Professional Standards & Ethics Flashcards

An investigator is offered a bonus by a client if the investigation yields a result that supports the client's legal case. What is the most appropriate response?

Answer: Decline and explain that investigative findings must be objective and unbiased

Investigators must maintain objectivity; accepting contingency-based fees tied to outcomes compromises impartiality and violates professional ethics.

Which principle requires a CPI to disclose potential conflicts of interest before accepting an assignment?

Answer: Transparency and disclosure

Transparency and disclosure obligate investigators to reveal conflicts of interest so clients can make informed decisions about representation.

A CPI discovers during an investigation that the client's employee is engaged in illegal activity unrelated to the original assignment. What should the investigator do first?

Answer: Document the finding and consult with legal counsel before taking further action

The investigator should document the discovery and seek legal guidance to understand reporting obligations and client confidentiality duties before acting.

Under the ASIS International Code of Ethics, what is the investigator's duty regarding competence?

Answer: Only accept assignments for which the investigator is qualified and maintain current knowledge

ASIS standards require CPIs to accept only those assignments within their competence and to engage in continuing education to stay current.

An investigator's surveillance of a subject incidentally captures images of a third party engaging in an embarrassing but legal private act. The ethical course of action is to:

Answer: Exclude or redact the images from the report to protect the third party's privacy

Investigators must minimize privacy intrusions on uninvolved third parties; images capturing legal private conduct should be excluded from reports.

Which action best demonstrates adherence to the principle of proportionality in an investigation?

Answer: Matching the level of investigative intrusiveness to the seriousness of the matter being investigated

Proportionality means the investigative methods employed should be no more intrusive than necessary to achieve the investigative objective.

A CPI working for a defense attorney learns information that would exonerate a defendant in an unrelated criminal case. What ethical obligation applies?

Answer: The investigator should advise the attorney of the finding and let the attorney determine disclosure obligations

An investigator engaged by an attorney works under attorney direction; the ethical duty is to report the finding to the attorney, who then determines legal disclosure obligations.