Legal and law enforcement agencies work around the clock to uphold the criminal justice system, so it’s unsurprising that they are often drowning in paperwork—the cost of bureaucracy. That’s why most agencies enlist the help of professional law enforcement transcription companies to bail them out of paperwork woes. However, transcription’s benefits are not limited to administrative perks. Believe it or not, forensic transcription helps solve criminal cases and promotes accountability and transparency across the entire criminal justice process. Let me show you how.
- By outsourcing transcription tasks, law enforcement officers can focus on their core duties, reduce paperwork and administrative distractions, and improve safety and effectiveness.
- Transcription services, especially when CJIS-certified, ensure accuracy and confidentiality in handling sensitive information, protecting the integrity of investigations and the security of evidence.
- Accurate transcriptions play a critical role in solving criminal cases, ensuring transparency, and enhancing police accountability, especially in complex investigations and courtroom settings.
What is a Transcription Service?
Transcription services convert audio into text format for documentary and administrative purposes across a wide range of industries.
Transcription is a deceptively simple process. Depending on the requirement, a transcriber takes video or audio recordings and transcribes them into written text, verbatim.
The transcript can then be used for legal proceedings or as evidence in court. Of course, transcripts used as evidence must be accurate, so the transcriber must overcome poor audio and background noises to transcribe speech as close to the original recording as possible.
Some transcription service companies, like Ditto, offer forensic transcription and translation services, so audio and video recordings stay with one provider, simplifying legal processes whenever possible.
Transcription companies often engaged by law enforcement have extensive backgrounds in the industry. Ditto, for example, has been a part of many law enforcement agencies since 2010, working to accurately transcribe and translate legal and law enforcement audio recordings in different languages.
Example of a Secure Law Enforcement and Forensic Transcription Process
Law enforcement agencies require much more than practice and transcription experts from their trusted providers. Since they directly handle criminal justice information, transcription through such agencies must go through a CJIS-certified provider.
Here’s how Ditto ensures security at every step of the transcription process:
| Step | Description |
| CJIS Training & Certification | All personnel must undergo CJIS training to handle Criminal Justice Information (CJI) properly. |
| Secure Access Control | Access to transcription tools and data is limited to CJIS-certified personnel with proper clearance. |
| Data Encryption | All data, both at rest and in transit, must be encrypted using CJIS-compliant methods. |
| Authentication | Multifactor authentication is required to access transcription systems handling CJI. |
| Physical Security | The transcription environment must have controlled physical access (e.g., locked rooms and surveillance). |
| Data Handling Procedures | CJI must be handled according to CJIS guidelines, including proper labeling and storage. |
| Transcription Process | The transcription of law enforcement materials is strictly adhered to confidentiality and accuracy. |
| Regular Audits & Monitoring | Systems and processes are regularly audited to uphold CJIS compliance and security measures. |
| Incident Response Plan | There must be a documented process for responding to potential security breaches. |
| Secure Data Disposal | CJI must be securely disposed of when no longer needed, following CJIS guidelines for data destruction. |
Is AI Transcription a Viable Option For Law Enforcement?
Short answer: No. AI transcription is not a viable option or solution for law enforcement.
AI software doesn’t measure up to human transcriptionists’ accuracy. Not by a long shot.
As helpful as auto transcription tools have become, they still struggle to capture industry jargon, speaker attributions, side conversations, and the nuances of how things are said. Studies have found that although faster, automated transcriptions are only 86% accurate at best.
14% might not seem like a big deal, yet it could be the difference between wrapping up a slam-dunk prosecution case or the guilty perp walking free. Rolling the dice on AI transcription’s accuracy will likely negatively affect criminal trials, essentially perverting the criminal justice system.
Does Law Enforcement Transcription Play a Role in Solving Criminal Cases?
Studies done by the International Association of Chiefs of Police found that police officers spend more than three hours a day doing paperwork. The author, Mark Geremia, states, “Documentation demands take officers away from mission-critical tasks.”
Police officers often have to defer manual documentation to a later time to perform their roles while meeting daily deadlines. Unfortunately, this negatively impacts reporting quality as they have to depend on memory or rushed handwritten notes, which might be hours old by the time they use them.
The other alternative is to do the paperwork immediately after a law enforcement encounter in their cars. This is not only ergonomically unsafe but also leaves the officers vulnerable and unable to act immediately. They have to keep their eyes down on their laptops, taking away their attention from their immediate surroundings.
Germania calls for additional investments to help with this problem. Transcription can be one of those investments, and its benefits aren’t limited to police officers; prosecutors and civilians can also enjoy its advantages. Here’s how:
Reduces Administrative Tasks
The primary benefit of transcription is taking a good chunk of paperwork off of our officer’s hands.
Without needing to do the documentation for hours on end, our boys in blue can be in tip-top shape, unburdened by deadlines, and free to act quickly and tactically in their daily patrols. Detectives can review evidence sooner; prosecutors can prepare charges faster, and wait times decrease.
Digital formats also eliminate physical storage needs like file cabinets full of paper documents, as transcripts can be stored on servers and accessed securely online from anywhere.
Follow The Chain of Custody
Maintaining a clear chain of custody for audio files is essential. Any breach or mishandling can lead to evidence being ruled inadmissible in court. Law enforcement transcription services like Ditto ensure that audio files are handled with the highest standards of security and traceability.
