| According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, | | | | to build rapport with the other person. Some |
| private detectives and investigators have a | | | | investigators use pretexts and ruses in order to |
| median annual earning of $32,110 in 2004. Annual | | | | be able to get the information that they need. |
| income from investigative practice varies by | | | | However, using false pretenses has legal and |
| employer, specialty or geographic area. Despite | | | | ethical implications. In the United States, it is |
| the growth evident in the private investigation | | | | considered a Federal law violation to use |
| industry, stiff competition is expected since more | | | | pretexting to be able to have access to the |
| and more qualified people have become interested | | | | telephone and financial records of a person. |
| in this profession. A private investigator | | | | Trespassing or breaking and entering in a private |
| Washington usually has irregular work hours | | | | property is also not allowed in many countries. |
| because of the nature of the profession. | | | | This is why a private investigator in Washington |
| Depending on the market niche that he serves | | | | should conduct his surveillance operations in public |
| and the field of specialty that he has chosen, he | | | | properties to avoid legal entanglements. Private |
| employs different strategies to gather and verify | | | | phone surveillance through wiretapping and |
| facts pertaining to the case he is handling. | | | | recording devices is also considered illegal. |
| A private investigator in Washington is paid by | | | | Many sectors in society consider the work of |
| private citizens and business organizations to | | | | investigators as violation to the privacy of people. |
| gather facts pertaining to the case he is handling. | | | | Many laws and constitutional amendments have |
| Unlike a police detective and a crime-scene | | | | been enacted to make sure that the privacy of |
| investigator, his job is limited to collecting facts | | | | people is protected. Generally, when undertaking |
| and does not include arresting and prosecuting | | | | his job, a private investigator in Washington should |
| criminals. There are many sources of information | | | | make sure that everything he does is within legal |
| for a private investigator in Washington. The most | | | | and ethical bounds. Another source of information |
| common source of information is a surveillance | | | | for investigative works is public records. These |
| operation which requires him to follow a target | | | | include tax records, real estate transactions, birth |
| and take note of the places where the latter | | | | and death records, court records, voter |
| goes to and the people that he meets. When | | | | registrations, business licenses, vital statistics |
| doing this, it is important that an investigator does | | | | records and Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) |
| not lose his target and at the same time, the | | | | records. The information that has been gathered |
| target should not be able to notice that he is | | | | should be carefully analyzed so that they can be |
| being followed. This process can take hours and | | | | presented or shown to the client. |
| may involve an element of danger. | | | | In order to obtain a license, a private investigator |
| Another source of information for a private | | | | in Washington should at least be 18 years old and |
| investigator in Washington is an interview with a | | | | should be a US citizen or resident alien. He should |
| suspect or a witness. The person being | | | | also be employed by or is offered employment |
| interviewed is not legally obliged to speak to an | | | | by a licensed private investigation company. He |
| investigator. This is the reason why the latter | | | | should have a clean criminal record and should |
| should be skilled enough to know how to make | | | | have complied with all pre-assignment training |
| the other person comfortable and should be able | | | | requirements. |