Getting Started in Investigations

Seems the contract reviewers are worse than when i jumped or I just don’t remember these issues.

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I’m not sure it’s the reviewers, I think the companies themselves set up these insane standards and policies for report writing. My manger told me in the past that DCSA doesn’t have the same standards but the companies do it from a legal perspective for protection.

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DCSA provides a baseline in the contract and the vendors create their own requirements based on the contract and then those requirements are approved by DCSA.

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You interview a Subject who listed he got fired from KFC because he forgot to turn off the burners one night and the restaurant burned down. You get the who, what, why, where, when to the point that the Subject says he doesn’t recall any more details. You write it up and send it in and you get an RZ and reviewer asks, “how many times did this happen?” :laughing:. So you have to do a SUBC and confirm with the Subject that he only got fired once for burning down a KFC. There is no room for common sense— if the question is on the form, it must be asked and it must be reported, no matter what the context is.

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I was the Subject being interviewed, and discussed the fact that I had failed to report to Security when I filed for divorce. I fully disclosed all the information, including the fact that I regretted not doing that. (long story as to why). When the investigator asked (as he was required, so I knew it was coming) what are the chances this will happen again, I stated “Zero. I’m never getting married again”

We both chuckled. :slight_smile:

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I once reported that I visually verified all of Subject’s passports and the reviewer wanted to know if he volunteered them or if I confronted him with them. Yes, I brought Subject’s own passports to the interview for him and dropped them in front of him as a gotcha moment.

I think we might have scared off OP.

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That’s funny. I always feel like an idiot asking a 40 year old what the chances of recurrence are for them being charged with minor in possession of alcohol. I guess they could potentially invent a time machine and go back and get charged again.

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This job will suck the life out of you. Be prepared

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I don’t ask adults the likelihood of receiving another minor in possession charge, I ask the likelihood of another alcohol related incident. That way you don’t sound as retarded. lol So far this has cleared review, knock on wood!

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If you dont push back on stupid reopens then it will keep happening. Ask where in the handbook it states to list these requests and you will find a quick drop in RZ’s.

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Reviewers read from an issue resolution script to determine if the Investigator has covered all the issues. They want to be spoon fed. It’s easier that way. Doesn’t make it right though. Reviewers look for key words such as “maturity”; “motivation for conduct”; “likelihood of reoccurrence”; “rehabilitation”or “motivation”, etc.

Many times I have written my reports and the issues are discussed and all of the key words are addressed though not specifically spelled out for the reviewer. I’ve address the motivation for the conduct…”peer pressure”, however the reviewer wants to see the phrase peer pressure is the “motivation for conduct”. I’ve addressed that the Subject was a certain age at the time of the incident but they didn’t see the key word “maturity”.

Reviewers lack common senses with DCSA and are robotic. They are trained this way by the DCSA vendors to review cases in this manner. This is poor training. Puts all of the responsibility on the Investigator to spell out every little thing in his report even though he/she has addressed the issues through his/her style of writing and flow of their report.

It’s refreshing and awe inspiring to get an experienced reviewer because I don’t get refiles on my cases for issue resolution because they can actually read the report without having to see all of the “key” issue resolution words written out and they don’t need to be spoon fed. When I get refiled by a reviewer that asks me to spell out motivation for conduct and maturity when it’s clear in the report of the Subject’s motivation and maturity at the time of the incident you know it’s an inexperienced reviewer that is reading from an issue resolution script. Reviewers need to just read the report and use common sense to understand the information they are seeking is already listed in the report right in front of their very eyes. I refuse to spoon feed reviewers like a toddler baby in a high chair even if that means I constantly get reopened. So be it.

I could put forth so many other inconsistencies and problems with the review process and what is required to get a report to pass through for DCSA but it’s too exhaustive of a list and would take days.

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My last RZ: It was ‘unclear’ that when the unemployed sub started a new job 07/2023 that unemployment ended 07/2023. I had to literally add a sentence stating that unemployment ended when employment with X company began, in addition to the expected write up of a new job. Are there circumstances in which one can start working and also remain unemployed?

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I hate to side with review but that RZ is legit. You have to address each employment entry separately and bring it up to date. So you would have to address the unemployment completely by reporting the “end” date, main activity, and method of support and then move to the new employment as a separate entry reporting start date to present.

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