Private Investigators Research Articles

(Invited) Fruitful and False Analogies between Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers

In the past 20 years polymer electrolyzer membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) received great attention as a clean alternative for powering mobility and stationary applications. Resultingly, there has been a rich amount of research by public, private and university investigators particularly focusing on membranes, catalysts, transport and cost. Yields of great advances were made, though scant attention was given to the generation of this hydrogen and polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) was the neglected stepsister, sentenced to back chapters, footnotes, and small conference rooms. Now however the opportunity for hydrogen generated from renewables, "green hydrogen" has been widely seen as an opportunity to not only provide hydrogen for these PEMFC applications, but also seemingly intractable CO2 emitters as ammonia generation and steel and petroleum refining. As numerous government agencies have announced eye-popping targets for green electrolysis and the complementary research funding, the temptation is to take the beautiful evening gown woven of PEMFC research and adorn the overlooked stepsister. .Zealous PEMFC researchers have not surprisingly reversed course and focused attention on making, rather than consuming hydrogen. Exploitation of the PEMFC and PEMWE analogy is tempting, as many of the materials and reactions are the same or similar. Noteworthy, there are the polymer electrolyte membrane, expensive PGM catalysts, a very fast hydrogen reaction and very slow oxygen reaction. Yearning for faster kinetics and facile heat management, both also have pushed operation to higher temperatures and suffer the accelerated degradation that goes with it. Using these analogies has has generated some benefits, particularly in lower catalyst loading and conductive membrane resistance. Keeping in mind the differences is key however, as PEMWE will generally need to operate at much higher currents, under higher pressures, for far longer durations.This talk will look at what PEMWE has and has the potential to learn from PEMFC research. We will look at materials, their key aspects and how optimizing for each is different, with a focus on costs, the use of hydrocarbon materials, chemical and mechanical durability strategies and recycling. Use cases will also be explored, particularly how the need for high hydrogen production pressures (>30 bar) changes the electrode assembly as well as the balance of stack.

Private investigations and ethical orientations: a cause for concern?

Purpose A significant number of criminal and deviant acts are investigated by nonpolice actors. These include private investigators who charge fees for their services, professional services firms such as firms of accountants who also charge fees, in-house investigators employed by private organisations and in-house investigators of public sector organisations who are not sworn police officers. Some of these investigators, such as private investigators, have been exposed in unethical activities such as illegal surveillance and blagging to name some. In this respect, this study aims to uncover the ethical orientations of investigators using cluster analysis. Design/methodology/approach This study is based upon an online survey of private investigators predominantly in the UK, i.e. investigators beyond the public police. An innovate statistical inferential analysis was used to investigate the sample which resulted in the development of three ethical orientations of such investigators. Findings Based upon a survey response from 331 of these types of investigators this study illustrates the extent they engage in unethical activities, showing a very small minority of largely private investigators who engage in such activities. Originality/value A unique feature of this study is the use of an innovative statistical approach using an unsupervised machine learning model, namely, TwoStep cluster analysis, to successfully group and classify respondents based on their ethical orientation. The model derived three types of ethical orientation: ethical, inbetweeners and risk takers.

Virtual reality aiding fire scene investigation: A thankless endeavor or catalyst for change?

AbstractThe training of a fire investigator should lay the foundations for a systematic, evidence‐based, and unbiased analysis of a fire scene. The ability of the investigators to determine the origin, cause and development of a fire is gained through education, experience based on on‐the‐job training and focused continuous professional development (CPD). Practitioners have met these requirements for several decades through formal examinations and specialized training. Additionally, several countries provide training in full‐scale (simulated) fire scenes for public and private sector fire investigators. These scenes may also be used for ongoing competency and proficiency testing. However, simulated fire scene setups are costly, limited to a single excavation event, and often short‐lived due to deterioration upon use and ease of contamination. The COVID‐19 pandemic highlighted the need, and provided the opportunity, for developing both virtual/hybrid training and competence testing, prompting the exploration of novel technologies in this area. A cross‐border multi‐agency partnership between academics, forensic practitioners, and forensic scientists explored the feasibility of leveraging digitalization techniques to support immersive virtual reality (VR). We outline the critical aspects and requirements beyond the challenges connected to technical feasibility, which the forensic science and judicial community demand so that technological development would be considered admissible within the justice system.This article is categorized under: Crime Scene Investigation > Crime Scene Documentation and Visualization Digital and Multimedia Science > Multimedia Forensics

