OBSTACLES IN CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY ON POLICE-ROLE, TANGAIL.

Mohammad Ashraful Alam1

Mohammed Jahirul Islam2

Firoz Ahmed3

Abstract

Criminal investigation is an important Police function and one of the major indicators of increasing public confidence on these. It may be considered as a backbone of policing for fair justice. But this part of the function has a lot of problems. In Bangladesh, there is no single study found to have explained the present conditions of criminal investigation and problems therein. In order to fill the gaps up and to explore the real situation of criminal investigation, an extensive survey was conducted among the investigating officers of the police in Tangail by using interview schedule. Purposive sampling design was adopted for data collection from the investigating officers. It is found that insufficient budget, police-people ratio, low-salary of the investigative officers, vehicle and communication problems etc. were highly affected the proper investigation process. The concerned officers get some remuneration for conducting investigation, but it is never sufficient. Again, the tasks of investigation are seriously affected by political leaders, bureaucratic officials and superior Police officers. Moreover, criminal release from the court is another significant problem of investigation. Police do not well behave with the general people mostly, for which public do not find interest to give proper information to the police. People believe that if they give information to police in that case, they apprehend it would invite may other problems that will bother their much. Government should take proper attention and necessary steps to instigate the extent of aforementioned problems, only then the investigation process can be conducted smoothly in future as well as the police would show a friendly or trustful agency to the people.

Key Words: Criminal Justice System, Criminal Investigation, Crime Scene, Policing, Police Corruption

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Criminology and Police Science, Mawlana Bhasani Science and Technology University, Tangail, Santosh-1902 . e-mail: maalam.cps@gmail.com 2 Lecturer, Department of Criminology and Police Science, Mawlana Bhasani Science and Technology University, Tangail, Santosh-1902. e-mail: jahir_smile2008@yahoo.com 3 M.Sc, Department of Criminology and Police Science, Mawlana Bhasani Science and Technology University, Tangail, Santosh-1902.

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Introduction

Criminal justice system is an important organ of the state for controlling crime and maintaining

law and order situation. From ancient to modern age, crime or criminality is very burning socio-

legal problem in the society. The pattern and techniques of committing crime are changing day

by day. Criminals are upgrading themselves by aptitude using latest technology, and modern

weapons. Investigation is a part and parcel of police functions to ensure justice in society. For

swift and proper justice these is the need free, fear, and speedy investigation system. There are

proverbs like, “Justice delayed, justice denied.”

In the criminal justice system following actors play important role: (a) victim, (b) offender, (c)

Public prosecutor and legal practitioner, (d) Police (general and investigating officer), and (e)

Court. Police are the most visible part of the law enforcement agency and very concerning

element of the criminal justice system. Role of police has a significant role in controlling crime.

Public security and safety also depend on their role-performance. To prevent crime, both

proactive and reactive strategy they can take. They are to rescue victims, investigate crime scene,

apprehend suspects, make further investigations, and make charge-sheet or final reports. Without

any doubt it could be said that police have a lot of responsibilities to establish a peaceful and

secure society (Swanson & others, 2000).

Criminal investigation has been defined as a lawful search for people and things to reconstruct

the circumstances of an illegal act, apprehend or determine the guilty party , and aid in the state’s

prosecution of the offender. The main objectives of criminal investigation are (i) detection of

crime, (ii) locating and identifying suspect (before a crime scene can be processed, individuals

perpetrators must removed from the premises because they pose a danger to police, investigators

and others), (iii) arrest criminals, (iv) locating, collect, record, preserve and processing evidence,

(v) arresting or apprehend the perpetrator’s, (vi) interview witness, (vii) interrogate suspects,

(viii) write reports, (ix) recover stolen property, (x) seize contraband, (xi) prepare for case, trial

and testify in court (Bohm & Haley, 2002:206). According to Cr. P.C. [(Section: 4(1)],

Investigation includes all the proceedings under this Code for the collection of evidence

conducted by a police officer or by any person ( other than a magistrate ) who is authorized by

magistrate in his/her behalf. Criminal investigation is a major portion of criminal justice system

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to ensure proper justice. If investigating officer is unable to give proper or actual information

about a crime, proper justice will not be possible. In the study it has seen that the investigation is

hampered by the interference of political, some superior one, or criminal threat etc. On the

otherhand, the investigation process is also interfered by the investigators themself for have been

bribed by family members or relations, etc.

