private investigators

A private investigator, or PI, is a person who undertakesinvestigations. They often work for lawyerattorneys in civil cases or onbehalf of a defense attorney. Many work for insurance companies toresolve claims. Before the advent of no-fault divorce, many privateinvestigators were hired to search out evidence of adultery or otherillegal conduct within marriage to establish grounds for a divorce.Despite the lack of legal necessity for such evidence any more,according to press reports collecting evidence of adultery or other"bad behaviour" by spouses and partners is still one of the mostprofitable activities investigators undertake.Many jurisdictions require PIs to be licensed, and they may or may notcarry firearms depending on local laws. Some are ex-police officers.They are expected to keep detailed notes and to be preparedto testify in court regarding any of their observations on behalf oftheir clients. Taking great care to remain within the law (e.g., beingforbidden to trespass on private property or break into homes) is alsorequired, on pain of losing their licences as well as facing criminalcharges. Irregular hours may also be required when performingsurveillance work (e.g., outside someone's house during the early hoursof the morning).

PIs in Fiction - Perhaps the most famous fictional PI is the Sherlock Holmes character created by Arthur Conan Doyle, who would refer to himself in the jargon of his age as a "private inquiries agent." (See Crime fiction for details.)Since about the 1940's, PIs have also been frequently found in fiction as a stock character; they are a hero archetype who stumbles into detective stories to solve a mystery case, whether it be a whodunit murder or other crime activity. The PI is usually cool, relaxed and intelligent. A stereotypical look would have him drink whiskey, tobacco smokingsmoke, dress in a raincoat and Fedora (hat)fedora and be a good marksman.PI's are also popular in television fiction, including such hit series as Magnum P.I., The Rockford Files, and Spenser: For Hire; both TV and movie PI fiction often utilize the device of the main character first-person voiceover to make up for the fact that visual fiction is rarely ever shot in the true first-person, as well as to provide exposition about the detective's thoughts.

See also -

detective

security guard

skiptrace

stock character

criminology

External links -

hypoware.com - Sleuth Semi-realistic detective Role-playing gameRPG game

!my-private-investigator.com - Private investigation web site survey

schmeg.com - Private Investigator Surveillance TechniquesCategory:Protective service occupationsCategory:Stock characters !de:Detektivnl:Privédetectivez h:私家侦 506; DEBUG REDIRECT (private investigator)

Private Investigator
UK Investigator, Leicestershire, England
http://www.investigate4u.net/

L.M. Paul P.I.
Kingston Ontario private investigator, providing investigation services in Ontario.
http://www.lmpaul.com/

Mapleton Investigations
Located in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, Mapleton Investigations is a full service investigative agency serving attorneys, corporations, insurance firms and private citizens throughout the State of Wisconsin, and through our extensive network of professional associates, can provide investigative services nationwide and in various locations throughout the world. Our experience, compassion and cutting edge technology provides a foundation for win-win outcomes and satisfied clients. Our areas of specialty are missing persons, child custody and nursing home abuse investigations. We also specialize in loss prevention and security consulting, and offer rental, sale and set up of covert video surveillance equipment for all applications. At Mapleton Investigations, our clients receive the individual attention necessary to investigate their specific needs. We provide you with expedient results and indisputable video and photographic evidence acknowledged by today’s court system.
http://www.mpltnpi.com/

Private Investigators
Famous Private Investigators
http://www.laprivateeye.com

John Cook & Associates
Private Investigation
http://www.johncookpi.com/

Pimall.com
Directory of private investigators with resources for this profession.
http://www.pimall.com

Executive Intelligence Service
Perform investigations of elder abuse, fraud and child abuse.
http://www.77investigators.com/

Oklahoma Private Investigators Association
Offering a statewide directory of investigators.
http://www.opia.com/