When is the last time a television series like Law & Order focused on transcription, substituting plastic keyboards for blazing guns and high-speed chases? Never. The prospect of such a program is too boring to contemplate. Television crime dramas focus on the "action-packed" dimensions of the law enforcement profession: the nuances of solving crimes and the apprehension of criminals. Entertainment programs ignore the mundane reality law enforcement officers often face while working to catch the bad guys. As important as it is, the transcription of victim, witness, and suspect interviews and other audio recordings is a tedious task at best, uninteresting to even the most avid of living-room crime fighters. Nonetheless, transcription is one of those tasks that must be completed in a timely manner to further the work of law enforcement agencies, meet the needs of prosecutors and defense counsel, and satisfy the courts and those who judge innocence and guilt. Accurate transcripts are the glue that binds together the various elements of the criminal justice system. Transcription is not an option; it is a necessity. Without transcripts, the system would grind to a halt. Prosecution would be hindered. The ability to mount a credible defense would be hampered. The expectations of the courts would not be met. The guilty might go free, or the innocent be mistakenly convicted. Victims could be victimized again.
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