How should staff document a witness statement to ensure reliability?

• A. Paraphrase without attribution and omit time.
• B. Record the witness's own words as quoted or paraphrase with attribution, note any corroborating details, include time and context, and avoid inserting narrator bias.
• C. Insert narrator bias.
• D. Record only what staff believe happened.

Answer: (B)

Capturing a witness statement in a way that supports reliability means preserving the witness’s actual account and the surrounding details that frame it. The best approach is to record the witness’s own words—either verbatim or with clear attribution to the witness—and to include timing, location, and relevant context. Note any corroborating details and observable facts, so later readers can verify what was said against what happened and when. This careful documentation helps prevent staff interpretation or bias from shaping the statement and provides a solid basis for comparison with other evidence. In contrast, paraphrasing without attribution, omitting time and context, inserting narrator bias, or recording only what staff believe happened all introduce distortion and undermine reliability.