Criminal Investigator Essay

Role of the Criminal Investigator

A criminal investigator is a law enforcement professional who attempts to solve crimes, identify and detain suspects and prevent further crime activities. This writing assignment will include the role of a criminal investigator, the process of investigation, gathering and interpreting evidence, interviewing witnesses, interrogating suspects and the court application of Miranda.

The role of a criminal investigator when first arriving on the scene is to meet with the lead detective and first officer on the scene. The criminal investigator will hold a small interview session to collect information that will help them understand what happened, when it happened and the sequence of events that occurred. Once the scene is secured with an sufficient number of officers for the criminal investigators protection and unauthorized personnel are kept out of the crime scene, the crime scene investigator can begin working on the scene.

Evidence is the next step that a crime scene investigator must take in the case. They are required to find proof for the case and attempt to locate evidence. They must connect the person responsible for the crime to the scene, and connect the suspects with the evidence. The next thing to be done by the criminal investigator is to begin working on the scene by photographing the scene from the outside working around the entire 360 degrees of the perimeter. Photographs are taken of the entire exterior of the scene from all angles. Pictures are taken of what is directly across from the scene and what’s up and down the street in opposite directions. Then a illustration should be completed, a rough hand drawn product that includes locations of evidence. Once the exterior work is complet...

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In conclusion Miranda rights should be given before in custody interrogations. Interrogations include any express questioning or any verbal or non verbal behavior by law to get an incriminating statement by a suspect. Miranda rights not only refer to expressed questioning but words by the police. When the Miranda rights are read it is crucial that they ensure the suspect understands these rights. The role of a Criminal investigator should include integrity and ethics these qualities help agencies become more effective and trust worthy to the communities

- Anthony M. Golec, CLI, Techniques of Legal Investigation, The Criminal Defense Legal Council (Illinois: Charles C. Thomas) Publisher, third edition, 1995), pp. 112-114.

H.W. ‘Rus’ Ruslander (2010) Crime Scene Investigators Inc. www.Criminalistics.com The United States Department of Justice (March 2014)