The Criminal Process: The Importance Of The Criminal Investigation Process

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The criminal investigation process is a complex aspect of the legal system that aims to gather evidence lawfully, justly and in the accordance with the rights of the victims, accused and society.The criminal investigation process encapsulates the powers of police to detain suspects, gather evidence, interrogate and to search and seize property, through the appropriate use of warrants and other legal means. The criminal investigation process also entails the rights of suspects, such as to bail and remand and the right to counsel during interrogation. Police investigate most alleged crimes, but it is left to their discretion as to whether or not the alleged criminal activity warrants investigation. This may come down to the resources that the police have at…show more content…
Gathering evidence is one of the main tasks of the police and is crucial. Evidence must be gathered lawfully otherwise the prosecution is at risk of it not being allowed to be relied upon in any subsequent hearing or trial as a judge may rule that the evidence is inadmissible. For example, police cannot, without a warrant, search premises or listen in to telephone conversations. A criminal charge has to be proven by the prosecution and the proof is always based on evidence available for the court to view. Evidence can be in the form of physical, electronic or witness statements and is a very effective part of achieving justice during a crime. The evidence collected at a crime scene or through witness statements can help to incarcerate the guilty and keep the streets safe. Thus, upholding the rights of the victims and society. However, it can be argued that the criminal investigation process is ineffective in achieving justice as evidence
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