THE BOOKING

Once arrested, a criminal suspect is transported to the police station, where he or she is searched and booked. Booking is where personal information such as the defendant's name, date of birth, place of birth, height and weight is recorded, the suspect is fingerprinted and photographed, and a police report concerning the essential facts of the crime is prepared.

At this point, several things can happen. Usually, the suspect is booked and the case is referred to the prosecutor for filing. In a few cases, after the watch sergeant, watch commander or other supervisor reviews the report, he or she may decide that there really is not enough evidence to refer the case for prosecution. In that case, the suspect is released with no charges filed.