Criminal Investigation

Great book...I love it...

This is the best criminal investigation survey book I've come across. In terms of my experiences it seems to be the real McCoy. That is, what the author reports is close or identical to my experiences. The author even alludes to much of the nonsense that happens within an investigation. So I recommend the book for newbie investigators. However, the book has the same fault all the other investigation books have, and I assume this is the result of no real world investigation experience by the authors. None of the books address the forces that act upon an investigation. Investigators can experience a quick career meltdown when their conclusions are at odds with 'experts' and powerful political influences. There really are idiots whose walls are filled with diplomas and certificates. Their incompetence becomes painfully obvious in court when other experts scrutinize their work. There are 'crisis du jour' groups who see their special monsters beneath every bed and inside every closet, and woe be the investigator who see's differently. Or someone has the ear of a judge or mayor or whomever, plus an active divorce or child custody case. If somneone's best friend is a judge, she WILL try to influence how the case goes. God help you, then, because youre on your own. Cops and legal eagles do not get much training to identify people who manipulate the system.