The role of investigating officer (IO) is much important for ensuring proper justice as said

before. An investigating officers is an individual who gather all relevant documents, and evaluate

facts about a crime; The purposes of the investigator’s are to: (i) establish that a crime was in fact

committed; (ii) identify and apprehend the suspect; (iii) recover stolen property; and (iv) assist

the state in prosecuting the party charged such offense (Swanson & others, 2000: 22).

Investigator is the prime responsible person to reconstruct the crime scene* and photographs’;

recognition, collection, marking and preservation of evidence; note-taking, gather information

and report writing; appreciation of the potential contributions to be made on the investigation by

psychologists, crime laboratory personnel, and medical examiners; interrogators, the rules under

which evidence will be submitted the court and testify; and continuing the certain cases for

collecting the information that actually happened and identify who are the main culprits

involved. According to Becker, the following statements are needed as the ingredients of a

successful investigation: (i) all available physical evidence is completely handled, (ii) all witness

are intelligently interviewed, (iii) all suspect are effectively interrogated, (iv) all leads are

developed, and (v) all document is comprehensively, clearly, and accurately completed (Becker,

2005:13). Generally investigation is the most essential in criminal justice system to give

appropriate punishment to appropriate criminal and restore the victim and punish the offender.

A police** has a lot of responsibilities in his professional life with unlimited duty time and

excessive number of case load***. Besides, they do not enjoy their personal and family life, also

they haven’t got enough income for their survival.

If one seeks better service from the police, there is the need for understated their present issues

clearly. In this regard one should emphasize that their facilities, privileges, logistics supports,

salary, timing, rewards etc, be increased for their better satisfaction. There are no scientific

studies or researches on the role of police officer, at interpersonal level. The present study is an

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attempt to divulge those needs. It has explores certain important interpersonal level information

of law enforcing personnel specially police officers including their personal and professional life.

Those information will include their socio-economic condition i.e. their social status, income and

economy, educational background, living condition, family background, expenditure, recreation,

job satisfaction, family acceptance, etc. and professional conditions like job stress, duty time,

case-load, professional performance, etc issues. Partially this study also tries to identify the

common issues in policing and the family issues for having services as police officer.

In this article, the central assumptions of the study have under lied recent Bangladesh police

innovation to know about the nature of criminal investigation. The present study intends to

address the following research questions: socio-demographic characteristics of investigating

officers; factors that make them problematic to complete the investigation; the interfering

elements in criminal investigation; measures be taken by the government for logistic support for

the investigating officer and/ or police; major issues concerning public trust and image towards

investigating officers; and relation with justice system & the investigating officers.

This study finding might be helpful for further research and for taking any policy on police

investigation. At government or non-government level policy on police for modernizing,

upgrading or improving police investigation system; and the study can be considered as a source

of base line data for assisting one to take up any further step in this regard.

Review of Literature

There have been numerous studies on criminal investigation regarding problems of investigation,

forensic investigation, police corruption, socio demographic characteristics of police and citizen

attitudes towards police in the advance pasts of the world. But in Bangladesh, not a single

academic study has get been found to have attempted to explore the problems of investigation

faced by the police. A few literatures have been found to describe relating to criminal

investigation in the following section:

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Myles (2000) observed that many law enforcement agencies today still use manual investigative

techniques to conduct criminal investigations. Manual investigative techniques consist of

investigators needing to compile many documents by hand. The documents are then sorted,

based on the relationship to the case, and placed into individual folders. The folders are then

placed according to types of files to be managed by an investigator in charge of the same. This

file will contain the hand written documents of victim as well as witness statements, an evidence

list of property collected from scene investigations, scene documentation and exhibits

photographs. Several problems may arise from manual investigations. The problems may have a

serious effect the outcome of an investigation. Investigations sometimes require long time of

manual labor to investigate a crime. The long time of manual labor eventually will cause

investigators to become fatigued. This fatigue may cause the investigators to make mistakes

while conducting an investigation, make poor decisions and bad judgments, and increase the

collection of insufficient documentation and data compiled from scene investigations. Moreover,

Sullivan (1998) showed that media and politicians create hazards in investigation process. In an

investigative report, Brandl and Horvath (2002) explore the determining relationship between

demographic characteristics of victims, nature of the police investigative response and victim

satisfaction. They showed that education, gender, and income of the victims were not related to

satisfaction for any of the crime-victim categories. Police professionalism was the greatest effect

on victim satisfaction. In another report, Brathwaite and Yeboah (2004) focused on victims'

experiences with the police in law enforcement process, their experiences in the courts in

adjudication process, and factors associated related to proper investigation in Barbados. The

findings showed that the respondents' experiences in the law enforcement and the adjudication

process were generally positive.

Criminal investigation is directly influenced by the level of police corruption found in

contemporary society. Police corruption is nearly as old as law enforcement, itself. It is the

product of the larger society’s greed and avarice (Tate, 2003). Corruption has a widespread effect

on economy, politics, administration, culture, and social life and over development as well as

police functioning (Awal, 2002). A review paper, made by Rueback and Barker (1974) focused

on an empirical typology of police corruption derived from a content analysis of the literature

(1960-1972) which is, (1) corruption of authority, (2) kickbacks, (3) opportunistic theft, (4)

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shakedowns, (5) protection of illegal activities, (6) the fix, (7) direct criminal activities, and (8)

internal payoffs. The types were analyzed along several dimensions: (1) acts and actors, (2) norm

violations, (3) support from peer-group, (4) organizational degree of deviant practices, and (5)

police department's reactions. Based on a wide range of studies, American criminologist, David

Carter, summarizes the various factors of corruption in the police as being: greed; personal

motivations, such as ego, sex, or the lust for power; cultural intolerance; socialization from peers

and the organization; poor selection of officers; inadequate supervision and monitoring of

behavior; lack of clear accountability of the police officers behavior; and no real threat of

discipline or sanctions (Newham, 2000:03). A policy level study on corruption focused that

crime, and especially corruption, directly undermines democracy by destroying the trust

relationship between the people and the state. The most basic obligation of the state is to ensure

the safety of its citizens (UN office on Drug and Crime, 2005).

The duties, responsibilities and activities of the investigating officers represent in “the police

regulation of Bengal” under regulation 255 to 298. The general responsibility of the investigation

rest with the senior sub-inspector, in some cases assistant sub-inspector responsible for

investigation. IO gets duty for doing investigation from the officer in charge or himself/ herself

Officer-in-Charge (OC) do. If the OC minds that investigation will be valueless then he/she can

abstract the investigation. When OC decides, investigation is necessary, and then he/she proceed

himself/ herself with given responsibility to the IO who is not below the rank ASI (PRB 1943).

In an investigative report (Islam 2007), it is found that an investigation officer of a case gets a

little over Tk. 3.00 a day as conveyance; the IO also gets Tk. 10.00 a day as the cost of three

meals for an accused in police custody; An investigator who has a government motorcycle gets

around 1.7 litres of fuel a day, 50 litres a month, but one who has his/her personal motorbike gets

Tk 127.00 a month as motorcycle allowance. An investigator has to visit frequently the places of

occurrence, interview witnesses, arrange repeated drives for the arrest of suspects, visit the court

for hearing of cases and laboratories for forensic test of seized items, and take accident victims to

hospitals. All these cost an IO has to personally pay that is a huge amount of money but they get

almost no allocation. These phenomena led to bribery in the police force (The Daily Star 2007).

While it is easy to blame the police, we should also remember that they are over-worked, under

paid, vulnerable to reprisals against themselves and their families if they pursue criminals, and

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enmeshed in a network of corruption of which they are just a part (Temple 2003).The ratio of

police to population is very disproportionate in Bangladesh, which has fewer police officers per

1,000 citizens than any of its South Asian neighbors except Pakistan. Reforms should include

better compensation, prevention of politically motivated transfers of police officers, rapid and

exemplary action against officers guilty of corruptions and other crimes, training and

modernization of the police force, and civilian oversight of police services.