Enhancing law enforcement training: A gamified approach to detecting terrorism financing

Tools for fighting cyber-criminal activities using new technologies are promoted and deployed every day. However, too often, they are unnecessarily complex and hard to use, requiring deep domain and technical knowledge. These characteristics often limit the engagement of law enforcement and end-users in these technologies, which despite their potential, remain misunderstood. For this reason, in this study, we describe our experience in combining learning and training methods and the potential benefits of gamification to enhance technology transfer and increase adult learning. In this case, participants are experienced practitioners in professions/industries that are exposed to terrorism financing (such as law enforcement officers, financial investigation officers, private investigators). We define training activities on different levels for increasing the exchange of information about new trends and criminal modus operandi among and within law enforcement agencies, intensifying cross-border cooperation and supporting efforts to combat and prevent terrorism-funding activities. A game (hackathon) is designed to address realistic challenges related to the darknet, crypto-assets, new payment systems and dark web marketplaces that could be used for terrorist activities. The entire methodology was evaluated using quizzes, contest results and engagement metrics. In particular, training events show that ∼60% of participants complete the 11-week training course, whereas the hackathon results, gathered in two pilot studies (Madrid and The Hague), show increasing expertise among participants (progression in the points achieved on average). At the same time, more than 70% of participants positively evaluate use of the gamification approach, and more than 85% consider the implemented use cases suitable for their investigations. These outcomes are further discussed to detect the introduced approach's benefits and limitations and improve future events.

Review on Polygraph Testing in Clinical Forensic Psychology

Polygraph tests are widely employed as forensic tests in investigations and in legal proceedings. The aim of this study is to demonstrate how physiology and psychological techniques operate in lie detection or Polygraph provides a contribution to scientific methods of criminal investigation. Lie detector tests use a polygraph machine that consists of different parts to measure the changes in the physiological aspects (usually respiration, electro dermal activity, relative blood pressure, and often peripheral vasomotor activity) of a person while answering questions or reacting to statements. Polygraph testing is still used in certain contexts, its validity and reliability are matters of ongoing debate within the scientific community. Many experts argue that it should not be the sole basis for making high-stakes decisions. Polygraph tests are used frequently in many fields, such as law enforcement, national security, and private investigations etc. The constitutional validity of Polygraph Test is still unanswered. Thus, government should enact new legislation regarding application of lie detectors in criminal justice. So that, our legal system take better advantage of rapid advances in scientific tools which work as judicial aids.

ÇÖZÜMLENMEMİŞ GİZEMLER: THOMAS PYNCHON'UN THE CRYING OF LOT 49 VE INHERENT VICE ROMANLARINDA DEDEKTİF KURGU VE PARODİ

Thomas Pynchon’s novels are noted for their postmodernist characteristics. Some of his novels also include certain features of detective fiction. In The Crying of Lot 49 (1966), the focus of Oedipa –a housewife whose name alludes to Oedipus of Sophocles— shifts to unravelling the mystery of a shadowy underground postal system, and she turns out to be an amateur ‘detective’. The challenge is that the ‘clues’ do not clarify the case, which may or may not be real. A similar pattern is available in Inherent Vice (2009), in which a professional, sandal-wearing, “pothead” detective, Larry “Doc” Sportello, is at work in 1970s California. Inherent Vice does not provide a clear, definitive resolution to the mysteries. Instead, the novel maintains ambiguity and open-endedness, allowing readers to reflect on the intricacies of the narrative and the nature of the quest itself. Thomas Pynchon plays with the detective genre by parodying generic conventions in both works. A parodic work, characterized by its dialogical nature, comically criticizes its target and simultaneously crystallizes its conventions. While utilizing recognizable tropes and characteristics of archetypal private investigators, Pynchon employs unconventional methods for solving the crime, ironic inversions, and absurdities to subvert the stereotypical portrayal of a detective. In this respect, Pynchon, with his examples of postmodern/ metaphysical detective stories, both nurtures and subverts the detective genre. In this paper, The Crying of Lot 49 and Inherent Vice are examined regarding how Pynchon both validates and questions the established norms of the traditional detective genre by using parody.

