Informants In Criminal Investigations
n law enforcement informants are important to criminal investigations and associated operations. There are many rewards and risks associated with the use of informants in an investigation, but the use of them can provide a significant amount of information in criminal activities. Although it is virtually unseen to the community, the usage of criminal informants is universally spread out in the justice system. From boulevards, jails, courthouses, and prisons annually the law enforcement conveys informant agreements with offenders in which suspects can avoid punishment in exchange for information (Natapoff, 2010). The arrangements usually happen in private, and are subject to few rules and little oversight (Natapoff, 2010). Criminal informants
can be an imperative tool to police because the use of them has some costs. The informants habitually remain to commit crimes, and sometimes the information they provide is reputably untrustworthy. This can be problematic for the police when arresting the criminal offenders who have been told on. One example of problems with informants was with the Secret Service and one of their top former informants, Albert Gonzalez, was operating one of the largest credit card data theft rings in the country (Natapoff, 2010). Gonzalez was able to use his government connections to endorse his illicit activities and to give information to other criminals on how to avoid detection (Natapoff, 2010). Although, not all informants are producing a better way to commit their criminal offenses, some can be victims as well. For example, Rachel Hoffman was a Florida State college graduate who was found with marijuana and non-prescription pills, to avoid prosecution she agreed to be an informant (Natapoff, 2010). Law enforcement had her on a sting to obtain a large amount of drugs and a gun but was killed during the operation (Natapoff, 2010). Informants can be a treasured investigative means by providing law enforcement with information against criminal operations; however, there are several types of informants, potential benefits and risk by associating with informants, justifications and motivations, protection, and individual vulnerabilities that need to be taken into consideration when working with this community.
can be an imperative tool to police because the use of them has some costs. The informants habitually remain to commit crimes, and sometimes the information they provide is reputably untrustworthy. This can be problematic for the police when arresting the criminal offenders who have been told on. One example of problems with informants was with the Secret Service and one of their top former informants, Albert Gonzalez, was operating one of the largest credit card data theft rings in the country (Natapoff, 2010). Gonzalez was able to use his government connections to endorse his illicit activities and to give information to other criminals on how to avoid detection (Natapoff, 2010). Although, not all informants are producing a better way to commit their criminal offenses, some can be victims as well. For example, Rachel Hoffman was a Florida State college graduate who was found with marijuana and non-prescription pills, to avoid prosecution she agreed to be an informant (Natapoff, 2010). Law enforcement had her on a sting to obtain a large amount of drugs and a gun but was killed during the operation (Natapoff, 2010). Informants can be a treasured investigative means by providing law enforcement with information against criminal operations; however, there are several types of informants, potential benefits and risk by associating with informants, justifications and motivations, protection, and individual vulnerabilities that need to be taken into consideration when working with this community.