Bushfires in Australia

by Richard Conan-Davies
20 March 2005

Overall location of bushfires(map and description) Bushfires tend to occur in areas where there is plenty of material to burn, it also needs to be dry. The CSIRO has also produced a special satellite tracking system called sentinal...original info from CSIRO news release frequency/occurance of bushfires in Australia Bushfires are frequent in Australia with several hundred of various sizes per year. But only some cause damage to property. For example there were 20 bushfires between 2000 and 2005 in which 2,958 houses were damaged and 830 homes destroyed. source: Emergency Management Australia Potential impacts on australia Bushfires have an obvious potential threat to homes near bushland areas. This might also include the long term impacts that bushfires have. So for example some bushfires might disrupt water supplies by contaminating water catchment areas with ash or erosion. responses of victims of bushfires There are several possible victims of bushfires. Local animals and plants ( flora and fauna) and people. Plants must adapt to the physical effects of fire for example protective bark or seeds that can survive the fires underground. It is the bushfire intensity and speed that determines how well some animals can survive

Image: bom.gov.au Responses of People who are victims of bushfires. People can repsond in different ways depending on what the bushfires do to them. If their home is destroyed by fire then they sometimes can suffer psychological stress of loss. If the fire is approaching people can try to prepare. Emergency Management Australia has a number of suggestions for preparing for bushfires such as removing rubbish, clear gutters fiiting wire screen doors stay alert, listen to radio information about locations of fires.

So You Think You Can Dance Australia

So You Think You Can Dance Australia kicks off its 2009 season with Sydney auditions on Sunday February 1st.

TV Tonight has taken a peek at the premiere episode and can tell you that it’s back with some kickin’ dancers again.

Host Natalie Bassingthwaighte looks far more relaxed in her role after a tentative start in 2008.

The 90 min premiere again turns on the drama with some very personal admissions by dancers prepared to put their stories on the line. It again proves it is the most multicultural reality show on Australian television.

And watch out for one out-of-the-box dancer with the odd name “Forever.”

The 2009 series will also include an appearance by Nigel Lythgoe, producer of the US series and formerly American Idol, who will be judging alongside wife Bonnie Lythgoe, Matt Lee and Jason Coleman.

Choreographer superstar Wade Robson, who has led music videos for NSync, Britney Spears and Michael Jackson will also take dancers through their paces later in the series.

Australian Teenagers and Sex

By Dr. Kerrie Allen

Teenage sexuality is an issue that worries many parents. And for good reason. Pregnancy, STDs, abortion, promiscuity, curtailed education and lengthy stints on welfare are often associated with teen sex. This article examines some of the data, and looks at how effective sex education has been in dealing with the problem.
Who is doing it?

Recent survey research in Australia found that nationally, 20% of Australians had sex before they were sixteen, whilst 30% lost their virginity before they turned seventeen (Richters & Rissel, 2005). By eighteen years of age 50% of teenagers had had sexual intercourse (Lindsay, Smith & Rosenthal, 1998). With regard to gender, 98.4% of boys had sex with female partners and 1.6% with males, whilst 97.3% of girls reported sex with boys, and 2.7% with girls (Smith et al., 2002).

Non-authoritarian parenting has been found to be associated with non-virginity in youth, as is permissiveness and lack of parental support (Department of Human Services (DHS), 2001). Other factors associated with teenage sexual behaviour include: parents experiences of divorce, re-marriage and behaviours toward the
opposite sex, and peer influences (DHS, 2001; Moore, 2000). Peer influences are postulated as being probably the strongest predictor of teen sexual activity.

This pressure from peers comes in the form of unwritten ‘sexual timetables’, which indicates what activities are reasonable and normal at different ages (Moore, 2000; Rosenthal & Smith, 1997). Girls who had sex and fell pregnant were more likely to live in areas of socio-economic disadvantage (Skinner & Hickey, 2003).
Who’s not doing it?

Despite the large numbers of teenagers having sex, 50% of teenagers at the end of high school are still virgins. Particularly there are over 20,000 young people involved in ‘True Love Waits’ (Ziegelmann, 2005), an organization which teaches that being a virgin is ‘cool’, and promotes chastity and abstinence. ‘True Love
Waits’ youth believe that all the sexual experience they need shall be within marriage with one partner. Dr. Stammers’ (2000) research has identified factors associated with delayed first intercourse. These include: high self esteem, internal control, good performance and motivation in education, having a father at home, and having sex education from parents. Whilst lack of attentive parents has been linked to early sexual activity, a stable family environment is associated with later sexual initiation (Whiteback et al., 1992). Factors such as religious affiliation and social class also have a marked influence on age of sexual debut (Rosenthal, Moore & Brumen, 1990).

