Table of Contents >
Chapter 31. Conducting Advocacy Research >
Section 7. Documenting Complaints >
|
Tools & Checklists | Contributed by Phil Rabinowitz Edited by Jerry Schultz |
Checklist
Here you will find a checklist to assist you in carrying out the activities discussed in this section.
To document a complaint:
__ Determine whom you're filing the complaint with, and document accordingly.
__ Develop a plan for documentation.
__ Research all necessary background information.
__ Obtain the basic facts.
__ Describe in writing exactly what the complaint is about.
__ Describe in writing, as clearly as possible, exactly what happened for as many incidents as possible.
__ Record conversations, in exact words where possible.
__ Document the consequences of each incident or policy and/or of the overall series of incidents or policies you're complaining about.
__ Provide as much actual proof of the substance and details of your complaint as possible.
__ Present your complaint, with its documentation.
Other considerations:
__ Your documentation establishes you as a credible witness.
__ You established your concern by paying attention to and recording the details of the situation.
__ You have determined whether or not your complaint is taken seriously.
__ You have used the proper documentation so that it might make a difference as to whether or not the complaint can be acted on by a regulator or court.
__ You know how you want the complaint acted on and have the proper documentation to support that action.
__ Your documentation will protect you against libel or slander charges if you make public accusations.
__ You established the moral advantage through the use of your proof.
__ You encouraged anyone who has a complaint to document it, and did so yourself.
__ You asked experts in the field to document the situation.
__ You asked people directly affected by the actions or policies at which the complaint is directed o document the situation.
__ You asked people on the inside of the entity at which the complaint is directed to document the situation.
__ You asked community leaders or other respected individuals to document the situation.
You are documenting a complaint because:
The Community Tool Box is a service of the
Work Group for Community Health and Development at the University of Kansas.
Copyright ©
by the University of Kansas for all materials provided via the World Wide Web in the ctb.ku.edu domain.
