Risk Assessment Flashcards

An investigator gets a request to locate a person and the client's story seems inconsistent and emotionally charged. What is the PRIMARY risk to consider?

Answer: The client may be a stalker or abuser trying to find a victim

Locate assignments carry a known risk of helping abusers find victims, so client screening and motive checks are essential.

What is the MAIN purpose of a pre-surveillance reconnaissance of the subject's neighborhood?

Answer: To spot vantage points, exit routes, hazards, and exposure risks before the operation

Reconnaissance helps the investigator plan for safety, discretion, and effective observation.

Which statement BEST describes spoliation risk in an investigation?

Answer: Losing, changing, or destroying relevant evidence can lead to sanctions or adverse-inference instructions

Once litigation is reasonably anticipated, failing to preserve relevant evidence can bring court sanctions, including adverse-inference instructions.

An investigator accessing a subject's email account by guessing the password creates which main legal risk?

Answer: Violating the Stored Communications Act and computer fraud statutes

Unauthorized access to stored electronic communications violates the SCA and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, and can bring criminal penalties.

Which approach BEST reduces the risk of bias affecting an investigation's findings?

Answer: Testing several hypotheses and documenting evidence that contradicts the client's theory

Considering alternative hypotheses and recording contrary evidence protects against confirmation bias and keeps the investigation credible.

Why should an investigator assess the risk of cross-examination before writing a final report?

Answer: The report and the investigator's methods may be closely examined at deposition or trial

Investigators may be called to testify, so reports must be accurate, supportable, and free of overstatement.

A defense investigator plans to interview a minor witness. What is the MOST important risk-mitigation step?

Answer: Get parental or guardian consent and follow state rules on interviewing minors

Interviewing minors without proper consent can create legal, ethical, and credibility problems, and offering inducements risks witness tampering claims.