A criminal investigation is the process that police use to gather evidence for prosecutors to charge someone with a crime. It is a long process, and there are many steps that must be followed for a case to be successful. If you are the focus of a police investigation, it is crucial that you speak to an attorney early on in the process. An experienced attorney can protect your rights throughout the investigation and build a strong defense against any charges you face.
When police are called to a crime scene, they start by documenting everything they see. This includes the position of weapons, blood stains, and clothing that might help them find a suspect. They will also take down witness statements and their own observations. This documentation will be important for the rest of the investigation.
Detectives and officers are skilled interrogators, and they know how to ask questions in a way that will lead a suspect to confess. However, they cannot violate a person’s Miranda rights or other legal restrictions in the process. In addition, most interviews and interrogations are recorded on video or audio for documentation purposes.
Once the police have collected all of this evidence, they will present it to a prosecutor. Depending on the severity of the offense, a prosecutor will decide whether to pursue a case in court. In some cases, the investigation may not yield enough material for a prosecution, and the police will close the case.