민간조사제도에 대한 빅데이터 분석 연구

In this study, we would like to explore how the media means the private investigation system through “Big Cains,” a news big data analysis site. Therefore, it provided a big data system for the media and collected data from various media organizations to analyze media reports on private investigations through BigKinds, a news big data analysis system created as news content. In order to achieve the purpose of the research, the flow of keywords was identified by dividing them into 2000s, 2010s and 2020s and deriving and presenting the number of related articles every year during that period. As a result of this study, it was found that in the 2000s, the frequency of media reporting was low at a time when public interest in the private investigation system and various studies were not conducted in academia. Second, in the 2010s, there was a high topic rank on the private survey system compared to the 2000s, and various research and education were conducted in academia and industry related to government policies and private surveys. Third, the 2020s marked a high topic rank as related laws were revised, heralding a new change in the private investigation system. Therefore, it is hoped that the government will move in a direction that will greatly help the people's security demand by supplementing the protection of citizens' rights, minimizing conflicts between direct translations, and limitations of national security.

The Effect of the Security and Exchange Commission’s Investigations into Corporate Social Responsibility Performance

We examine the effect of the Security and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) investigations into firms’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance. Adopting a staggered event study setting and analyzing all public and private SEC investigations into possible violations of federal securities laws, we find that firms reduce their investment in ESG-related activities and experience significantly lower CSR performance while being investigated by the SEC. This baseline finding is more pronounced among firms that appoint a large auditor or force their CEO to resign. To address concerns about potential endogeneity, we also conduct a multiperiod dynamic analysis and estimate our baseline regressions using the propensity-score-matched sample. Our results further reveal that the negative effect of SEC investigations on CSR performance manifests in CSR activities related to corporate governance and firms’ products. Overall, we highlight some unintended consequences of SEC investigations.

Investigating Feminicide in Mexico. The Conversation Management Approach proposal

Abstract In Latin America, the investigative interview is still in its beginnings. Currently, most public and private investigators use interview and interrogation techniques aimed at obtaining admission or confession, instead of applying Investigative Interview techniques focused on information gathering. This document provides an overview of the Conversation Management Approach. This is an investigative interview technique used to interview uncooperative criminal suspects, such as those accused of feminicide. An example of how to apply the technique in a case of feminicide is shown, to serve as a guide to good practices. This technique consists of three phases that must be considered when administering and applying the interview. In the first, the behavior before the interview is reviewed, in which the planning and preparation of the interview was carried out. The second phase is the interview to elicit information, which consists of a variety of questioning style techniques, explanation of procedures and instructions to follow, rapport building, and clarification of information. The third phase is called the post-interview phase, which consists of closing and evaluating the entire interview process. The objective of this work is to provide Latin American interviewers with information on the best practices in investigative interviews used in other countries, to raise their aware of the need for training in this area. The correct application of investigative interview techniques is essential to investigate crime, and training of interviewers in this type of technique is necessary to improve the results obtained through interviews.

Exploring Private Investigation Agencies’ Experience of Collaboration with Law Enforcement in Investigations of Human Trafficking Cases

In their forefront role to address human trafficking, law enforcement agencies (LEAs) have often faced challenges in efforts to investigate this crime. Non-traditional partnerships should be explored to improve strategies to investigate human trafficking. Could private investigation agencies (PIAs) collaborate with LEAs to help improve human trafficking investigations? The present study examines PIAs’ experiences of collaboration with LEAs for human trafficking investigations. A mixed research method design was used. Purposive sampling was used to select 81 participants representing 81 PIAs for a survey. Follow-up semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 of the 39 survey participants who reported that their agencies had collaborated with LEAs for human trafficking investigations. The findings show varying levels of success and challenges for PIAs in interagency collaboration with LEAs. The challenges to collaboration identified could be mostly explained by LEAs’ misperceptions of private investigators, their over-reliance on a criminal approach instead of a victim-centered one in investigating trafficking cases and recovering victims, and legal or ethical limitations. Positive aspects of PIA–LEA partnerships regarding human trafficking investigations were discussed and so were strategies to address inherent challenges to interagency collaboration. Several policy implications were discussed for developing and improving partnership initiatives with law enforcement in an effort to prevent human trafficking, protect victims, and prosecute trafficking cases.

