Why might you need a private investigator to conduct a criminal investigation?

Unlike civil court where lawsuits are “Person X” versus “Person Y,” criminal court cases are filed as “The People of…” (Oregon, the United States, etc. based on jurisdiction) versus “Person Z.” This is an important distinction.

Even though there is a specific victim of a crime, the prosecution and law enforcement’s criminal investigations are conducted on behalf of “the people” – and when the state does something on behalf of all the people, the best interests of an individual (or victim) may not always be addressed.

For example, the owner of a security firm may suspect (s)he is being embezzled from by one of their employees. The security firm’s owner might hesitate to call law enforcement because of the negative impact that the publicity of an arrest and trial might have on the business. Just firing the employee might seem like a good solution, but without adequately documenting the reason for termination the company could leave itself open to legal actions. Assuming the embezzlement allegation was true, an independent and unbiased investigation by a competent private investigator would provide the company with enough legal grounds for termination. The business owner would also have the option of turning the matter over to law enforcement if so desired, subject to a statute of limitations.

Family/Marital investigations: Family violence and abuse can often be the reason for relationships to end and marriages to dissolve. There are times and situations where the victim(s) of family violence or abuse do not want law enforcement’s involvement, but they do need evidence collected and events documented. Hiring a private investigator can help gather the information necessary to move forward.

Private investigators can also be useful when persons have been alleged to have committed specific crimes. Because private investigators are independent of the criminal investigation, they can bring an unbiased viewpoint when reviewing police reports and can impartially gather any overlooked facts about the alleged crime.

ORISR has experience in successfully conducting a wide variety of criminal investigations. If you suspect that you, a friend or family member have been the victim of a crime, we are available to privately and confidentially discuss the situation with you.

ORISR strongly urges you to contact law enforcement immediately if there has been any violence or physical/sexual abuse. If you feel you are in immediate danger of any violence or physical/sexual abuse, stop reading this and call 911 right now.