Criminal Investigation Procedures



Criminal Investigation Procedures

Introduction

The procedure of investigation is a critical task. It requires a number of considerations including privacy and civil rights. However, criminal investigation has a significant value in protecting the society. The purpose of criminal investigation is to capture the criminals and protect the well-being of a society. Investigators are trained professionals. With the technological development, the investigations procedures are becoming efficient. Criminals also have learnt new ways to commit crimes. They commit crimes using the internet and other similar technology. One can comprehend the vast number of cyber crimes. The advent of Web has facilitated ways for criminals to pursue their motives. On the other hand, it has introduced new ways to investigate & spy. Investigators adopt a variety of techniques to discover the unknown. They utilize every possible source, in order to gather information. Investigators look for web activities, financial transactions, and daily activities of criminals. Also, they give distinct task to their undercover agents or informants.

It is essential to analyze the modern practices of investigation. In this write up, the discussion highlights the modern ways of criminal investigation procedures. The discussion highlights the popular investigation approaches including technical & non-technical procedures. The write up explores the process of electronic surveillance & computer assisted investigation. In this regard, the write up shed light on a famous US investigation program, PRISM. Towards the end, the write up presents personal reflection about the topic.

Discussion

Criminal Investigation: Description & Procedures

Before starting with the investigation procedure, it is imperative to understand the actual context of crime & criminals. Crime has a broad definition; one cannot restrict crime to be the act of stealing a valuable thing. One may question that hurting someone is a crime. It is natural to think whether hurting one's emotions is a crime or not. Therefore, the law has developed a description of the crime. Crime refers to act/activities, which fall in the list of prohibited conduct, allowing the law to enforce punishment (Hagan, 2011). Therefore, the law enforcement agencies have to investigate the criminal activities.

After 9/11, the United States of America has enhanced their investigation & surveillance procedures. The department has developed innovative programs in order to track criminal activities. In the United States, some form of surveillance is present in the malls, streets, museums, parks or residencies. One can see a number of high resolution cameras in distinct areas including hotels and parking lots. The central idea is to seize the law breaker and make him face court's trial. The primary notion is to protect the society from the damages of crime. In the succeeding section, the discussion highlights the matter of electronic surveillance.

Electronic Surveillance: The Technology Innovation

Electronic Surveillance allows information collection for the investigation purpose. It enables the collection of information, which was unachievable by any other means. Some regions have deployed the surveillance practices for nearly a century. However, there are countries which do not have electronic surveillance infrastructure. There are many privacy & social rights concerns, pertaining to ...