A Closer Look at Who’s Doing it Contrary to what ‘True Love Waits’ youth believe, the authors of ‘Doing it
Downunder’ conclude that with regard to teenagers and sex “…real life experience is essential” (2005:6). Interestingly the ‘goodness’ of this experience is questionable when considering survey findings about young people whose first intercourse was before the age of sixteen. Findings indicate that they were more
likely to have had:

• Sex with more people in their lifetime
• Anal sex
• A same-sex partner
• An sexually transmitted disease (STD)
These findings are very worrying, particularly with regard to teenagers physical
and emotional health. What does research indicate is happening to our
teenagers?
• Boys in year 10 are likely to report three or more sexual partners in the
past year (Smith et al., 2002).

This accords with previous research that found casual sex was more accepted by boys than girls, with girls valuing sex within a committed or ‘steady’ relationship (Moore, 2000; Smith et al., 2002). Year 10 boys are also more likely to have experienced oral sex without sexual intercourse (Smith et al., 2002). By year 12, 51.9% of boys and 63.8% of girls reported oral sex with one partner and without intercourse; a considerable proportion (38%) of year 10 and 12 students reported oral sex with two or more partners (Smith et al., 2002). Stammers
(2000) links the media and cinema with pressuring teens into early sex.

He says: “Headlines such as ‘I think about sex every three minutes’ and ‘Steamy sex text’ makes it clear that delaying sexual relationships is not high on their agenda” (2000:1). It seems that sexual activity in teen boys is
an esteemed activity, whereas among girls it is frowned upon. Interestingly an anonymous young man in ‘True Love Waits’ gives another picture of boys and sex: “Many people think a guy has to have sex to prove he’s a
man. I don’t think so. The truth is, it takes a lot more strength to keep your passions under control than to give in to them”. (Anonymous, 2000). Even though teenage girls are not as likely to have as many partners are boys,
they too are bombarded with pressuring messages about sex. Teen magazines ‘Dolly’, ‘Cleo’, ‘Girlfriend’ and ‘Cosmo’ frequently feature articles about sex, such as how to give oral sex, bizarre sex habits, shaping pubic hair shaping for him etc, etc.

• The most commonly treated STD in sexually active adolescents in chlamydia, followed by gonorrhoea, herpes simplex virus (HSV) and genital warts – and their increasing incidence indicates that teenagers are careless about ‘safesex’ (Moore, 2000; Smith, et al., 2002; Skinner & Hickey, 2003). Forty-five per cent of sexually active teenagers do not use condoms consistently, whilst most delay contraception for an average of one year after initiating sexual activity (Skinner & Hickey, 2003). The National Secondary Students Survey (Smith et al, 2002) found that even though 10% of students did no know HIV could be transmitted during sex, 60% of boys always used condoms. It appears that teenagers who become sexually active do not perceive themselves at risk of contracting STD’s. Sexual activity without real knowledge of STDs is of great concern,
particularly as chlamydia and gonorrhoea can lead to sterility, and
untreated HSV can lead to birth abnormalities and miscarriage.

• Over a quarter of adolescents report having had unwanted sex: 15.9% said they were too drunk to make a choice, whilst 12.6% said a sexual partner had pressured them (Smith et al, 2002). National Crime Prevention (2000) reported that one in seven Australian teenage girls said a boyfriend had forced them to have sex. Researchers acknowledge that sex within a relationship where there is no respect is very damaging
(Moore, 2000); therefore it is indicated that young people need to be better equipped with the skills and confidence to end relationships (i) where they are being pressured to have sex, and (ii) in which unwanted sex is occurring (Moore, 1997; National Crime Prevention, 2000; Stafford, 2000).

Research has also long indicated the close associations between sexual violence and exploitation and intoxication (Aggleton, Ball & Mane, 2000), and it is undisputed that there is a correlation between intoxication and unsafe sex (Aggleton et al., 2000). Smith et al (2002 found that alcohol use and binge drinking are increasing in Australian school students, particular in year 10. Sixty-five percent of year 10 girls reported three or
more drinks the last time they had drunk alcohol, whilst overall, 73% of year twelve students and 59% of year ten students reported more than three alcoholic drinks (Smith et al., 2002). Clearly research indicates that
teenage drinking needs to be focussed upon if we are to make headway in reducing unwanted sexual experiences.

• Grief and loss: Quite an under-researched area is that of loss and grief in adolescents after romantic sexual relationships end (Moore, 2000). One teenage study participant said: “Nothing really explores the scary side of
being in a very involved relationship, or how hurt you might feel actually if you had an encounter with somebody, and they have told you the next day ‘see you later’, and that was it…” (Moore, 1999, in Moore, 2000). British
GPs are greatly concerned about the psychological impacts of teenage sex. Stammers (2000) quotes several studies that have shown up to 70% of girls who lost their virginity before age 16 felt in retrospect that this was
too early and expressed regret that they had not waited until they were older. Stammers (2000) states that psychologically, sexually active teenagers are at higher risk of depression, attempted suicide, cigarette
smoking, alcohol misuse, drug-taking, low self-esteem and suspension from school than peers who have retained virginity. In Australia, depression and anger are reported as being reactions to full-blown grief
after teen sexual relationships break-up (Moore, 2002).