Methodology

Exploratory research method was used to conduct this research. The intended study area was

selected as Tangail district because of having opportunities, like, crime-prone area, urban growth

centers, easy communication, well known and availability of accessing entry to Thana and police

stations.

Population and sample size

There were 84 SI and 64 ASI in Tangail district. All the investigating officers of Tangail district

were selected as population for the study. SI mainly conducts investigation but limited numbers

of police officer (ASI) are also attached with this function. So, in the study SI and ASI were

selected as the respondent for Data collection. Simple random sampling was used to collect data.

Total number of Sub-Inspector (SI) and Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) is 148 (source: reserve

office, police line, Tangail). By using Fisher’s sampling formula for known population, we

estimated the exact number of sample, which were 57.

Sample size, n=

Where, Z= 1.645 (Standard variance at 90% confidence level)

p= 0.5 (Sample proportion)

q= 1-p (0.5)

N= 148 (Population size)

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e2 (N-1) + Z2 p q

Z2 p q N

e= .086 (Acceptable error considering 8.6%)

Now, Sample size, n= 56.987= 57

Respondent were selected randomly by using random digit from random table.

Data collection and analysis

The data were collected from the selected investigating officers from various police stations of

Tangail. Survey method was used for conducting this study by using face to face interview

technique through structured schedule. In-depth interview was taken from investigation officers,

Inspector of Tangail Circle and from the OC of Ghatail Thana as key resource person to write

case studies for the study. Data were analyzed by using SPSS and MS Excel. Frequency table,

percentage, charts and graphs, central tendency (mean, median) were used as univariate analysis.

The calculation measure of associations such as Gamma (γ), Pearson product moment co-

efficient correlation (r) and used cross tabulation as a bivariate distribution.

FINDINGS

Socio-demographic Characteristics of Criminal Investigator

The study revealed that most of the respondents are affiliated with Islam as religion (93%), followed by Hindus (7%). Moreover, Most of the investigating officers (84%) were found married, others are unmarried (16%). Among the respondents, 54% respondents are maintaining nuclear family and about 46% are in extended joint family (Table-1). From this table, we see that most of them (40%) belong to lower-middle classes and about 33% are in lower-class, whereas, only 26% respondents are belong to middle class family groups. The above findings indicate that upper class persons do not join into SI level job and usually lower and lower-middle class work in investigative process. The present study showed that majority of the investigating officers in the police station belong to 36-45 year age group (47%) followed by 26-35 year age group (28%), 46-55 age group (21%), 56 above age group is ( 4%). The mean or average age of investigating officers was 42 years. These findings indicate that older ages are comparatively high in the police investigation officers (Table-1). Among the respondents, only 14% investigating officers live in Police Dormitory /rejected house, whereas, 86% investigating officers live in rented house. This indicates that there are not secured, sufficient quarters for the investigation officers for living in peaceful way with at low cost. It is revealed from present study that majority of the investigating officer’s educational level is Masters/MA (67%) followed

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by Degree/Honors (30%) and Higher Secondary completed only (7%) and Secondary level (12%). These finding indicate that most of the investigating officers are highly educated. It is found that most of the respondents (about 26.3%) monthly salary range was12000-14000 taka, followed by 8000-10000 and 14000-16000 were about 21.1 percent. About 12.3 percent respondents belong 6000-8000 taka income group and 19.3 percent belong to 10000-12000 taka monthly. The average salary of the respondents was recorded Tk-11585.18 (approximately). On the other hand, median incomes of investigating officers were BDT 12050. Among the respondents, 37% respondents household size were 4-6 member group, 23% followed by house hold size group 7-9, 19% are 1-3 and 21 percent house hold size were above 10 (Table-1).Table-1: Socio-demographic Characteristics of Investigating Officers

Religion Frequency Marital status

Frequency Family Size

Frequency Family Status

Frequency Present residence

Frequency

Islam 53(93%) Married 48(84%) Single 31(54%) Lower 19(33%) Rent House 49(86%)Hindu 4(7%) Unmarried 9(16%) Joint 26(46%) Lower

middle 23(40%) Dormitory/govt

refuge house(1)

