Report
– Law enforcement officers receive the crime report from
victims, witnesses, or other parties (or witness the crime
themselves and make a report).
• Investigation
– Law enforcement investigates the crime. Officers try to
identify a suspect and find enough evidence to arrest the
suspect they think may be responsible.
• Arrest or Citation
– If they find a suspect and enough evidence, officers may
arrest the suspect or issue a citation for the suspect to
appear in court at a specific time. This decision depends on
the nature of the crime and other factors. If officers do not
find a suspect and enough evidence, the case remains
open.