Principles Of Investigative Documentation 2nd Edition

This is the only book in existence that discusses the process of documenting an investigation from start to finish. It presents just about everything an investigator needs to know regarding how to document an investigation. This new edition builds upon the principles outlined in the first edition, but the new edition has a criminal defense bent, with numerous case examples provided that include insurance claims and civil litigation, criminal defense, murders, sexual assaults, and other serious felonies, particularly wrongful convictions. These require meticulous documentation. Proper documentation matters most in criminal cases. This book therefore will focus also on the rights of those accused of crimes. The first chapter discusses the five primary principles of investigative documentation: taking comprehensive notes; documenting every effort to contact witnesses and all surveillance; preparing reports whenever there is any possibility of needing to testify; taking verbatim statements from hostile witnesses and declarations from friendly witnesses; and providing all case documents to the client or maintaining a document retention plan. The second chapter details the numerous misconceptions pertaining to investigative documentation. This chapter sets the stage for the remaining chapters on note-taking, running resumes, reports, statements, and documentation retention. Each chapter is broken down into four or five sections that approximate the methods used to complete that particular documentary endeavor. The book also contains an exhaustive appendix that many investigators will find to be very useful. This is an advanced book for people who already have the necessary skills to do an investigation. By following the principles outlined in this book, investigators will see the quality of their investigations improve markedly and ultimately be more successful. Although the authors have chosen to refocus the second edition on criminal defense investigations, where proper documentation is most important, the principles herein remain the benchmark of how to document any investigation in the private sector.

This is the only book in existence that discusses the process of documenting an investigation from start to finish. It presents just about everything an investigator needs to know regarding how to document an investigation. The first chapter discusses the five primary principles of investigative documentation: taking comprehensive notes; documenting every effort to contact witnesses and all surveillance; preparing reports whenever there is any possibility of needing to testify; taking verbatim statements from hostile witnesses and declarations from friendly witnesses; and providing all case documents to the client or maintaining a document retention plan. The second chapter details the numerous misconceptions pertaining to investigative documentation. This chapter sets the stage for the remaining chapters on note-taking, running resumes, reports, statements, and documentation retention. Each chapter is broken down into four or five sections that approximate the methods used to complete that particular documentary endeavor. The book also contains an exhaustive appendix that many investigators will find to be very useful, including: one that lists hundreds of abbreviations that investigators may find helpful when taking notes; sample reports that readers may use as templates for generating their own reports; an alphabetic stylebook that is based on styles used by the media and federal law enforcement agencies that provides a quick tool for properly referencing abbreviations, names, capitalization and numerals, among other topics; and several sample statements and declarations to show what these documents, when completed, are supposed to look like. This is an advanced book for people who already have the necessary skills to do an investigation. By following the principles outlined in this book, investigators will see the quality of their investigations improve markedly and ultimately be more successful.

This book provides knowledge on the history of law enforcement and its development and explains the factors leading to the evolution of the modern police officer. The first chapter provides information about the book’s purpose and methods of data collection and analysis. The next two chapters summarize ancient forms of law enforcement in Europe and the Middle East. Chapters Four through Ten describe the eras of American history from the early settlements to the modern metropolitan areas and how law enforcement evolved to serve and protect through these eras. Chapters Eleven and Twelve explain the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 and how this legislation affected law enforcement through increased availability of equipment and opportunities for education for all personnel in the criminal justice system. Chapters Thirteen through Fifteen describe specific problems that have developed throughout modern American society and how law enforcement has responded to these problems. Chapter Sixteen summarizes the evolution of police technology and how it affects the most visible member of policing: the patrol officer. Chapter Seventeen reviews the recent criticism and politicization of law enforcement. The final chapter provides conclusions that can be reached about the past and recommendations for improvement in the future. Whether the reader is a college student preparing to enter a career in criminal justice or a seasoned professional, this book will help avoid systemic mistakes of the past. For politicians, journalists, educators, and other people whose professions take them close to law enforcement personnel, this book will explain the evolution of those who have chosen to serve and protect and how they have gone from captured slaves to caring professionals.