8(14%)

Total 57(100%) Total 57(100%) Total 57(100%) Middle 15(26%) Total 57(100%)Total 57(100%)

Age Frequency Income FrequencyHousehold

size Frequency Education Frequency

26-35 16(28%) 6000-8000 7(12.3%) 1-3 11(19%) Secondary 12%

36-45 27(47%) 8000-10000 12(21.1%) 4-6 21(37%) Higher Secondary

11%

46-55 12(21) 10000-12000 11(19.3%) 7-9 13(23%) Honors/Degree 30%56+ 2(4%) 12000-14000 15(26.3%) 10+above 12(21%) Masters 47%Total 57(100%) 14000-16000 12(21.1%) Total 57(100%) Total 57(100%)

Mean Age= 42 yearsTotal

57(100%)

Median Income= 12050

Average Monthly Expenditure of IO = (House Rent=2737.55+ 795.07. Fuel Wood for Cooking)

Nature of crime deal by investigating Officer

Data presented in Table-2 depict that investigating officer deal with 93% of quarrelling /hurt

/grievous hurt case, rape case only 12% and firing case about 14% at present.

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Table 2: Present nature of crime dealing by IO: (n=57)

Nature of crime deal by investigating Officer

Frequency percent

Murder 18 32%Rape 7 12%Robbery 33 58%Theft 37 65%Quarrelling /hurt /grievous hurt 53 93%Drug related 34 60%land related 21 37%Firing 8 14%Total 211 371%

Note: Number of total responses exceeds 100% because multiple responses were possible.

Duty hour

It is found that majority (about 65%) of the investigating officers say that they have to work for

investigation and official work at least 16-18 hours a day, followed 13-15 hours (25%) and 10-12

hours only 11%. The average duty hour is 15.63 hour a day (Table-3). This study explores that

every investigating officers have to pass more time in the service and they cannot give sufficient

time in their family. So, they face many problems that is why they cannot serve sincerely.

Table-3: Duty our at a day (n =57)

Number of case deal by investigating officer

From the table-4, we see that about 44% investigators deal with 21-25 cases, followed by 16-20

(21%), about 12% deals with 11-15 cases and 5% investigating officers deal above 30 cases.

This study represents that investigating officers deal more and more cases in their duty hour. So,

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Duty Hour Frequency percent10-12 6 11%13-15 14 25%16-18 37 65%Total 57 100%

Average working hours of a day= 16.86 hours

the feature indicates that there is no way to get possible outcome from them without giving

proper facilities.

Table-4: Number of case deal by investigating officer (n=57)

Number of case frequency percent1-10 4 7%11-15 7 12%16-20 12 21%21-25 25 44%26-30 6 11%30+ 3 5%

Total 57 100%

Case load in Thana (monthly)

The study found that 33% Thana’s case load per month

21-25 and 25% are 16-20 and 26-30 and about 17%

cases loaded in Thana 11-15 per month. (Figure-1).This

study indicates that every month 20 above cases load in

every Thana in average. It is highlights that every

month case loaded but dismissal rate of case so less and

investigation officers not increased in Thana. So that

extra pressure falls on to the investigating officers.

(Figure-5)

Figure-1: Monthly case load by IO

Interference in Investigation work

The present study indicates that about 95% investigations were influenced by the political

leaders. And about 64% influenced by superior officers, colleague influenced about 29% and

about only 21% by family member and relations. These findings indicate that political leaders

and superior officers interfered more in criminal investigation process. (Table-5)

Table-5: Type of interfere in Investigation[11]

Type of interfere in Investigation Frequency PercentPolitical 54 95%Superior 37 64%Colleague 17 29%Relative + family member 12 21%Total 120 209%

Nature of Interfere

Political Leader Superior

Frequency percent frequency Percent Very High 3 6% 2 5%High 7 13% 3 8%Moderate 30 56% 10 27%Low 11 20% 15 41%Very Low 3 6% 7 19%

Total 54 100 37 100%Note: Number of total responses exceeds 100% because multiple responses were possible.

