The Modern Private Investigator

te Detective or Private Investigator (PI) is aInvestigators typically have previous experience in
person who conducts investigations, usually for aother occupations that prepares them for there
private citizen, business, or organization. They alsocareer as a Private Investigator. Some previously
can work for attorneys in civil cases or criminalworked for insurance or collections companies, in
cases on behalf of a defense attorney or a client.the private security industry, or as paralegals.
Many Private Investigators work for insuranceMany investigators enter the field after serving in
companies to investigate suspicious insurancelaw enforcement, the military, government
claims for that company. Some Privateauditing and investigative positions, or federal
Investigators also are hired to search forintelligence jobs, which makes them an expert in
evidence of adultery or other illegal conduct withinthat field of investigation due to there experience.
a marriage to establish grounds for divorce orFormer law enforcement officers, military
child custody. Within the Private Investigationinvestigators, and government agents, often
Industry nation wide adultery or other "sociallybecome Private Detectives or Private
unexcitable behavior" by spouses and partners isInvestigators, others from such fields as finance,
one of the most profitable activities investigatorsaccounting, commercial credit, investigative
undertake. Private Detectives also conductreporting, insurance, law, etc. These individuals
process serves, background checks, skip tracing,often can apply their prior work experience in a
and locating of missing persons. Many agenciesrelated investigative specialty and be considered
across the country specialize in one particular fieldexperts in there field.
of expertise. For example, some PI agencies dealA background in subjects such as criminal justice
only in skip tracing, others may specialize inand police science can be helpful to anyone
surveillance, and still others may specialize in buginterested in Private Detectives and Private
detection which is the locating and disposing ofInvestigators employment. Most corporate
unwanted forms of electronic surveillance ofteninvestigators require having a bachelor’s
found in corporate espionage or personal evesdegree, preferably in a business-related field.
dropping cases. Some of the other manySome corporate investigators have a
specialties a PI might have is Fraud Investigations,master’s degree in business administration
Personal Security or Bodyguard details, andor a law degree, while still others are CPAs.
Computer Forensics to name a few.Corporate investigators hired by large companies
Private Detectives and Private Investigators oftenmay receive formal training from their employers
work irregular hours due to of the needs of thereon business practices, management structure, and
case which require them to conduct surveillancevarious finance-related topics. The screening
and contact people who may or may not beprocess for potential employees typically includes
available during normal working hours. Earlya background check for a criminal history.
morning, evening, weekend, and holiday work isThe majority of States require private detectives
common. Most Private Detectives and Privateand Private Investigators to be licensed in there
Investigators spend a majority of there timestate. Licensing requirements vary, dramatically
away from their offices conducting interviews orhowever. Seven states (Alabama, Alaska,
surveillance, but some work in their office mostColorado, Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, and South
of the day conducting computer searches andDakota) have no statewide licensing requirements,
making phone calls. Those who have their ownother states have very few requirements, and
agencies and employ other investigators maymany more states have very stringent
work primarily in an office and have normalregulations. A growing number of states are
business hours. Sometimes an investigation callsenacting mandatory training programs for private
for the investigator to be armed, such as certaindetectives and investigators. For example, the
bodyguard assignments for corporate or celebrityBureau of Security and Investigative Services of
clients. Detectives and investigators who carrythe California Department of Consumer Affairs
handguns must be licensed by the appropriaterequires private investigators to be 18 years of
authority in most cases to carry a firearm onage or older, have a combination of education in
duty. In most cases, however, a weapon is notpolice science, criminal law, or justice and
necessary, because the purpose of the work isexperience equaling 3 years (6,000 hours) of
gathering information and not law enforcement orinvestigative experience, pass a criminal history
criminal apprehension.background check by the California Department
Most states require that Private Investigators beof Justice and the FBI (in most States, convicted
licensed. Some Private Detectives are formerfelons cannot be issued a license), and receive a
police officers or former military, although manyqualifying score on a two-hour written
do not have that kind of professional background.examination covering laws and regulations. There
Many states have strict laws that govern andare additional requirements for a firearms permit.
regulate the Private Investigation industry in thereMost private-detective agencies are small, with
state. A Private Investigator often works longlittle room for advancement due to not more
hours, keeping detailed notes and video forthan one to three Private Investigators in the
reports to supply to there clients and often spendFirm. Usually, there are no defined ranks or steps,
most of there time in the field conductingso advancement takes the form of increases in
surveillance related work. Many Private Detectivessalary and assignment status. Many detectives
have college degrees or have taken legal orand investigators work for detective agencies at
criminal investigation related courses to betterthe beginning of their careers and, after a few
prepare themselves for there particular field ofyears, start their own Agency after receiving the
investigation. Private Detectives and Privatenecessary experience.