelines for taking statements with a brief outline of each one.

Effective as of Fall 2003