Slightly More Than Two Cheers For Sneaky Private Investigations Into Questionable Business Operations

Slightly More Than Two Cheers For Sneaky Private Investigations Into Questionable Business Operations

금융범죄에 대응한 탐정 역할의 활성화 방안 - 대환대출사기 중심으로 -

대환대출사기 범죄는 시민들의 안전한 경제생활을 파괴함으로써 국가의 경 제 질서체제를 방해하는 중대범죄이므로 반드시 척결되어야 한다. 대환대출사 기는 시민들이 기존에 이용하고 있던 금융상품을 저금리 금융상품 또는 정부의 서민지원정책인 햇살론과 같은 상품을 미끼로 이루어지는 범죄행위로 그 범죄 수법이 매우 교활하고 대환대출사기 한 번으로 범죄가 끝나지 않으며 수사기관 의 감시를 피하고자 불법수수료, 고금리의 이자를 현금화시키거나 중고차거래, 부동산 투자 등을 이용하여 불법 자금을 세탁시키는 치밀함을 보여주고 있다. 대환대출사기 조직들은 변화되는 금융시장의 정보를 바탕으로 하여 매번 그 수 법을 진화시키고 있으며, 범죄피해자들을 대상으로 꾸준한 관리를 통한 파산· 회생의 절차를 사전에 섭외해둔 법률사무소를 이용하도록 하여 한 번 더 불법 수수료를 챙기는 등의 악랄한 수법을 보인다. 이에 금융감독원에서는 「대부업 등의 등록 및 금융이용자 보호에 관한 법률」을 바탕으로 불법광고, 불법수수 료, 미등록 대부업, 고금리 등에 관련해 관리·감독하고 민원 상담 업무를 시행 하고 있지만 대환대출사기조직들의 불법수수료 현금 수취와 불법자금의 세탁으 로 인하여 민원청구가 쉽지 않은 현실이다. 또한, 대환대출사기의 피해자들이 수사기관에 피해사실을 접수하려면 피해에 대한 정확한 증거를 바탕으로 접수 해 수사를 진행하여야 하지만 피해자들이 피해에 관련하여 정확한 증거수집을 하기에 쉽지 않고 수사기관에서도 이 모든 수사를 진행하기에는 인력부족과 같 은 이유로 수사의 사각지대가 생길 수밖에 없는 실정이다. 이에 본 논문에서는 대환대출사기 범죄에 대응하여 탐정의 기본적인 관련 법률의 재정비와 대환대 출사기에 관련한 전문화 교육 및 기술적인 문제점을 보완할 수 있는 영리업체 와의 협력 모색, 그리고 수사기관 및 금융감독원과의 업무협력의 강화 등 대환 대출사기에 대응할 탐정 업무영역의 활성화 방안을 제시하였다.

L’Oréal’s Dilemma: Aligning Beauty Trends With Ethical Goals

On January 31, 2017, L’Oréal became a founding member of the Responsible Mica Initiative to combat safety concerns within their supply chain involving the mineral mica. Mica is affordable and holds unique qualities that make it very attractive in the cosmetic industry. However, it has received a lot of negative attention in recent years due to private investigations exposing inconsistencies between the message companies are sending to their customers, and what is actually happening within mining communities. As the leading cosmetic company in the world, L’Oréal’s actions have a large impact on these communities. This case study examines the approach L’Oréal has taken to combat these issues and possible extra steps they could take.

