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Private Criminal Investigations

Private investigators specialize in conducting thorough criminal investigations to help uncover vital evidence. From theft and fraud cases to cold-case murders, a private investigator can provide the expertise and resources necessary to assist in solving any type of crime. If you're looking to resolve or gather evidence relating to a crime, hiring a private criminal investigator is your best choice.

Using a private investigator for criminal investigations is sometimes necessary for businesses being targeted by criminals, or individuals caught up in or accused of a crime. We cover why someone would use a private investigator to investigate a crime rather than the police, some of the types of crimes private investigators investigate, the costs and how they go about building a strong evidence-based case.

Why Use a Private Investigator for a Criminal Investigation

The usual process of reporting a crime is done through the local police agencies or law enforcement, who are then obliged to start a formal investigation, but sometimes it becomes necessary to initiate a private criminal investigation.

Government or State law enforcement agencies are usually the one’s to investigate criminal cases but that has now changed somewhat. It is commonplace for individuals and businesses to hire the services of private investigators to conduct private criminal investigations rather than report a crime to law enforcement, (although there are some crimes that by law must be reported, such as crimes against children).

Using a private investigator's services to resolve criminal activities can give the victim (a person or organization being subjects of a crime) better control. Here are some reasons a private criminal investigator may be hired instead of using the police:

A high profile individual (such as an actor) may want to investigate a crime without the publicity of going to the police. The unfortunate possibility of reporting crimes to police agencies run the risk of being made public in the news – particularly if high profile.

A corporate business wants to investigate a crime internally so as not to harm their public reputation and cause their market share price to drop.

The crime may be too petty for police to commit too many resources to fully investigate it, due to budgets and/or the limited potential of a criminal charge being brought against the felon.

Law enforcement do have their restrictions, such as manpower and budgets, and therefore have to prioritize cases on the severity of the crime committed and if in the public's interest to fully investigate it. The police are more likely to spend resources investigating a homicide and less likely to spend much time on a petty theft - that’s where using the services of a criminal case private investigator comes in.

Do Private Investigators Work with Police?

Private Investigators and police generally don't work together but on criminal case investigations their paths can cross. If police and private investigators do work on a joint case, there are legal limitations on this collaboration. A private investigator is not a police officer and so does not have the same authority or access to law enforcement records as police. However, many criminal cases have been solved and or prosecuted through the successful sharing of information between private investigators and police, concerning felons and crimes.

Often, a private investigator has some background in law enforcement but this is not a requirement. In the same way a policeman works, a private investigator, who specializes in criminal investigations, is also trained to gather evidence in accordance with local laws and procedures.

As a police office does, a private investigator has to determine from the evidence in hand what crime has been committed and by who. Once the evidence of a crime has been collected, methodically put together and a suspect established - through overwhelming evidence - the private investigator can advise their client on a course of action. It is not necessary to report the crime to the police, but if serious enough there is a legal obligation to do so.

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What Crimes Do Private Investigators Investigate?

Considering how many laws there are and the potential of breaking one – knowingly or unknowingly – can give you some idea of how many types of crimes there are. These are some of the main crimes a private investigation service can cover:

Theft and fraud investigations

Criminal damage against property

Assault and homicide investigations

Kidnapping investigations

Sex crime investigations

Drug crime investigations

Unsolved crime and cold cases

Criminal defense cases

How Much Do Private Criminal Investigations Cost?

Crime investigation services carried out by private investigators are paid for by the individual or company that hires them and is NOT a public service, as with police investigations. Often, investigating crimes can be dangerous, long and drawn out, so the cost for criminal investigations by private investigators tend to be on the higher-priced-end of their services.

The hourly cost for a criminal investigation can range from $150-$350 per hour, sometimes more depending on the company and location. This price is affected by the nature and seriousness of the crime, as they vary widely, from simple theft cases to unsolved cold-case murders, and therefore require varying degrees of resources and manpower.

Other costs involved for criminal cases, if needed, can include:

Drug testing equipment
Covert camera and surveillance equipment
Attorney services
Crime scene investigation and forensic science resources
Computer forensic services
Forensic accountancy services

Criminal Investigation Methods Used by Private Investigators

The standard process for a criminal investigation would start with some form of official complaint from someone. A victim of crime, as they are known, will usually report some crime against them or their business and make a formal statement or declaration. The next step in the process is for the private criminal investigator to establish in fact that a crime has indeed been committed - according to any legal definition - and to follow a train of evidence. Through investigation, interviews, fingerprinting, etc. evidence is gathered and a suspect is identified.

Usually, once the suspect has been clearly identified, an arrest can be made (if the client requests it). Or, if the crime is serious enough - by law or by conscience - the evidence will be passed on to the police. The next part of the criminal process is of course, court proceedings. All evidence - legally obtained and properly documented - is presented to a criminal court of law where a judicial decision is made.

The Methods of Criminal Investigation

A private investigator working on a criminal case will understand the methods of investigating crime that complies with local and State laws. Some of these methods of investigating crime are the following:

Interviews - interviewing suspects and witnesses
Crime scene - taking photos, fingerprinting, etc.
Surveillance - following suspects
Background checks - checking personal details of suspects and witnesses
Document searches - sifting through court records, company documents, etc. for evidence

Hiring a private investigator for private criminal investigations is beneficial to anyone who has been a victim of a crime, or accused of one they haven’t done. Expecting the police to fully investigate a crime is not always the wisest choice (as explained earlier). If you need to hire a private investigator for a criminal defense case, search our directory.