Criminal investigators need broad knowledge of such topics as criminal law, criminal procedure, and investigative techniques. The best resource for these professionals will distill the needed information into one practical volume. Written in an accessible style, the fourth edition of Criminal Investigation maintains the same reader friendly approach that made its predecessors so popular with students, professionals, and practitioners. Beginning with an overview of the history of criminal investigation, the book explores current investigative practices and the legal issues that constrain or guide them. It discusses the wide range of sources of information available, including the internet, individuals, state and local sources, and federal agencies and commissions. Next, the book discusses other investigative techniques, including interviewing and interrogation, informants, surveillance, and undercover operations. A chapter on report writing provides explicit instructions on how to capture the most critical information needed in an investigation. Additional chapters cover the crime scene investigation and the crime laboratory. The remainder of the book delves into the specific investigative protocols for individual crimes, including sex offenses, homicide, mass and serial murder, assault and robbery, property crimes, cybercrime, and narcotics. Concluding chapters focus on the police/prosecutor relationship and investigative trends. Each chapter includes a summary, a list of key terms, and review questions so that readers can test their assimilation of the material. Clear and concise, this book is an essential resource for every criminal investigator’s toolbox.

This authoritative set provides a one-stop resource for understanding specific FBI controversies as well as for those looking to understand the full history, law enforcement authority, and inner workings of the nation's most famous and important federal law enforcement agency. This authoritative two-volume reference resource uses a combination of encyclopedia entries and primary sources to provide a comprehensive overview of the FBI, detailing its history, most famous leaders and agents, institutional structure and authority, law enforcement responsibilities, reporting relationships to other parts of government, and major events and controversies. Today the FBI sits squarely at the intersection of major controversies surrounding the presidential campaign and administration of Donald Trump, foreign interference in U.S. elections, and politicization of law enforcement. But the FBI has always been in the political spotlight—its history is dotted with episodes that have come under heavy scrutiny, from its surveillance of civil rights leaders during the 1960s to the methods it employs to combat domestic terrorism in the post-9/11 era. And all the while, FBI agents and offices across the country continue to investigate a wide range of lawbreaking, from organized crime (in all its facets) to white-collar crime and corruption by public officials.

Key Terms and Concepts for Investigation provides students and practitioners with a compilation of concise, accurate articles on major topics pertaining to criminal, private, and military investigations. Each entry in this reference features a definition and then describes its function in investigation, including best practices and job characteristics. From financial crimes, digital forensics, and crime scene investigation to fraud, DNA, and workplace violence, this compilation helps students master investigation and offers seasoned investigators a resource to further their knowledge of recent developments in the field.