Regarding the degrees of political and superior interference, most of the respondent said they

faced moderate political interference (56 %), 13% faced high that political leaders interfere 6%

were very high and 6% were faced very low interference in investigation. (Table-5) In this

survey, it is revealed that 63% political interference created by Thana leader of government party

and 13% Thana leader of opposition party and 19% political interference by grassroots leaders ,

9% by government party and parliament members and only 4% by opposition party parliament

members.

This study shows that superior officers interference in investigation at low level (41%), followed

by, 27% moderate interference, 19% very low, 8% high and 5% very high level interference. The

study indicates that superior officer interference in the investigation process was not

mentionable, about 60% respondent answer low and very low interference by superior officers.

(Table-5)

Causes of Political Interfere in Investigation

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The study found that 44% political interference was made for taking bribe, 20% for to put the responsibility of the offence to opposite party for lost of party reputation, 13% to disturb the opposite party,6% for abuse of power and 8% for No good relation with police and political leader. (Table-6)

Table-6: Root causes of political interfere in investigation (n=54)

Root causes of political interfere in investigation Frequency PercentAbuse of power 3 6%To disturb the opposite party 7 13%To put the responsibility of the offence to opposite party for lost the party reputation

11 20%

To take bribe investigation runs in other way 24 44%No good Relation with Police and Political leader 8 15%

Total 54 100%

Causes of Biased investigation

The main causes of biased investigation are problems of logistic support (100%), political

interfere by politicians (94.73%), false report by CID officials and experts (84%), threats for

employment (93%) and threats for family and children (82%). Moreover, the secondary causes,

which are responsible for biased investigation, are taking bribe (61%), low safety feelings (58%)

and over case load (33.33%).

Table-07: Causes* of biased investigation by Investigating Officers (N=57)

Causes of Biased Investigation Frequency PercentageProblems of logistic support (TA/DA) 57 100%Political Interfere by politicians 54 94.73%Pathological false report by the CID officials and experts 48 84%

High threats for destroy the evidence

Threats for employment 53 93%

Threats for Family and Children 47 82%

Police take bribe during investigation 35 61%

Low safety feelings during investigation 33 58%Nature of Case load (21-25 per month) 19 33.33%*Multiple responses count

Weakness of Investigation and court

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It is found that criminal release from the court for weakness of investigation mainly the lacking

of proper information to police (95%). Because of having disbelief to the police, people does not

share or give enough information to police and to avoid police problem. 79% investigation does

not complete properly for lack of proper witness, whereas, 65% investigations were influenced

(Table-8) by various party. This study indicates that investigation has multidimensional problem

such as, lack of awareness, various types of interference, negligence of IO’s, illegal and unlawful

opportunities enjoying IO’s etc.

Table-08: Weakness* of investigation to release criminal (n=57)

Weakness of investigation to release criminal Frequency PercentNegligence of the IO /charge sheet prepared to seat in to room 6 11%Lack of proper witness 45 79%Lack of available information to police 54 95%Influencing the investigation 37 65%

*Multiple responses count

Techniques of Biased Investigation

Most of the investigating officers indicate that false report (84%) followed by release (78%) and

delayed report (74%) are the main techniques of biased investigation.

Table-9: Techniques* of biased investigation by the Investigating officers

Techniques of Biased investigation Frequency Percentages

False Report 48 84%

Release 45 78%

Delayed Report 42 74%

*Multiple responses count

Essentials for Investigation

This study revealed that about 87% respondent said that they need proper training for investigation followed 76% indicate necessary budget, 72% free and fear environment/ no interfere. Among the respondents, about 63% express that they should have available computers for data profiling, digital camera and recorder to analyze their information. But there are no such

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facilities in every thana. They should be used modern technology in criminal investigation and within the policing system of Bangladesh. (Table-10)

Table-10: Essential to develop Investigation system

Demand of Investigating officer Percentage

Necessary Training program 87%Necessary Budget for investigation 76%Free environment /autonomy for Investigation 72%Computer /personal digital camera and audio recorder 63%Superior/political interfere must be remove 56%Include modern technology 45%Increasing Salary and other facilities of the police 42%