Practice approaches to combat child trafficking in trafficking-sensitive areas in Ghana: Experiences of practitioners involved in child trafficking interventions

ObjectiveEfforts to identify child traffickers, rescue victims of Child Trafficking (CT) and facilitate a smooth reunification of children with their families remain important child protection components of the CT crisis in Ghana. This study utilizes the experiences of practitioners in three (3) regional offices of a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) – International Needs Ghana, that is at the forefront of implementing national strategies aimed at protecting and safeguarding the welfare of children. MethodWe solicited the views of 15 practitioners involved in CT interventions on the approaches used to identify traffickers and rescue and care for trafficked children in Ghana. Evidence was gathered by means of semi-structured qualitative interviews. Narratives from the practitioners were organized using NVivo and analyzed thematically following reflexive thematic analysis procedures. ResultsThe study identified three inter-connected approaches used by practitioners to rescue and protect victims of trafficking. These include the following: 1) community engagements and participatory efforts, 2) The use of private investigators, 3) The provision of aftercare support to rescued children through placing them in care homes where they are prepared for reunification with their families. ConclusionBased on these, the findings recommend the intensification of trafficking awareness campaigns in rural communities where education is lacking. The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has been identified as an appropriate national body to spearhead such a mandate. Considering that some traffickers are protected by communities, it is recommended that government and non-profits make efforts at creating awareness in communities about the dangers of shielding traffickers through community durbars and informative sessions during cultural festivities like the “Hogbetsotso” festival, “Asogli Yam Festival”, and the “Odwira” festival. Findings also point to the need for state and non-state institutions to prepare poor families financially for the return of their trafficked children through equipping them with technical and vocational skills like bead making, soap making, weaving and carpentering. Finally, the study recommends the incorporation of trauma-informed treatments in the curriculum training of professionals like social workers and psychologists, to ensure that they provide evidence-based services for children in after-care.

Davids versus Goliaths: Pharma and academia threats to individual scientists and clinicians

Background We previously described experiences of clinicians who published adverse drug reaction reports. We now report on threats and intimidations leveled against clinicians and scientists who received publicly documented threats after communicating safety, efficacy, or data integrity findings contrary to corporate interests. Methods Data on threats and intimidations were obtained from transcripts of governmental hearings or agencies, university-affiliated reports, media interviews, and investigative journalism articles. Content and timing of threats and intimidation, subsequent harms, numbers of persons seriously injured or who died from individual toxicities, financial payments from sponsors related to safety, efficacy, or data integrity concerns, and civil settlements and criminal findings were evaluated. Findings Twenty-six individuals who communicated safety, efficacy, or data integrity concerns were targets of threats and intimidation from corporate employees (twenty-three individuals) or regulatory personnel (three). Seventeen individuals identified instances where pharmaceutical sponsors submitted fraudulent data in support of regulatory approval of a drug or device. Scientist and clinician communications were followed by drug/device withdrawals (fourteen drugs/devices), black box warnings (six drugs), withdrawal of a sponsor’s application for regulatory approval (one device), and delay of approval of a sponsor’s application for regulatory approval (one drug). Actions mainly occurred after persons communicated with pharmaceutical employees (fourteen). Intimidation efforts by corporate personnel included threats of lawsuits (eighteen individuals), hiring private investigators (nine), and public disparagement at conferences (eleven). Related intimidation efforts carried out by academia or regulatory agency superiors included threats of: loss of positions (six), loss of grant funding (two), delays in decisions regarding tenure (two); or reassignment to a low-level position (one). Academic harms included lost: hospital or university appointments (nine and six, respectively), grant funding (two), chairperson title of an international clinical trial group (one), and journal editorial board position (one). Corporate harms included payment of $1 million to defense attorneys in three cases filed against clinicians. Interpretation Threats and intimidation carried out by corporate employees and/or academic supervisors followed public communication of concerns regarding patient safety, drug efficacy, or data integrity, including instances where sponsors were identified as having submitted fraudulent data to regulatory or government agencies. Consideration should be given to filing criminal charges against pharmaceutical executives who are discovered by scientists or clinicians to have knowingly submitted fraudulent data to regulatory or governmental agencies, rather than causing the scientists and clinicians who submit such reports to risk losing their reputations and occupations.

