by Agent 050 of NC WANTED

Posted: Oct. 23, 2008 5:18 a.m.
Updated: Oct. 23, 2008 5:45 a.m.

In the many unsolved cases we've profiled, a trend has caught our attention:  victims' families are often at odds with their case investigators.

How can this be? Investigators are heroes working countless hours to identify perpetrators, right? 

Recently, we learned that one of our cherished investigators is facing harsh criticism for the handling of a case. Making matters worse, the blistering rebukes are coming from people we love, support and stay in contact with: the family members of the victim.

Unsolved cases are frustrating.  No perpetrator is in custody.  No resolution.  Families are left without their desired target for expressing hurt.  

The tendency is for family members to redirect their emotions toward the next available targets: the investigators who are not bringing closure to their case.  Some phrases overheard:  "If the [bleeping] cops would just do their job," or, "What the [bleep] is taking them so long?", or, "Why don't they just arrest the [bleeping] bastard?"  And so on.

In Agent 050's view, investigators are extremely motivated to solve cases.  It's a significant way they measure success and achieve fulfillment. 

But many unsolved cases take months, even years to gather enough evidence to satisfy a District Attorney.  And for much of that time, the D.A. forbids them from releasing case details and progress reports.  This public silence invites criticisms for being secretive, avoiding public scrutiny, and for inaction and incompetence.

Agent 050 believes investigators are caught serving two masters:  a D.A.'s demand to take as much time as necessary to deliver a slam dunk case, and the family's push to speed up the investigation so justice can be swift. 

P.S.  Instead of Victims' Families vs. Law Enforcement, maybe the real battle is about the Heart vs. the Head. 

About Agent 050: "I'm not a former investigator like Agent Angel or an on-camera talent like Gerald Owens, but I am in the unique position of having total access to any information NC WANTED generates and receives."