Way to Develop Police and Community relation

Among the respondents, most of the respondent said that they need more budgets and enough salary (94%), and DA/TA and vehicle (83%) for investigation. Additionally, about 77% point out to establish community policing for improve police community relation. They support their post

should be upgraded in second class level. (Table-11)

Table-11: Way to Improve Police Community Relation

Recommendation for improving the Police-Community Relations PercentageIncrease salary/increase the investigation budget 94%Provide TA/DA and vehicle and other instrument for patrolling 83%Establish community policing and arranged open house day regularly 77%Fear recruitment in police service/ well educated /proper training of public contact and management

71%

Promotion and class rearranged 33%Essential to provide car for meet the community and patrolling 23%

Relationship between Income and feelings of safety

The present study revealed that 14% investigating officers feel less safe and 2% not safe at all whose income range belongs to BDT. 6000-8000. Among the respondents, in 8000-10000 income range, only 2% officers feel very safe followed by safe (4%), less safe (11%) , and only not safe(2%). About 5 percent feel safe and less safe and only one not safe at all whose income 10000-12000. 16 percent feel less safe and 4 percent feel very safe whose income 12000-14000.

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12 percent feel less safe and 4 percent feel safe whose income 14000-16000. This study indicates that most of the officer feel less safe and secure during investigation. (Table 12 and figure10)

Table 12: Income and feelings of safety

Income(monthly) of respondent

Level of feelings of safety Totalvery safe safe less safe not safe at all

6000-8000 0 2(4%) 8(14%) 1(2%) 11(19%)8000-10000 1(2%) 4(7%) 6(11%) 1(2%) 12(21%)10000-12000 0 3(5%) 3(5%) 1(2%) 7(12%)12000-14000 2(4%) 1(2%) 9(16%) 3(5%) 15(26%)14000-16000 0 4(7%) 7(12%) 1(2%) 12(21%)

Total 3(5%) 14(25%) 33(58%) 7(12%) 57(100%)

Number of arrest Vs release of criminal from thana

This study found that to bring the Thana of a criminal for confession, this criminal release from the Thana because of interfere and bribe. This study found that most of the criminal release from the Thana. If 7-9 criminal arrest for confession or any cause 10percent releases 1-3 criminal, 17percent release 4-6 more criminals and 2% release more 7-9. So, total 49 percent are group 7-9 release from the Thana.

Table 13 :number of case Vs release

Number of cases

Number of releases Total 1-3 4-6 7-9

1-3 6(11%) 0 0 6(11%)4-6 16(28%) 2(4%) 0 18(32%)7-9 10(18%) 17(30%) 1(2%) 28(49%)10+ 0 3(5%) 2(4%) 5(9%)

Total 32 22 3 57

Getting money for investigation and expenditure

This study found that most of the investigating officers (about 47 percent) expend for investigation up to Tk 3000. Only 4 percent got 2600-3000, followed by 2100-2500(about 32 percent), 1600-2000(about 11 percent). Investigating officers got money per month average Tk.1870.47 and monthly expenditure average Tk.2760.

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Getting money for investigation and expenditure

Getting money

Expenditure for investigation (monthly) Total1100-1500 1600-2000 2100-2500 2600-3000 3000+

1100-1500 5(9%) 7(12%) 4(7%) 1(2%) 0 171600-2000 0 1(2%) 7(12%) 3(5%) 6(11%) 172100-2500 0 0 0 3(5%) 18(32%) 212600-3000 0 0 0 0 2(4%) 2Total 5(9%) 8(14%) 11(19%) 7(12%) 26(47%) 57

Conclusion and Recommendations

Police investigation has the responsibility to collect information about the crime from crime

scene or from informer and witness. Investigation is an agency of law enforcement that criminal

justice system fully dependent on these divisions for proper justice to penalized the criminal and

satisfies the victim. From this study, we found the average age of the respondents are 42 years,

and most of them are married, belongs to Islam, majority of the investigating officers complete

masters degree and only 12% investigating officers complete secondary education. Their average

median income is 11585.8 taka. Most of the respondent’s family status is lower-middle with

single or nuclear family. About 37% respondents family members are more than four and

average income of wives is 2833, average income of the family is about TK-15000. Majority of

the respondent lived in rented house and average house rent is Tk-2737. Most of the respondent

used wood as fuel for cook and average expenditure for fuel is Tk-785 per month. In this

research, we found that most of the investigator presently deals with quarrelling related case. The

average duty hour is 15.63 hour in a day and at present 44% respondent deals about 21-25 cases.

