250 response 2 references due 6/10/2023

Managing Criminal Investigations

                     The management of the criminal investigation process functions typically has two components. One of the components is direct investigative, which comprises the cases handled by one or more investigators, usually with minimal supervision. The second component is called administrative management (Osterburg & Ward, 2013). It involves more complex investigations that may need to include several investigators and specialists and a supervisor to oversee and guide the process. Usually, administrative management can be controlled by the authority of the chief of detectives, such as forensic units. Administrative management can involve choosing and training investigators, resource allocation, or handling complaints.

                     The concepts of managing criminal investigations emerged in the 1970s and 1980s and were based on measuring four essentials, such as arrests, cases cleared, convictions and cases allowed for prosecution. However, in today’s world, police administrators control the arrests made and issues cleared (Osterburg & Ward, 2013). Convictions fall under the control of the judges and prosecutor, while the cases accepted for prosecution are determined by the standards set by the prosecutor. In managing criminal investigations, five elements are considered, such as the initial investigation, case screening, and managing ongoing investigations (Osterburg & Ward, 2013). It also includes the relationship between the prosecutor and the police and continued monitoring of the investigative process.

                     Quality management in criminal investigations is essential as it provides numerous benefits. One is that quality management helps to increase productivity by making good use of the available resources. It also enables the possible reallocation of resources through case screening to other fields (Osterburg & Ward, 2013). For instance, proactive investigations allow investigations of even notorious criminals whose actions are disproportionate to the number of crimes in society. Also, it will enable one to prepare cases for submission to the prosecutor and create a task force to solve specific transitory crime issues.

                      Another critical point for managing criminal investigations is that it makes room to prevent favoritism as the basis of recruiting detectives. Through this, it is possible to use the multiple talents in the patrol force through monitoring. It allows the recruitment of police officers who are competent and have higher chances of handling more cases and being addressed professionally (Osterburg & Ward, 2013). Management of criminal investigations creates opportunities for more educated and trained investigators that can potentially solve more cases. One of the most common issues in law enforcement administration is the tension between units. Management is essential as it addresses the lack of cooperation between the local and federal investigators and among the agencies. Increased collaboration has influenced good results at all levels of administration.

                     Ineffective management can have significant impacts on criminal investigations. Investigations are complex and require competent, knowledgeable guidance to be managed effectively, in which poor leadership can have severe and far-reaching consequences (Osterburg & Ward, 2013). Poor management can lead to the manipulation of evidence. The investigation process involves collecting and analyzing evidence, which requires robust management to ensure that the integrity of the evidence is maintained (Bcampus, 2017). Poor management makes the evidence susceptible to manipulation to achieve a desired outcome. Ineffective leadership can also lead to the misdirection of resources. The investigative process is considered an intensive resource process, and mismanagement of the resources can directly affect the investigations and cause costly delays. Additionally, it risks the legal system, especially if the evidence has been manipulated (Cosmos, n.d.). Such cases can influence the court to draw illegitimate conclusions based on the evidence presented to them. Incorrect decisions can make innocent individuals pay for crimes they are not supposed to, and guilty people avoid justice. It can also erode public confidence in the legal system and lead to a lack of trust in the criminal justice system.