Improved Security
Officers risk losing papers or having manual notes stolen. Law enforcement and legal transcription companies confront this issue by using encryption to protect recorded interviews.
Courts and lawyers can access and share files online without worrying about security, rather than handling paper transcripts. Of course, this largely depends on what security protocols the transcription company uses, though the most common ones are encryption, username and password protection, scaled network redundancy, VPNs, and firewalls. Law enforcement agencies are encouraged to seek compliance from providers with CJIS or Criminal Justice Information Services to ensure confidentiality.
Additionally, they are encouraged to look for providers (like Ditto) that offer the following:
- Detailed Reporting and Tracking Features
- Individually Defined User Access Levels
- Individual User Names, Passwords, and PINs (immediate deactivation upon request)
- Scaled Network Redundancy
- Virtual Private Network (VPN) Integration
- Dedicated Data Centers
- Encrypting All Data With SSL 256-bit Encryption
- Employee Background Checks*
- Transcribers Must Be Willing To Sign A Non-Disclosure Agreement
Improves Accuracy of Reports
Forensic transcription not only converts audio to text but also involves analyzing unclear speech, identifying background sounds, and verifying the authenticity of the recording, which can significantly impact the outcome of legal investigations.
Errors in transcriptions can negatively impact investigations. Misinterpretation and missing important details can happen when officers manually write up reports from recordings. They’re also prone to exhaustion, as their job requires long hours and frequently involves stressful situations. Inaccuracies in official statements can then be propagated as detectives or prosecutors rely on them to build their cases. Even small mistakes can derail a case if they contradict other evidence.
Certain technology, like voice recognition software and dictation apps, offers faster transcription for audio or video evidence. However, these tools’ accuracy is lower than that of human transcriptionists, so they’re not the best choice for transcribing sensitive information.
Here are a few other benefits of having accurate transcripts:
- Fewer errors that could weaken prosecution cases.
- Eliminates unintentional investigator bias, which is sometimes driven by emotion.
- Limits disputes over who said what.
- Refreshes officer’s memories before trial.
- Allows all parties to collaborate from the same record.
Enhances Transparency and Accountability
Police transcription services can help police departments improve transparency and accountability. For example, communities often demand answers and evidence after large public incidents. So rather than speculating based on limited information, law enforcement can access a transcript to provide a precise record of what transpired. Law enforcement can also release interviews or transcriptions of police body cam footage to the media, giving the public further transparency in officer investigations. This insight enhances understanding and credibility.
Transcripts also strengthen accountability within law enforcement agencies. The Chicago Police Department conducted a 17-month study (from June 2016 to December 2017) by assigning body cameras to police officers and found a significant effect on police accountability.
A more recent study in 2021 found that police officers were 64% more likely to face disciplinary actions after being subjected to a complaint investigation. Recordings and accurate transcripts provide an accurate version of events that can pinpoint potential missteps and take action if needed. It’s much harder for the officers to claim “we didn’t know” or “we had no record of that” when a recording exists.
Assists Prosecution in Courts
Transcriptions of police interviews play a critical role in helping solve criminal cases. They can authenticate evidence, establish chains of custody, and fully understand case details and witness statements. This gives prosecutors a strong foundation upon which they can build cases. They spend less time verifying sources and more time crafting legal arguments.
Prosecutors can develop trial strategies knowing they have a complete factual record. They can also avoid misrepresenting testimony by pulling “key quotes” directly from the transcripts to support their arguments. In appeals, accurate documentation of the trial record helps prosecutors formulate cases by revisiting witness testimonies. This allows them to identify opportunities to strengthen their case. Judges and juries can also review the facts themselves in the transcription.
Why Choose Ditto As Your Law Enforcement Transcription Partner?
Get the best services for the most affordable rates. Our services include:
- High Accuracy: Our professional human transcription service provides the highest possible levels of accuracy. Law enforcement transcripts are over 99% accurate as they come.
- Flexible Turnaround Times: Depending on the project, we can provide rush transcripts within one or two days for those who need things done quickly.
- Stringent Security Measures: Every evidence obtained is highly safeguarded. Our CJIS compliance and encryption protocols will optimally protect your confidential information. We’ll answer any questions you have about our security and will be more than happy to provide proof of certification.
- U.S.-Based Company: We are based in America. All of our transcribers are native speakers, so we can transcribe interviews or recordings with the strongest accent.
- Proven Track Record: We’ve provided high-quality transcription services to the law enforcement industry since 2010. So, rather than relying on untested providers or fancy AI tools, put your trust in our long, proven history.
- Flexibility: Do you need timestamps or verbatim transcripts? Send us the audio recordings, say the word, and we’ll do it.
- No Long-term Contracts: Pay for what you need, when you need it, without worrying about getting tied up with long-term service commitments (though I guarantee your firm will be back for more.
Ditto Transcription Can Play The Role Of Helping Solve Your Criminal Cases
Never worry about the ethical considerations of transcribing suspect interviews. Here at Ditto, we prioritize accuracy, quality, and integrity. Call us or sign up for our free trial to experience the difference.
Ditto Transcripts is a Denver, Colorado-based, CJIS-compliant law enforcement transcription services company that provides fast, accurate, and affordable transcripts for law enforcement departments and agencies of all sizes. Call (720) 287-3710 today for a free quote, and ask about our free five-day trial.
