The Criminal Division receives information from citizens, and law enforcement officers, who suspect that a California law has been violated. If a citizen reports a crime an evaluation is made to determine if a crime was in fact committed, and if need be, the citizen is referred to the appropriate law enforcement agency who will investigate the crime. In some cases, when deemed appropriate, the matter is assigned to an investigator within the District Attorney's Office. The officer's written report of the investigation is processed and then given to one of the Attorneys in the office for review. The attorney, representing the People of the State of California, will review the case and determine if in fact a California law has been violated, and/or whether or not the case should;
- Be returned to the submitting officer, or agency, for further investigation.
- Be submitted to an investigator in the District Attorney's Office for further investigation.
- Be returned to the submitting agency with no action taken, or have a criminal complaint filed against an individual, or individuals, for a violation, or violations, of California law.