Editing Private investigator (section)

== Employment ==
Many private detectives/investigators with special academic and practical experience often work with defense [[lawyer|attorney]]s on [[capital punishment]] and other [[criminal defense]] cases. Others are [[insurance investigator]]s who investigate suspicious claims. Before the advent of [[no-fault divorce]], many private investigators sought evidence of adultery or other conduct within marriage to establish grounds for a divorce. Despite the lack of legal necessity for such evidence in many jurisdictions, according to press reports, collecting evidence of spouses' and partners' adultery or other "bad behaviour" is still one of their most profitable undertakings, as the stakes being fought over now are child custody, alimony, or marital property disputes.<ref name="main">{{cite web|url=http://www.bls.gov/ooh/protective-service/private-detectives-and-investigators.htm|title=Private Detectives and Investigators|publisher=United States Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-2011 Edition|year=2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702131834/http://www.bls.gov/ooh/protective-service/private-detectives-and-investigators.htm|archive-date=2015-07-02}}</ref>

Private investigators can also perform [[due diligence]] for an investor considering investing with an investment group, fund manager, or other high-risk business or investment venture. This could help the prospective investor avoid being the victim of fraud. A licensed and experienced investigator could reveal the investment is risky and/or the investor has a suspicious background. This is called investigative due diligence, and is becoming more prevalent in the 21st century with the public reports of large-scale [[Ponzi scheme]]s and other fraudulent investment vehicles.

There are also cases of [[Corruption|corrupt]] private detectives who, at times, have been known to work for criminals such as [[Stalking|stalkers]] and [[crime boss]]es to track down escaped victims, rival criminals and/or [[witness]]es that have gone into hiding or to gather compromising evidence against witnesses, [[informants]], [[prosecutors]] and/or police investigators that could be used in upcoming [[trial]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.insider.com/jeffrey-epstein-hired-private-investigators-to-silence-accusers-report-2019-7|title = Jeffrey Epstein reportedly hired private investigators to intimidate and silence accusers, witnesses, and prosecutors|website = [[Insider.com]]|access-date = 2021-08-09|archive-date = 2023-10-21|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231021212113/https://www.insider.com/jeffrey-epstein-hired-private-investigators-to-silence-accusers-report-2019-7|url-status = live}}</ref>