Why Do People Choose to Undertake Criminal Investigations?

The investigation is the object of a search or investigation. The term is also used in criminal law and, frequently, in civil law. The principal elements of an investigation are the purpose and the means. The object of an investigation is to discover matters for which there is reasonable evidence either on the part of the government or of an individual. In its most general sense, investigation refers to a search or to an examination for the purpose of finding matters that are not known and of unknown interest. In criminal cases, the scope of investigation may include the obtaining of testimony for confession, and in civil cases, it may include the discovery of facts for Adjacent Parties (juries who are adjacent to the event for which evidence is sought).

The method of investigation is the body of knowledge assembled by someone for the purpose of discovering matters pertinent to a case. The word investigation, therefore, means a combination of knowledge, skill and experience to put together for the purpose of discovering matters of fact or likelihood. The method of investigation could be scientific (using scientific methods) or lay (using common knowledge acquired by the investigators over time). An important aspect of criminal investigations is the fact that investigations are usually private. That is, investigators do not reveal any details about their activities to anyone, even those they claim to be working with (such as lawyers, police officers, private detectives and private citizens). There are many reasons why an investigator might want to withhold information, some of which have to do with the sensitivity of the matter, and some of which have everything to do with the need for confidentiality and protection of sources and individuals.

Criminal investigations are often difficult because of the conflicting interests between the investigators and the subjects they are investigating. At the same time, criminal investigations are usually brief and limited in scope. This further complicates the task of a criminal investigator, since he has to rely on his skill, training and resources in order to investigate and bring to justice those whose conduct he deems to be criminal. To be successful, investigations into criminal matters require a lot of hard work and perseverance. This is why it is very important for an investigator to keep in close contact with other people involved in the case as well as with other authorities who may be able to help.