The purpose of this book is to provide a basic understanding of some of the more complex matters faced by the private investigator. Real expertise in the advanced level of private investigations comes from expanding this basic information into a more comprehensive working knowledge of the issues. It is not the purpose of this book to make an individual a highly skilled private investigator in every conceivable investigative area. Rather the intent is to whet the interest in areas not normally encountered in law enforcement or the academic environment. A general minimum knowledge in these areas will be valuable when it becomes necessary to employ an especially skilled subcontractor to support the primary investigative matter.

The authors of this book are a very unique group of professionals. Each author has a minimum of ten years of investigative experience and many have at least thirty-five years of experience. The majority of the authors have investigative experience with large law enforcement agencies, in military service or at all levels of government.

The chapters in the book outline some of the specialized areas in which the experienced private investigator may be involved. Each author has written about his or her specialized area based on personal experiences. This tactic eliminates the inconsequential and concentrates on primary issues. Topics covered include: asset search and recovery; competitive intelligence and knowing the adversary; polygraph examination; marine and maritime matters; forensic accounting; investigating employment claims; capital defense investigations; denied party screening; defending the criminally accused; locating missing heirs; the craft of business intelligence; providing personal protection; product diversion; internet profiling; threat assessments and interventions; computer forensics; workers’ compensation investigations; insurance investigations; using electronic resources in due diligence investigations; accident investigation and reconstruction; and employee theft

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface 

Introduction 

Chapter

1. Asset Search and Recovery 

Alphonse V. Ristuccia

2. Competitive Intelligence: Knowing the Adversary 

William F. Marshall

3. Polygraph Examination 

Steven L. Kirby

4. Marine and Maritime Matters 

Nancy Poss-Hatchl

5. Forensic Accounting 

Daniel P. Ryan

6. Investigating Employment Claims 

S. Beville May

7. Capital Defense Investigations 

Kevin W. McClain

8. Denied Party Screening

Barry Ryan

9. Defending the Criminally Accused 

George Michael Newman

10. Locating Missing Heirs 

Harvey E. Morse

11. The Craft of Business Intelligence: An American View 

Fred W. Rustmann, Jr.

12. On Providing Personal Protection 

Stefan Salmonson

13. Product Diversion

Reginald J. Montgomery

14. Internet Profiling 

Michele Stuart

15. Threat Assessments and Interventions 

Dana Picore

16. Computer Forensics 

Kevin J. Ripa

17. Workers’ Compensation Investigations 

Lynda J. Bergh

18. Insurance Investigations 

Lynda J. Bergh

19. Using Electronic Resources in Due Diligence Investigations 

Barbara W. Thompson

20. Accident Investigation and Reconstruction 

David G. Duchesneau

21. Employee Theft

Jeffrey Stein

Index 

Published:  April 2011

Paper

260pp, 7 x 10