| A Private Detective or Private Investigator (PI) is a | | | | other occupations that prepares them for there career |
| person who conducts investigations, usually for a | | | | as a Private Investigator. Some previously worked for |
| private citizen, business, or organization. They also can | | | | insurance or collections companies, in the private |
| work for attorneys in civil cases or criminal cases on | | | | security industry, or as paralegals. Many investigators |
| behalf of a defense attorney or a client. Many Private | | | | enter the field after serving in law enforcement, the |
| Investigators work for insurance companies to | | | | military, government auditing and investigative positions, |
| investigate suspicious insurance claims for that | | | | or federal intelligence jobs, which makes them an |
| company. Some Private Investigators also are hired to | | | | expert in that field of investigation due to there |
| search for evidence of adultery or other illegal conduct | | | | experience. |
| within a marriage to establish grounds for divorce or | | | | Former law enforcement officers, military investigators, |
| child custody. Within the Private Investigation Industry | | | | and government agents, often become Private |
| nation wide adultery or other "socially unexcitable | | | | Detectives or Private Investigators, others from such |
| behavior" by spouses and partners is one of the most | | | | fields as finance, accounting, commercial credit, |
| profitable activities investigators undertake. Private | | | | investigative reporting, insurance, law, etc. These |
| Detectives also conduct process serves, background | | | | individuals often can apply their prior work experience |
| checks, skip tracing, and locating of missing persons. | | | | in a related investigative specialty and be considered |
| Many agencies across the country specialize in one | | | | experts in there field. |
| particular field of expertise. For example, some PI | | | | A background in subjects such as criminal justice and |
| agencies deal only in skip tracing, others may specialize | | | | police science can be helpful to anyone interested in |
| in surveillance, and still others may specialize in bug | | | | Private Detectives and Private Investigators |
| detection which is the locating and disposing of | | | | employment. Most corporate investigators require |
| unwanted forms of electronic surveillance often found | | | | having a bachelor's degree, preferably in a |
| in corporate espionage or personal eves dropping | | | | business-related field. Some corporate investigators |
| cases. Some of the other many specialties a PI might | | | | have a master's degree in business administration or a |
| have is Fraud Investigations, Personal Security or | | | | law degree, while still others are CPAs. Corporate |
| Bodyguard details, and Computer Forensics to name a | | | | investigators hired by large companies may receive |
| few. | | | | formal training from their employers on business |
| Private Detectives and Private Investigators often | | | | practices, management structure, and various |
| work irregular hours due to of the needs of there case | | | | finance-related topics. The screening process for |
| which require them to conduct surveillance and contact | | | | potential employees typically includes a background |
| people who may or may not be available during | | | | check for a criminal history. |
| normal working hours. Early morning, evening, weekend, | | | | The majority of States require private detectives and |
| and holiday work is common. Most Private Detectives | | | | Private Investigators to be licensed in there state. |
| and Private Investigators spend a majority of there | | | | Licensing requirements vary, dramatically however. |
| time away from their offices conducting interviews or | | | | Seven states (Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, |
| surveillance, but some work in their office most of the | | | | Mississippi, Missouri, and South Dakota) have no |
| day conducting computer searches and making phone | | | | statewide licensing requirements, other states have |
| calls. Those who have their own agencies and employ | | | | very few requirements, and many more states have |
| other investigators may work primarily in an office and | | | | very stringent regulations. A growing number of states |
| have normal business hours. Sometimes an | | | | are enacting mandatory training programs for private |
| investigation calls for the investigator to be armed, | | | | detectives and investigators. For example, the Bureau |
| such as certain bodyguard assignments for corporate | | | | of Security and Investigative Services of the California |
| or celebrity clients. Detectives and investigators who | | | | Department of Consumer Affairs requires private |
| carry handguns must be licensed by the appropriate | | | | investigators to be 18 years of age or older, have a |
| authority in most cases to carry a firearm on duty. In | | | | combination of education in police science, criminal law, |
| most cases, however, a weapon is not necessary, | | | | or justice and experience equaling 3 years (6,000 |
| because the purpose of the work is gathering | | | | hours) of investigative experience, pass a criminal |
| information and not law enforcement or criminal | | | | history background check by the California |
| apprehension. | | | | Department of Justice and the FBI (in most States, |
| Most states require that Private Investigators be | | | | convicted felons cannot be issued a license), and |
| licensed. Some Private Detectives are former police | | | | receive a qualifying score on a two-hour written |
| officers or former military, although many do not have | | | | examination covering laws and regulations. There are |
| that kind of professional background. Many states | | | | additional requirements for a firearms permit. |
| have strict laws that govern and regulate the Private | | | | Most private-detective agencies are small, with little |
| Investigation industry in there state. A Private | | | | room for advancement due to not more than one to |
| Investigator often works long hours, keeping detailed | | | | three Private Investigators in the Firm. Usually, there |
| notes and video for reports to supply to there clients | | | | are no defined ranks or steps, so advancement takes |
| and often spend most of there time in the field | | | | the form of increases in salary and assignment status. |
| conducting surveillance related work. Many Private | | | | Many detectives and investigators work for detective |
| Detectives have college degrees or have taken legal | | | | agencies at the beginning of their careers and, after a |
| or criminal investigation related courses to better | | | | few years, start their own Agency after receiving the |
| prepare themselves for there particular field of | | | | necessary experience. Corporate and legal |
| investigation. Private Detectives and Private | | | | investigators may rise to supervisor or manager of the |
| Investigators typically have previous experience in | | | | security or investigations department. |