Majority of the investigating officers said they are interfered by government party political

leader. In an investigation, investigating officers mainly take bribe for leading luxurious life and

secondly for political pressure. In the investigation suspect party want to give bribe more for

fulfilling their need. Most of the criminal release from the Thana because of political interferes.

Major weakness of the investigation was people do not want to give information to police. For

taking bribe by the judge and their untruthfulness is major cause of the criminal release from the

court. In investigation usually give direct money but new dimension is flexiload. In the

investigation officers do not feel safety. Police feels better and pleasures to conduct investigation

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during Care Taker Government. Cases loaded more during the Care Taker Government because

people give information freely .Public attitude toward police so poor. To improve investigation

investigators need proper training and sufficient budget and reduce vehicle problem and give free

environment. In the Thana has problem of vehicles. If we can solve above problem then we can

aspect proper investigation and then proper justice. Some recommendations are given below:

1. Minimize political use of police and external influence on police operations.2. Amend obsolete and outdated laws to make polices people friendly.3. Salary of the police should be increased.4. Free, fair and corruption free appointment 5. Improving police behavior for trust building and adopting code of ethics.6. Capacity building. Police and people ratio in our country so deferent, so increase police

member as soon as possible.7. Necessary budget should be allotted for investigation and also for the police personnel’s.8. Vehicle and TA/DA should provide for investigation and car improves for the police

service. Only one car has in Thana and only two cars have in sadar Thana.9. For communication mobile and mobile bill should be provide and computer should be

arranged for data file and digitalized the policing. In every Thana has only one digital camera, it should be increased.

10. Anticorruption mechanism. Curb corruption, enhance transparency and accountability.11. Watch dog system should be started.12. Proper training should provide to the investigators and also provide sufficient instrument

for evidence collection and preservation.13. Free and impartial environment should be providing for investigation.14. Establishment of community policing. Increase community involvement to step up crime

prevention.15. Infrastructure development. And development of governmental quarter for residence.16. Improvement of service delivery17. Improving police education and training in various field and also include Human Rights

(Humanizing the Policing). Development of a police website.

Note:

* A crime scene may be defined as the location at which the offense was committed; the search of the crime scene for physical evidence must, however involve a wider area including the perpetrator’s line of approach and flight (Swanson & others, 2000: 33). Thus, a crime scene search must include the specific setting of the crime and its general environs. It is directly related to the crime scene reconstruction. According to Henry C. Lee, Crime scene reconstruction is the process of determining and eliminating of the events and actions that occurred at the crime scene through analysis of the crime scene pattern, the location and position of the physical evidence, and laboratory examine of the physical evidence. Reconstruction not only involves scientific scene pattern analysis, interpretation

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of the scene pattern evidence and laboratory examination of physical evidence but also systematic study of related logical information and the logical formulations of a theory (Lee & others, 2001: 271).

** The police are persons empowered to enforce the law, protect property and reduce civil disorder. Their powers include the legitimized use of force. The term is most commonly associated with police services of a state that are authorized to exercise the police power of that state within a defined legal or territorial area of responsibility(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police, 06/01/11). A police agency can be defined as a legitimate governmental body given the authority to maintain order, prevent crime, and enforce the laws of government. In other words, the police agency ensures that the government remains a stable and respectable entity within society (Greene, 2007: 1026).

*** According to former IGP Nur Mohammed, ‘Ours have only a small no of police for protecting state security and maintaining law and order situation of the country than most developed countries and even developing countries like, India, Pakistan and Malaysia’(The Daily Ittefaq, 2009). The ratio of people-police in Bangladesh is only 1308:1, while other nations have double police-people ratio like as, India (1:728), Pakistan (1:625), Hong Kong (1:220) and Malaysia (1:249) [(http://www.police.gov.bd/index5.php?category=152, 2011)].

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