Evidence-Based Practice in Criminal Investigations

In the face of the explosion of information and research, criminal investigative practices and procedures remain little changed except through the opportunities of specialized experiences, training, and educational efforts over the last forty years. Whether one speaks to college texts, opportunities offered by regional training alliances, inter and intra agency sharing or the contributions of federal agency instructional opportunities, the opportunities for the skill acquisition and the application of best practices and evidence-based investigative practices are obtainable only for the few. However, the needs are universal when it comes to the successful resolution of criminal offenses by law enforcement agencies. The article explores the development of evidence-based investigative processes by examining and explaining: what evidence-based investigation accomplishes, the necessity of reviews of the literature regarding investigative practices, how it uses research, how the integration of research forecasts investigative avenues, and how research and professional wisdom combine to support and foster effective, competent investigative decision making. (C) 2007 by The Haworth Press. All rights reserved.