Essay Sample on Criminal Investigation

Introduction

Criminal investigation entails seeking, gathering and collecting evidence of a crime for a particular case or purpose. A criminal investigator is in search for clues that can give evidence in the determination of whether the crime took place and if the subject under investigation is actually the culprit. Criminal investigations are usually guided by the law while the government enacts the law, criminal investigations can also be influenced by other variables such as the role and responsibilities of local, federal law enforcement organizations, and the responsibilities and roles of states. All these factors play a crucial role in criminal investigations.

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Taking into perspective the role and responsibilities of locals, they are crucial during criminal investigations. The locals, in this case, comprise the public, the local government, and boards such as the civilian review and citizens crime boards who assist in making the process of crime investigation easy and effective. One of the crucial roles the locals play is the crime reporting and testifying the criminal cases. This is particularly important because citizen cooperation is essential for the prosecution and apprehension of the criminals because locals possess personal knowledge regarding the criminal case. Additionally, locals in civilian review boards assess the operation and handling of the reported cases which has a significant influence on how the crime is investigated. However, the most common and acceptable role of locals is to provide statements of victimization which are crucial in the determination of culprit and crime evidence (Bryne, 2017)

On the same note, federal law plays the biggest role in crime investigations. Federal law enforcers commonly known as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are responsible for keeping order and protecting the citizens by preventing and investigating crimes. Although there are various agencies of federal enforcement, the primary role is to be in charge of the crimes investigations happening in various jurisdictions. FBI, in particular, investigates crimes in USA which happens in different states, while the federal Marshals Service is responsible for giving security in federal courts and tracking fugitives during crime investigations (Smythe, 2009)

Additionally, a state also plays a pivotal role in crime investigations. Taking, for instance, the state troopers investigate and solve crimes in their respective investigative divisions. The investigations by state police cover a wider scope such as investigations of the felons, drug lords, and terrorists who are hiding in a particular state after committing a crime in another state. The state can also form a special investigative project in charge of investigations such as the illegal drugs or prevention and investigation of illegal trafficking of guns (Conger, 2008).

Conclusion

In conclusion, crime investigation is a pertinent issue for the security of the public. Therefore, crime investigations require a collaboration and cooperation of law enforcing bodies to ensure that the culprits are charged before the court. Hence, the public, the state, and the federal law enforcement have a relevant and important role to play in crime investigations process.

References

Bryne K. (2017). Taking the Law into their Own Hands. Journal of Criminology, 21(3), 1234-1239. Print.

Conger C. (2008, April 1). How State Troopers Work. Retrieved from https://people.howstuffworks.com/state-troopers3.html

Smythe, A. (2009). Homicide investigations. New York, NY: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.