ABSTRACT
A core purpose of policing is to detect crime, even if prevention is more desirable. Realistically, the state cannot control all human behaviour and so a level of crime is inevitable in any society. It is also important that those who do commit crime fear being caught. This notion is viewed as having a significant preventative influence on future criminal activity and is central to building and maintaining public confidence. In modern policing, therefore, crime investigation and detection play a key role and is a common thread running through almost every policing activity. This was not always the case in the early days of policing.
