Introduction to Criminal Justice - Essay Example

Firstly, informants provide crucial information that cannot be obtained from other sources. This is of particular interests in high-risk cases such as armed criminals or narcotics cases. In such cases, the police can only obtain crucial and confidential information from informants who might be an accomplice. Nevertheless, informants are also criminals and, their contributions should be scrutinized thoroughly. If not well managed, informants can nullify an investigation, destroy the credibility of an investigation agency, and endanger the lives of police officers.

In order to benefit from the services of confidential informants, agencies/police departments should have well-developed informant regulations and procedures. Before using informants, agencies must define the duties and responsibilities of all officers in the chain of command. Secondly, the agency should have concrete personal, descriptive information about an informant. Lastly, investigators must obtain approval from the necessary authority before they can use informants. Consequently, informants should work under the authority of the investigating officer.

Informants should not be allowed to conduct arrests, carry weapons, conduct searches, or seize contrabands. Even with adequate regulations and policies, investigators need ethical protection while working with informants. Moreover, informants also need protection from the agency in order to conduct their roles effectively.