LEXINGTON, Ky. _ Private investigation is a catch-all term for a variety of independent research. The job can involve conducting surveillance, finding missing persons or checking to see whether a job applicant has a criminal record. Here is some trivia about whom private eyes work for, who they are and what they do.
_Of all the cases detectives get, only a few are domestic, involving divorce or a suspicious spouse.
_The demand for domestic surveillance in Kentucky is reduced by the state's no-fault clause, which requires that a divorced couple split their property in half.
_Men are more likely to use a private detective in a child custody dispute.
_Women are more likely to use a private detective to find out whether their spouses are cheating.
_Men and women use private detectives to find out more about potential spouses before committing to long-term relationships.
_Private detective agencies that conduct pre-employment checks find that 10 percent to 15 percent of job applicants embellish or lie about their job qualifications or education.
_Upper-class neighborhoods are the most challenging areas for investigators to conduct surveillance. Lower-class neighborhoods are often the easiest.
_Private detectives who search for missing persons often charge by the case. Investigators who conduct surveillance charge by the day or hour and almost always include expenses such as rentals, gas mileage and hotel rooms.
_Kentucky is one of eight states that do not have any requirements for becoming a private detective. The rest require people to take written exams based on their state laws.