What Does Private Detective Mean?
A private detective, or private investigator, works with attorneys, individuals or businesses finding information and uncovering facts about legal, personal and financial matters for their clients. They may offer a variety of services including security, background checks and pre-employment verification.
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Function
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A private detective's duties vary by client. They may include surveillance, computer searches, interviews and collecting evidence. However, the detective must always be aware of federal, state and local laws regarding privacy, investigative techniques and rules of evidence.
Types
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Private detectives fill a variety of specialized roles including store detectives who help prevent theft, computer forensic investigators who gather evidence from computers, legal investigators who help prepare court cases, corporate investigators who investigate problems related to business and financial investigators who create profiles of potential investors in major transactions.
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Education
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Although there are no specific educational requirements for becoming a private detective, they often have specialized knowledge . For example, many have a degree in criminal justice or police science. Corporate investigators often have degrees in business-related fields while computer forensic investigators have computer science backgrounds.
Licensing
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Private detectives are licensed in most states. The District of Columbia. Colorado, Idaho, Mississippi, South Dakota, Wyoming, Alaska and Alabama don't have any license requirements. Others, such as California, have strict rules regarding education, testing and background checks.
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