I.

INTRODUCTION
Origin of the word: The word investigation was derived from Latin word “Investigare or
Investigatus” which means to trace or track. It may have been derived also from vestigium,
another Latin word which literally meant footprint.
Investigation – literally means the act or process of careful inquiry or research; and defined by
Webster’s as the systematic examination of some scientific detail or question whether by
experiment or mathematical treatment.
II. ANCIENT ROOTS OF INVESTIGATION

➢ 1720’s – History of investigation started in England. It was during the time of JONATHAN
WILD - a buckle maker then a brothel operator; a master criminal who became London’s most
effective criminal investigator. He was the most famous Thief Catcher in 1720’s for pioneering
the logic of “employing a thief to catch a thief”.
Two Classes of Early Thief Catchers:
1. Hirelings – whose motivations were mercenary in nature;
2. Social Climbers – who would implicate their accomplices in order to move up the social
ladder.

➢ 1749, England – HENRY FIELDING a magistrate for Westminster London, who founded a
group of non-uniformed thief catchers attached to the Bow Street Court whose function was to
detect and watch criminals.
SIR JOHN FIELDING – the blind younger brother of Henry Fielding who took over the control of
the Bow Street Court in 1753. This time he called it as the “Bow Street Runner” which was
considered as the first privately paid group to follow-up investigation of crime.
- He initiated the practice of developing paid informants, printing wanted notices, employing
criminal raids, and bearing firearms and handcuffs.

➢ 1811, France – EUGENE “FRANCOIS” VIDOCQ – a former convict who became a Paris
Investigator who introduced the trade protection policy which became the forerunner of the
credit card system.

➢ 1829, London – SIR ROBERT PEEL (the Father of Modern Policing System), founded the
London Metropolitan Police
– the SCOTLAND YARD Bobbies. He presented the art and techniques of surveillance such as
detectives concealing themselves while discreetly taking photograph and recording
conversation.

➢ 1835, USA – TEXAS RANGERS was organized as first law enforcement agency with
statewide investigative authority, the forerunner of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

➢ 1852, USA – ALLAN PINKERTON became America’s most famous private investigator who
was considered as the founder of American Criminal Investigation System.
- He can also be credited with establishing the practice of handwriting examination in U.S.
courts
- Credited for perfecting the techniques of Undercover Investigation.

➢ 1856, USA - MRS. KATE WARNE – was the first woman detective hired by Pinkerton agency.

➢ 1877, England – HOWARD VINCENT - a civilian lawyer who became the head of the
Criminal Investigation Department hired by Sir Robert Peel.

➢ 1882, France -ALPHONSE BERTILLON – a French Police Clerk who was recognized as the
founder of Criminal Identification for introducing the first systematic identification system based
on Anthropometry.

➢ 1887, England – DR. ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE – was a British writer and physician, most
noted for creating the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes and writing stories about him which
led to the public consciousness for forensic science.

➢ 1891 – DR. HANS GROSS, was an Australian Criminal Jurist who published the book
“Criminal Investigation” introducing the first comprehensive description of physical evidence in
solving problems.
- Credited in coining the word “CRIMINALISTICS”
- Father of Criminalistics/Criminal Investigation

➢ 1954, USA – DR. PAUL KIRK, one of the best-known American Criminalist, headed the
Department of Criminalistics at the University of California, USA.

➢ 1961, MAPP VS. OHIO - US Supreme Court ruled that “illegally obtained evidence is
inadmissible”. The case that established the “Doctrine of the Fruit of the Poisonous Tree”.

➢ 1966, MIRANDA VS. ARIZONA - established the rights of a person under custodial
investigation.
III. CONCEPT AND PRINCIPLES OF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION
Criminal Investigation – it is an art or science (as well) which deals with the identity and
location of the offender and provides evidence of guilt through criminal proceedings.
- It is more an art than a science for it is not governed by rigid rules, but more often rule by
intuition, felicity of inspiration, and to a minor extent, by chance or luck. (Tradio)
- Involves the systematic process of identifying, collecting, preserving, and evaluating
information for purposes of bringing a criminal offender to justice.
- It is the collection of facts in order to accomplish the three-fold aims:
1. Identify the guilty party
2. Locate the guilty party; and
3. Provide evidence of his guilt.
Criminal Investigator – is a public safety officer who is tasked to conduct the investigation of
all criminal cases as provided for and embodied under the Revised Penal Code/Criminal Laws
and Special Laws which are criminal in nature.