Introduction
In times of job scarcity and turbulent economy, it is beneficial as a graduate to explore careers that offer a magnitude of diverse professions. This is one of the core reasons behind my decision to pursue a career within the criminal justice system and specifically as a criminal investigator. A criminal is “a law enforcement professional who attempts to solve crimes, identify and detain suspects, and prevent future instances of criminal activity” (Diggs, 2010). The job entails the ability to work alone or investigative in groups to uncover hidden evidence and truths on a given case. The responsibilities and requirements of this profession in most cases demand a degree holding graduate and strong background on laboratory techniques that are critical in uncovering hidden myths on a case. In addition to the above, they must have a keen “sense to observation to detect extra-ordinary links that can play fundamental roles in solving a crime” (Diggs, 2010).
The importance of criminal investigators
The importance of criminal investigators within the justice system cannot be underestimated. These professionals are not only responsible for finding evidence but also preserving in away that it is admissible as viable evidence in a court of law. According to Diggs (2010), “any contamination or compromise when it comes to evidence can ruin a perfectly good case and allow criminals to be set free on a technicality.” This demonstrates the fact that in addition to unveiling evidence in a court of law, criminal investigators are also charged with the responsibility of preserving the evidence in an acceptable manner.
The chances of prosecuting a case rest primarily of the ability of criminal investigators to present admissible evidence in the court. The roles of these professional in criminal justice within the criminal justice involve the abilities to interpret the laws, reports and analyses without contradicting the due process of the law. They respond to the barrage of questions from the defense attorney and present the facts as provided by evidence without any amount of confusion. “It’s no use being a brilliant forensic medical investigator if you’re not credible enough in court to bring about a conviction of the criminal” (Samaha, 2005).
In the process of gathering evidence, the “type of search conducted primarily depends on the type of crime under investigation” (Samaha, 2005). For example “in a homicide investigation, the criminal investigator would be expected to gather forensic evidence such fingerprints, DNA evidence, or any other physical evidence that provides clue to the person responsible for the crime” (Samaha, 2005). Other roles of the criminal investigator include conducting interviews, performing surveillances, preparing reports and directly involved in investigations.
Conclusion
My personal interest within this career is precipitated by the desire to provide effective in put in the process of investigation after my elder brother’s experience. A poorly done investigation report earned my brother three years behind bars. It was this incident that not only opened my eyes on the important role of the criminal investigators but also planted in me the desire to render professional service within this field to my country. I am driven by the desire to provide excellent service without any sense of mischievous to those who I will directly be involved in their cases. This is reinforced by the background knowledge that a sizable number of inmates are serving sentences behind bars for crimes they never committed while the real culprits are enjoying freedom and continuing to commit other criminal acts.
References
Diggs, B. (2010). Duties of a Criminal Investigator. Web.
Samaha, J. (2005). Criminal justice. New York: Cengage Learning.