Art of Investigation Revisited : Practical Tips from the Experts

The Art of Investigation Revisited: Practical Tips from the Experts examines the qual- ities required to be a professional, thorough, and effective investigator and is a follow up to the authors’ highly touted book, The Art of Investigation (2019). This book features a wholly new line-up of investigators, experienced professionals in the field, who delve into the "soft skills" that make an investigator effective. Each chapter examines a specific quality required to be a professional, thorough, and―most importantly―successful in this challenging discipline.

The editors, and contributing authors, are all top in their field and bring a wealth of real-world knowledge and experience to the subject. While several publications exist on the procedures and steps of an investigation, few books cover the creative and intuitive skills required. Such traits are necessary to continually question in the face of investigative roadblocks, unique qualities endemic to an inquisitive mind that can be trained to improve an investigator’s professional skill set. Each chapter discusses the applicability of the traits and requirements to the contributor’s own work and experience as an investigator. In doing so, the contributors will provide valuable stories from their personal experience, which demonstrates their use or a given trait and its importance in the course of their investigative work and career.

The case examples included throughout are engaging and, as is often the case, surprising. An investigator must keep an open mind above all else and this book seeks to "lift the veil" on the inner workings of an investigation and the thought pro- cess and inner monologue of an investigator as part of that process. The book is a welcome addition to any investigator’s toolkit and is also of interest to students in criminal justice, security and Homeland Security programs, security consultants, corporate and private security professionals, and the legal community.

Chelsea Binns is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Security, Fire, and Emergency Management at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She is also the Director of John Jay’s Center for Private Security & Safety. Chelsea has a PhD in Criminal Justice from the CUNY Graduate Center and is a licensed private investigator and a certified fraud examiner. Prior to John Jay, she was an investigator for the City and State of New York and in the financial industry.

Bruce Sackman served as the Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigations Division, Northeast Field Office. He is also a recently retired self-employed licensed private investigator in New York City specializing in healthcare related matters. He is a frequent lecturer on the topic of medical serial killers having spoken through the United States, Great Britain, UAE, and Sweden.