Investigative private policing beyond the police: an exploratory study

ABSTRACT This paper is based on a survey of 331 private investigators predominantly based or working in the UK. It offers findings on the background, roles undertaken, tools used and outcomes of their work. It divides the investigators into four main groups: private investigators (or detectives), investigators working for forensic accountants, in-house private investigators and in-house public investigators (non-police). Given the lack of research on this segment of private policing, important exploratory findings are presented which can be used as the foundations of further research in this rarely investigated sector. The paper illustrates the dominance of older men in second careers among private investigators, the dominance of fraud investigation as the most common work undertaken and limited involvement in surveillance. The paper also presents significant findings on the number of persons who face some form of justice as a result of their investigations.

Private Investigators and Public Speakers

AbstractNear the end of ‘Naming the Colours’, Lewis (1997) makes an interesting claim about the relationship between linguistic and mental content; we are typically unable to read the content of a belief off the content of a sentence used to express that belief or vice versa. I call this view ‘autonomism’. I motivate and defend autonomism and discuss its importance in the philosophy of mind and language. In a nutshell, I argue that the different theoretical roles that mental and linguistic content play suggest these kinds of content should be understood as sensitive to different things.

Integrated healthcare services for HIV, diabetes mellitus and hypertension in selected health facilities in Kampala and Wakiso districts, Uganda: A qualitative methods study.

Health policies in Africa are shifting towards integrated care services for chronic conditions, but in parts of Africa robust evidence on effectiveness is limited. We assessed the integration of vertical health services for HIV, diabetes and hypertension provided in a feasibility study within five health facilities in Uganda. From November 2018 to January 2020, we conducted a series of three in-depth interviews with 31, 29 and 24 service users attending the integrated clinics within Kampala and Wakiso districts. Ten healthcare workers were interviewed twice during the same period. Interviews were conducted in Luganda, translated into English, and analysed thematically using the concepts of availability, affordability and acceptability. All participants reported shortages of diabetes and hypertension drugs and diagnostic equipment prior to the establishment of the integrated clinics. These shortages were mostly addressed in the integrated clinics through a drugs buffer. Integration did not affect the already good provision of anti-retroviral therapy. The cost of transport reduced because of fewer clinic visits after integration. Healthcare workers reported that the main cause of non-adherence among users with diabetes and hypertension was poverty. Participants with diabetes and hypertension reported they could not afford private clinical investigations or purchase drugs prior to the establishment of the integrated clinics. The strengthening of drug supply for non-communicable conditions in the integrated clinics was welcomed. Most participants observed that the integrated clinic reduced feelings of stigma for those living with HIV. Sharing the clinic afforded privacy about an individual's condition, and users were comfortable with the waiting room sitting arrangement. We found that integrating non-communicable disease and HIV care had benefits for all users. Integrated care could be an effective model of care if service users have access to a reliable supply of basic medicines for both HIV and non-communicable disease conditions.

To License or Not to License Reexamined: An Updated Report on Licensing of Digital Examiners Under State Private Investigator Statutes

In this update to the 2015 study, the authors examine US state statutes and regulations relating to licensing and enforcement of Digital Examiner functions under each state’s private investigator/detective statute. As with the prior studies, the authors find that very few state statutes explicitly distinguish between Private Investigators (PI) and Digital Examiners (DE), and when they do, they either explicitly require a license or exempt them from the licensing statute. As noted in the previous 2015 study there is a minor trend in which some states are moving to exempt DE from PI licensing requirements. We examine this trend as well as look at some additional information in terms of exemptions including those relating to practicing attorneys, employer/employee relationships, expert testimony, and penalties for violation of the PI statutes where it is believed a PI license is required. As with the previous studies (Lonardo et al., 2008, 2009, 2012, 2015) we reviewed all state statues relating to PI licensing. Where statutory language did not explicitly address exemption or inclusion of Digital Examiners, we contacted the relevant state regulatory body (i.e., Secretary of State’s office, State Police, regulatory agency) to assess the applicability of Digital Examiners under the respective state statues. Based on this statutory review and regulatory feedback we present the various state approaches to professional Digital Examiner licensing. Our recommendation remains the same: states must differentiate between Private Investigator and Digital Examiner licensing requirements and oversight.

The Mediating Effect of Self-efficacy in the Relationship between Social Intelligence and Career Commitment of Private Investigators

The Mediating Effect of Self-efficacy in the Relationship between Social Intelligence and Career Commitment of Private Investigators