This second edition features new and expanded coverage of contaminant hydrogeologic investigations. It presents a practical approach to completing investigations for environmental compliance, emphasizing the use of geologic principles in assessment to move sites toward cleanup. Stressing the basics of collecting data that can withstand regulatory scrutiny and achieve remediation, Principles of Contaminant Hydrogeology, Second Edition demonstrates how to solve a client's site contamination problem while maximizing cost effectiveness. It focuses on small- and medium-sized firms, for which speed, accuracy, and cost are all crucial factors in the site assessment and closure process. Based on "real world" problems, the book takes you step-by-step through the investigation and includes client-consultant-regulator interaction, budgets, ethics, and data extrapolation for solving problems. It introduces concepts such as field logistics, drilling techniques, sampling protocols, contaminant movement, and remediation. Regulatory personnel, hydrogeological consultants, drilling contractors, remediation contractors, university instructors, and students will benefit from the wealth of information provided in this new edition.

All too often, the weakest link in the chain of criminal justice is the crime scene investigation. Improper collection of evidence blocks the finding of truth. Now in its second edition, Practical Crime Scene Processing and Investigation presents practical, proven methods to be used at any crime scene to ensure that evidence is admissible and persuasive. Accompanied by more than 300 color photographs, topics discussed include: Understanding the nature of physical evidence, including fingerprint, biological, trace, hair and fiber, and other forms of evidence Actions of the responding officer, from documenting and securing the initial information to providing emergency care Assessing the scene, including search considerations and dealing with chemical and bioterror hazards Crime scene photography, sketching, mapping, and notes and reports Light technology and preserving fingerprint and impression evidence Shooting scene documentation and reconstruction Bloodstain pattern analysis and the body as a crime scene Special scene considerations, including fire, buried bodies, and entomological evidence The role of crime scene analysis and reconstruction, with step-by-step procedures Two appendices provide additional information on crime scene equipment and risk management, and each chapter is enhanced by a succinct summary, suggested readings, and a series of questions to test assimilation of the material. Using this book in your investigations will help you find out what happened and who is responsible.

Since the first edition of this book was published in 2010, United Nations peace operations have evolved significantly. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, and South Sudan, UN peacekeepers are now engaged in building peace by fighting non-State armed actors, and must consider issues concerning the application of law and policy governing the use of armed force when protecting civilians. In addition, the UN and its peacekeepers are increasingly being held to higher standards of accountability to ensure that their engagement with local forces and populations meets normative requirements found in international humanitarian law and international human rights law. This extensively revised edition of Documents on the Law of UN Peace Operations addresses the key normative principles, rules, and standards that have been a part of this evolution. The book provides essential documents, accompanied with commentary, which identify and explain the legal framework or applicable legal norms involved in the planning, management and conduct of UN peace operations. Topics covered include obligations under international humanitarian law, human rights law, international criminal law, and privileges and immunities. Special attention is also paid to matters such as accountability, the rule of law, and the protection of civilians.

Comprising a compendium of ergonomics methods and techniques, this text covers every aspect of human work. This edition provides a reworking of existing chapters on the framework and context of methodology, the observation of performance, task analysis, experimental and study design, data collection, product assessment, environmental assessments, measurement of work and the evaluation of work systems. New chapters cover topics including: the human-computer interface; computer-aided design; work stress; psychophysiological function; risk evaluation; fieldwork; and participatory work design.

The definitive, must-have guide for the forensic accounting professional Financial Forensics Body of Knowledge is the unique, innovative, and definitive guide and technical reference work for the financial forensics and/or forensic accounting professional, including nearly 300 forensic tools, techniques, methods and methodologies apply to virtually all civil, criminal and dispute matters. Many of the tools have never before been published. It defines the profession: "The Art & Science of Investigating People & Money." It defines Forensic Operators: "...financial forensics-capable personnel... possess unique and specific skills, knowledge, experience, education, training, and integrity to function in the financial forensics discipline." It defines why: "If you understand financial forensics you understand fraud, but not vice versa" by applying financial forensics to all aspects of the financial community. It contains a book-within-a-book Companion Section for financial valuation and litigation specialists. It defines foundational financial forensics/forensic accounting methodologies: FAIM, Forensic Accounting Investigation Methodology, ICE/SCORE, CICO, APD, forensic lexicology, and others. It contains a Reader Lookup Table that permits everyone in the financial community to immediately focus on the pertinent issues.