ABSTRACT

Three principal decision points of the criminal justice system occur in the law enforcement segment of the process: detection of crime, investigation and arrest. Search involves the seeking out of evidence of a crime or the location of a suspect. It entails the physical inspection of papers, premises, and possessions by the police. Interrogation of suspects and witnesses has long been a mainstay of criminal investigation. The Miranda decision revolutionized police interrogation practices. In 1984, the Court established a good faith exception in the case of United States v. Leon. In this case, officers relied on information from a confidential informant to obtain a search warrant. More common is the identification of offenders through throw-downs and lineups, whereby the police seek the identity of a suspect from a pool of possibilities by having witnesses examine photographs or observe possible offenders. Police use both physical and electronic surveillance techniques to gather evidence of criminal activity.