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