Watching the Detectives : A Real World Study of Criminal Investigations

Rooted in the author's 25 years of experience in law enforcement, Watching the Detectives: A Real World Study of Criminal Investigations offers a fresh, illuminating, and highly practical approach to the study of the investigative process. 

The book covers entry into the field of detective work and what that work entails. Specific chapters are devoted to search and seizure, interviews and interrogations, sexual assault investigations, hearings and trials, and how and when law enforcement investigates its own. Every chapter includes a fascinating glimpse into police work through first-person accounts of real cases and experiences. Learning targets help students read with focus and purpose. Brief self-assessments at the end of each chapter allow students to measure what they have learned. 

Fascinating and accessible, Watching the Detectives gives readers an accurate understanding of the realities of investigative work and practical information about every aspect of the process, as well as enhanced insight into the experiences of victims. The book is an excellent choice as a primary or supplemental text for courses in criminal investigations at the community college, college, and university level.

Bradley Hurst studied sociology at the University of Wyoming, Laramie before embarking on a 25-year career in law enforcement with the police department of Fort Collins, Colorado. Starting as a patrol officer and ending his career as a division commander, he completed over 500 hours of professional education in law enforcement schools. He put his knowledge to use as a state-certified instructor in police-community relations and sexual assault investigations, and was co-creator of the original Sexual Assault Victims Advocate Team in Larimer County. For the past 15 years, he has served as a sociology instructor at Colorado State University.