What Private Detectives and Investigators Do
Private detectives must properly collect and document evidence so that it may be used in a court of law. Private detectives and investigators find facts and analyze information about legal, financial, and personal matters. They offer many services, including verifying people's backgrounds, finding missing persons, and investigating computer crimes.
Private detectives must properly collect and document evidence so that it may be used in a court of law. Private detectives and investigators find facts and analyze information about legal, financial, and personal matters. They offer many services, including verifying people's backgrounds, finding missing persons, and investigating computer crimes.
Private detectives and
investigators typically do the following:
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Interview people to gather information
- Search records to uncover clues
- Conduct surveillance
- Collect evidence to present in court
- Verify employment, income, and other facts about a person
- Investigate computer crimes and information theft
Private detectives and investigators offer many services for individuals, attorneys, and businesses. They may perform background checks or look into charges that someone has been stealing money from a company. They might be hired to prove or disprove infidelity in a divorce case.
Private detectives and investigators use a variety of tools when researching the facts in a case. Much of their work is done with a computer, allowing them to obtain information, such as telephone numbers, social networking-site details, and records of a person’s prior arrests. They make phone calls to verify facts and interview people when conducting a background investigation.
Investigators may go undercover to observe suspects and to obtain information.
Detectives also conduct surveillance when investigating a case. They may watch locations, such as a person's home or office, often from an inconspicuous position. Using various hand-held devices, video cameras, binoculars, and GPS tracking, detectives gather information on persons of interest.
Detectives and investigators must be mindful of the law when conducting investigations. Because they lack police powers, their work must be done with the same authority as a private citizen. As a result, they must have a good understanding of federal, state, and local laws, such as privacy laws, and other legal issues affecting their work. Otherwise, evidence they collect may not be useable in court.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics