Managing Criminal Investigations
James W. Osterburg, Richard H. Ward · Routledge eBooks · 2010
This chapter discusses the management of criminal investigation. Management of the criminal investigation function generally involves two components: the first being the direct investigation of criminal activity, and the second being the administrative management of an investigative unit. Direct investigation includes those cases handled by one or two investigators with little supervision, and complex investigations that involve numerous investigators and specialists. Administrative management generally includes: selection and training of investigators, reports and records, resource allocation, and personnel supervision and management. The managing criminal investigations (MCI) model was based upon four measurable criteria: number of arrests, number of cases cleared, number of convictions, and number of cases accepted for prosecution. The chapter mentions five elements that are viewed as significant in the management of criminal investigations, they are: the initial investigation, case screening, management of the ongoing investigation, police–prosecutor relations, and continuous monitoring of the investigative process. The MCI model represented an important change in the investigation of crime. The most important change in the management of criminal investigation has been the introduction of CompStat. The chapter also addresses the psychological aspects of crime investigation.