The work of a private detective is rich for fiction for a reason – it’s varied, often exciting, and rarely presents the same challenges twice. Much as in straightforward police work, much of a private detective’s day-to-day involves collecting evidence, interviewing subjects, and processing vast amounts of information in a time-effective manner.

Whether these materials are collected via phone calls, Skype, recorded video, or interviews conducted in person, any matter involving potential legal intervention will require a complete and accurate transcription for archival purposes. That’s why private detectives rely on professional transcription services to ensure their recorded materials are preserved and actionable should the case proceed to court.

While many detectives will take shorthand notes for future reference, it’s better to record the audio or video of any interview and create a complete transcription of the conversation for future reference. More importantly, this will allow investigators to focus solely on conducting the interview, taking note of secondary factors such as body language and follow-up questions.

Transcripts can also provide secondary information that can be relevant to a case, but may not present itself until put upon paper or cross-referenced with other material. Details such as the time and location of the interview, how long it lasted, and who was present at the time. Should any further questions arise out of these transcripts, investigators can also use them to support follow-up interviews if the interviewee fails to provide enough information during the first interview. These can also be used to spot inconsistencies between interviews if investigators ask the same questions.

Benefits of Transcription Services for Private Detectives

Rather than spending valuable time and resources manually transcribing interviews and recorded evidence, private detectives can choose to outsource their transcription needs to a professional transcription service, many of which offer the following benefits:

Save Time - A busy investigator rarely has the time or inclination for tedious clerical work and asking support staff to bear the burden of dozens of hours of potential transcriptions for each case is a detriment to your business in two important ways: first, it can overwhelm whatever staff you do have, compromising morale and restricting their ability to perform other critical tasks. Second, it puts all the confidential case information into the hands of a single person. With a professional transcription service, sensitive materials are passed along by a central manager to a group of transcribers, ensuring no single person has access to the important, confidential data crucial to the success of your case.

Better Accuracy - An experienced transcriptionist has the tools and background necessary to better deciphering incoherent or poorly recorded audio files, increasing the chances your interview materials enter into evidence.

More Experienced - Just like a transcriber probably couldn’t perform the work of a private detective at the same level an experienced private dick could, a private detective won’t always match up to the skill set and expertise that comes with being a professional audio or video transcriber. A reliable transcription service can provide actionable, court-ready transcripts no matter the nature of your case.

For more information on professional transcription services for your private detective agency, contact Transcription Hub today.