The Criminal Investigation Process is a very important aspect of the criminal justice system in today’s society. The smallest mistake in any investigation can allow a dangerous criminal to walk free. The process sets guidelines for law enforcement officers and forensic investigators to follow when processing a scene, collecting evidence, and reporting their findings. The essential steps for any investigations team to follow are: Determine team composition, control contamination, document the scene, prioritize evidence collection, and collect, preserve, inventory, package, and transport and submit evidence. After all of that is accomplished the team has to get together to debrief about the crime scene, perform the final survey of the scene and document it. From there the evidence is processed, lab tests are performed, and all the information is submitted to the district attorney’s office so that charges can be filed. Following the process carefully and correctly is very important to the investigation; any missed steps can result in overlooked evidence and can bring the investigation to a standstill. The investigation process is vital to an investigation’s success and to the conviction of the criminals involved. The first step in the criminal investigation process is to determine the team composition. This step requires the lead investigator to assess the scene quickly and determine what resources and how many personnel will be necessary to process the scene efficiently. The first to be made is how much additional personnel are needed. Factors to consider are the size of the scene, how many victims and witnesses there are, any additional crime scenes that need to be processed, and other circumstances such as weather that would require the scene to be processed faster than usual. Next, the lead investigator should decide if forensic specialists are needed at the