What Does A Private Investigator Do?

Private investigators have been used for many years to undertake investigations. Unlike those attached to police departments, they're hired by lawyers and ordinary citizens. Often called PIs or inquiry agents, they service many areas like the ones listed below.

Performing background checks

The internet can be used to search for a lot of things, including checking on somebody's background. However, information is not complete and many times inaccurate so it doesn't serve the purpose especially in a legal case where validity is critical.

Unlike the internet, PIs conduct interviews, visit places and go through records to find the history of a person. Results are accurate since cross checks are performed so even if a person were to lie about his background, there's a good chance an investigator will find the truth.

Crime scene investigation

All crime scenes are overseen by law enforcement and professionals like lab analysts, medical examiners and forensic specialists. With this pool of experienced minds, there's usually no need for a PI.

However, if a person is the victim of a crime and isn't fully satisfied with the findings of the police and the professionals mentioned above, he can hire a private investigator. Since the agent will be working independent of law enforcement officials, clients will have access to information not made available to him.

If for nothing else, PIs hired following a crime provide a second opinion. This is especially beneficial to clients who've been wrongfully accused of a crime.

Investigating infidelity

The term 'PI' today is linked mainly to investigating infidelity. Reality shows are responsible for propelling them into the limelight.

While having someone followed is not a very tasteful idea, sometimes it's the only solution for the injured party. For example, a husband suspects his wife is cheating on him. He has no way of finding the truth as it's his word against hers. With the help of a PI, he can learn whether his fears are valid.

The techniques used in infidelity investigations mainly include surveillance and evidence gathering.

Undertaking surveillance

Surveillance is part and parcel of a PI's job. Police detectives also undertake it.

Most surveillance is done to gather evidence of a crime, record a person's presence in a site, and keep an eye on activities happening in and around a building.

When conducting surveillance, PIs have the responsibility of not infringing on a person's privacy. Current laws are strict and they need to stay within legal limits. Most good PIs do, however, so clients have little to worry about.

Undertaking mystery shopping

Mystery shopping is a technique companies use to evaluate employee cordiality, efficiency and productivity. Most mystery shoppers are ordinary individuals but for some clients, hiring a PI makes more sense. This is because they're professionalism is greater and they're able to gather evidence (something ordinary mystery shoppers may not know how to do). Most importantly, however, some states prohibit hiring anyone else but a PI to act as a mystery shopper.

Locating people

People may need to be located for a number of reasons, chief among them being because they've run away from legal obligations. When this happens, clients are on the losing end especially when a lot of money is at stake. What PIs do is conduct interviews, rely on informers, conduct surveillance and background checks to find a missing person.

Performing a background check on your potential employee is critical. Private investigators are considered as expert witnesses. In Depth Investigations offers excellent private investigation service. Click on their website indepthinvestigations.com.au for more information.