ON REPORT

The result of examination conducted by the firearm examiner is found in his forensic
ballistics report.  This report must be prepared in a systematic manner in accordance
with the standards accepted by the police and the courts.  Since the forensic ballistics
report, otherwise known as firearm examiner’s report, often reaches the court as
evidence, officers responsible for its preparation must be fully aware of the fundamental
principles of report writing. 
 

PURPOSES OF WRITING A FIREARM EXAMINER’S

REPORT
It is necessary for the firearm’s examiner to accomplish a report for the following
reasons:

1. To provide a permanent record of information obtained in the course of an

investigation
2. To communicate the information obtained/developed during the investigation
conducted at the crime laboratory
3. To provide other investigators with a basis for continuing the investigation of
a particular case
4. To enable the superior officer to evaluate the work of his subordinate and
determine whether the laboratory examination is properly conducted
5. To provide other authorities such as the courts with a permanent record of
the facts of the crime that was investigated

MECHANICS OF A GOOD FIREARM EXAMINER’S

REPORT (or Ballistic Examination Report)
The basic purpose of a written report is to record the events in systematic manner thus
the following mechanics should be observed:

1. Narrate what was done in a chronological order beginning with the time and
date.
2. Report should be written and printed in ink.  It should not be written with
pencil or any other material that is easily erased.
3. Complete names, addresses and brief bio-data of victims and suspects should
be clearly shown in the report.
4. Avoid abbreviations except of those standard terms commonly used.
 5. Report should be brief but does not sacrifice clarity that might only cause
confusion.
6. Every incident should be written in separate form or paragraph.
7. Information should be accurate and should state the real facts and not simply
opinions.

CARDINAL POINTS IN REPORT WRITING

One of the basic principles is the basic fact that report writing applies the six cardinal
points of investigation – the 5 W’s and 1 H.
When a firearm is submitted for laboratory examination, the who, what, where, when,
why, and how questions must be answered and the answer must be clearly documented
in the ballistics (or firearm examiner’s) report.  Specific examples of these questions are
as follows:
 

1. Who recovered the firearm and submitted it for examination? Who is the
alleged owner?  Who received it for lab examination?
2. What was its condition when it was received at the crime lab? What is its
caliber, model, and serial number?
3. When was it recovered? When was it submitted for examination? When was
the examination actually conducted?
4. Why is it submitted for examination? (In this question, the purpose of the
examination must be explained.)
5. How was the examination conducted by the concerned laboratory technician?

 
 

PRINCIPLES IN REPORT WRITING

There are countless principles that must be considered in accomplishing a ballistics
report for forensic purposes.  However, the five important ones are the ABCIF principles
- accuracy, brevity, completeness, impartiality, and fore.

5. Accuracy: This principle emphasizes that report must precisely explain the
facts discovered during the course of the investigation. In making the report,
the firearm examiner must be aware of the distinction between:
o fact and hearsay
o fact and opinion
o fact and conclusion
 6. Brevity: By excluding unnecessary detail, the firearm examiner can make a
concise report.  He can make a brief report but at the same time achieving
completeness by including all relevant, pertinent and essential information.  A
very long report does not always mean the investigator or firearm examiner
performed properly his functions.
7. Completeness: This can be achieved by narrating the facts discovered during
the course of the investigation and how were the facts discovered. When
circumstances require that the examiner is expected to report something but
is not available, he should include in his report the ff:
o What information is lacking?
o What efforts should be made to obtain the needed information?
o Why is the info unavailable?
o What must be done to obtain the lacking information?
8. Impartiality:  As a rule, this is achieved by reporting facts without any addition
or deduction.  The firearm examiner should not conceal any information and
should remain unbiased in the course of an investigation.
9. Format/Form: The front of the report should be presentable enough to
convince the reader that the report was prepared by a competent officer.  The
contents of the report should be arranged in such a way that it is easy to
identify any section, part or items of the materials presented and their visual
arrangements.