The Criminal Defense Investigation Training Council

Mission Statement

The Criminal Defense Investigation Training Council was established in order to encourage dialogue among scholars and professionals involved in the various aspects of criminal defense investigation. The Council exists as an open forum in which investigative philosophy, methodology, education, and principles of ethical inquiry can be considered via academic training programs, discussions, debate, and writings.

Inspired by informal "think-tanks" and scholarly societies, The Criminal Defense Investigation Training Council seeks to promote and sponsor events that continue a tradition of intellectual and academic exchange in an atmosphere which emphasizes innovation. The membership is open to anyone currently engaged in the process of criminal defense investigation. Thus, a multi-various constituency of investigators, researchers, and educators such as public defender investigators, private investigators, mitigation specialists, criminologists, paralegals, polygraphists, forensic experts, and students are invited to participate.

The Council is intended to express a reverence for truth in the classical sense, evoking the spirit in which the fundamentals of knowledge and ethics have been examined for centuries. In this spirit, an inner-circle of members who have attained a special status by virtue of participation, insight, and academic contributions, form the advisory board and enjoy the title of Senior Fellow. The advisory board is an informal, fluid group whose membership is potentially open to anyone who demonstrates an impressive level of interest, ethical standards, intellectual acuity, and academic contribution to the discipline of criminal defense investigation.

The Council encourages the philosophical and methodical approach to the investigative process. In fact, the Council’s devotion to objective and impartial investigation is its primary strength. Criminal defense investigation is a specialized discipline and demands to be recognized as such. It is the goal of the Council to gain the recognition and respect its members deserve. Criminal defense investigation is not a subordinate to law enforcement criminal investigation. It is a highly specialized discipline within itself and therefore requires training and research suited to its own needs. With this in mind, the Council seeks to standardize basic methodology, procedure, and training devoted solely to the discipline of criminal defense investigation.