How I work a case
Investigation is an order of operations. I start with the record, then listen to the people who can explain it.
1. Start from what you already have.
I start with the documents, the messages, and the bank statements. The case is usually in the file before anyone says a word.
One thing to do today: Make a list of the records you have and where each came from.
2. Read for what's missing.
I read for the absence. The approval that isn't there. The call that was never logged. The signature dated after the fact. A gap is a question to resolve, not proof of wrongdoing.
One thing to do today: Write down one record you expected to see but cannot locate.
3. Talk to the person it happened to.
I listen to that person before anyone else, without interrupting. I write the account down in order and separate what they saw from what they were told.
One thing to do today: Choose a calm moment to listen, and write a dated account.
4. Find everyone who might have seen something.
I look for the neighbor, the teller, the bookkeeper, and the board member who asked the question nobody answered. I keep each account separate, including the people who saw nothing.
One thing to do today: List who may know something and what they could have seen firsthand.
5. Save the person you suspect for last.
By then I know what the record says. They can confirm it or contradict it, but they cannot shape it. A family should not confront someone to collect evidence; get qualified help when safety or authority is in question.
One thing to do today: Preserve records you are authorized to access before considering any confrontation.
What the job taught me
An allegation is a starting point, not a conclusion. I record what supports an account and what contradicts it. If a stranger cannot follow the file from beginning to end, my work is not finished.
What I won't do
- I won't promise recovery.
- I won't take a case to make something go away.
- I won't name people or live matters in public.
- I won't tell you what to do in court. That is your lawyer's work.
If this is about an organization
If a monitor sent a document request Monday, what could you produce? The free Grant Risk & Readiness Index tells you in ten minutes.
If this is about a person
That's one thing to do today. To see where she stands on the other six, take the free Elder Risk Check at guardianminds.com. Ten minutes. Nothing to install.