Our newsletter is a monthly rundown of interesting articles, upcoming events, and commentary
Sexual abuse investigations are one of the most challenging types of regulatory investigations to conduct. The following tips are a brief overview of some key things investigators should consider when taking on these important cases....
What do you do when a workplace investigation does not support the allegations of harassment? We believe understanding the reasons why and the underlying dynamic will go a long way in guiding employers towards making the right decisions following such investigations....
Incidents involving unlicensed practitioners are increasing across the United States and Canada, and in many jurisdictions, combating illegal practitioners falls to the regulatory body.This article describes the scope of the problem and explains methods for preventing unlicensed practice and identifying unlicensed practitioners by using investigative techniques.The article also addresses the value of collaborating with other organizations and the need for the resources to investigate unlicensed practitioners....
When investigators testify, they have the opportunity to demonstrate their credibility and professionalism. To do so, they should be aware of techniques for keeping calm and providing thoughtful, responsive answers. One important technique a skilled witness uses is to focus on the limits of the actual question, rather than to interpret it and over answer....
For investigators, the report is everything. Investigators are not on the stand for every case, and most cases do not even make it to a hearing. Thus, the investigator’s reputation relies on his or her report....
To avoid claims of incompetence, investigators should implement evidence procedures and follow them. They need to make sure all evidence is dated and use some form of case management. For documentation, investigators must ensure they have backup. They should scan documents or make extra copies with dates and times for all interviews and documents for each case file, and log every phone call for every case file....
Investigators-even if they understand the line between appropriate conduct and misconduct and would never cross it-can still be accused of misconduct, such as coercion, threats, and intimidation to obtain information. To protect themselves from such accusations, investigators should record their interviews, as long as their client doesn’t object. However, recording is a two-way street....
Accusations of incompetence can result from poor record keeping and note taking, inaccurate or unclear report writing, failure to consider all sources of information and failure to meet timelines....
An investigator’s career depends on maintaining integrity and credibility in the eyes of others. If an investigator’s integrity is in question, his or her effectiveness is compromised, perhaps forever....
Investigators must always be vigilant on the issue of confidentiality. It is often necessary to share information that some might suggest is confidential, but to complete an interview or gather relevant documentation investigators may need to share some information....
Our newsletter is a monthly rundown of interesting articles, upcoming events, and commentary
