What does the Cardinal rule require?

What does the Cardinal rule require?

• A. It must be supplemented by verbal explanation
• B. It should be self-explanatory, establish the elements of the crime, and be in chronological order
• C. It should be written by a supervisor
• D. It should be lengthy

Answer: (B)

The Cardinal rule is that a report must stand on its own: it should be self-explanatory, clearly present the elements of the charged offense, and lay out the events in the sequence they occurred. This makes the report understandable without needing extra verbal explanations and ensures all the essential legal components are captured for review by investigators and prosecutors. Presenting in chronological order helps someone reading the report follow the exact progression of actions and decisions, reducing confusion and strengthening the case’s clarity. The other ideas aren’t central to this rule: the report should be complete and understandable on its own, not dependent on verbal supplementation, not required to be written by a supervisor, and not judged by length alone.

The Cardinal rule is that a report must stand on its own: it should be self-explanatory, clearly present the elements of the charged offense, and lay out the events in the sequence they occurred. This makes the report understandable without needing extra verbal explanations and ensures all the essential legal components are captured for review by investigators and prosecutors. Presenting in chronological order helps someone reading the report follow the exact progression of actions and decisions, reducing confusion and strengthening the case’s clarity. The other ideas aren’t central to this rule: the report should be complete and understandable on its own, not dependent on verbal supplementation, not required to be written by a supervisor, and not judged by length alone.