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