• Australia has a relatively high rate of teenage pregnancy, and the second highest abortion rate in the western world. Approximately 26 in every 100 known pregnancies are terminated (Belton, 2001). Many women who
have had abortions are now speaking out about the grief associated with what they thought was a simple procedure (Burke & Reardon, 2002; Tankard Reist, 2000). Research examining teenage girls (and indeed all
women’s) post abortion grief is limited, and remains an area that prochoice’s wish to keep silent. It is reported (DHS, 2001; Singh & Patrock, 2000) that continuing with teen pregnancy carries social risks including:
interruption to school education, reduction in career prospects, potential poverty and social isolation; abortion is therefore seen as a saviour. Sadly, literature supports the conclusion by Lucker (1991:22) that teenage girls
will only continue with pregnancy if “they do not have a vision for the future…”. This indicates a prevailing negative view of teen pregnancy and motherhood. The trend toward this thinking about pregnancy in western
countries indicates the greater need for social and economic policies which support teenage and single mothers with regard to income, housing and social support, for schools, universities and workplaces to provide
environments that accommodate for motherhood, and for social attitudes which value motherhood. A seventeen year old girl eloquently sums up the tragedy of neglecting real choices for teenagers and of negative views of
pregnancy: “…the greatest loss today is that the beautiful gift of pregnancy has become a fear and/or a hassle…” (Rachel in Belton, 2001:19).

Summary - Sex Education Parents remain vital sources of information for their teenage children. Research
indicates that teenagers view their parents as the trustworthiest sources of information about sex (Rosenthal & Smith, 1995). Several studies (Mitchell. 2001) have found that young people feel they can discuss problems and
communicate well about sexual matters with parents who are good listeners Are honest, and who try to understand the child’s point of view and feelings.

What teenagers reported most wanting to talk to their parents about include: “ physical changes of puberty, menstruation and reproduction, risks of catching an STD, unplanned pregnancy and contraception, issues such as abortion , homosexuality and sex before marriage, and parents’ own values and beliefs (provided they are not forced down their throats)” (Mitchell, 2001). As most young people see their parents as having positive influences on their sexual development, this indicates it is important for parents to realise the role models
they play. Despite these positive comments about parents, some adolescents believe that strict parents are those most likely to have children who rebel and play up (Moore, 2000). Mitchell (2001) reports that teenagers are less responsive when parents: don’t take the young person’s needs into account , dictate hard and fast standards of behaviour, and insist that they share the parent’s views .

The sex education message over the past twenty years has been ‘use contraception’. It is questionable whether this has been successful considering the immensely high abortion rates in Australia and the rising incidence of STD infections. Despite the current debate about sex education in Australian schools, research results remain inconclusive with regard to the benefits of current schoolbased sex education (Lifematters, 2003; Moore, 2000; Pearson, 2003). The research to date about sex education of teenagers tends to indicate that much
more is needed than teaching about contraception. Dr. Stammers concludes, “Much teenage sexual activity has little to do with sex. It may be a way of expressing anger or frustration, a means of acting out, a cry for attention. It is frequently part of a search for love and meaning” (2000:2).

Conclusion Australian teenagers are having sex at a younger age than did their parents. The research findings presented here indicate that whatever form sex education is to take, it is necessary to move beyond teaching simply about contraception. Considering this, it is suggested that the basic content of sex education needs to
focus upon peer pressure, alcohol use, learning about dignity and respect, understanding the emotional outcomes of sexual relationships, how to build relationships, STDs and their consequences, emotional and physical health outcomes of abortion, why abstinence is good, what is marriage, and sex, pregnancy and childrearing. For example, the goals of ‘True Love Waits’ sex education include helping teenagers and youth:

• Make informed, responsible decisions
• Take pride in their virginity/secondary virginity
• Be aware of the good, positive reasons to wait until marriage
• Be given tools to combat the immense pressure to become sexually activeTrue Love Waits, 2005).

Similarly, the World Health Organisation (WHO) lists important life skills for young people in the sexual health area. These include:

• Making sound decisions about relationships and sexual intercourse, and to be able to stand up for these decisions
• Dealing with pressures for unwanted sex or drug use
• Recognising situations that might turn risky or violent
• Knowing how and where to ask for help and support
• Knowing how to negotiate protected sex and other forms of safe sex when ready for sexual relationships (Mitchell, 2001).

How to Earn Money As An investigator in Australia

How to become an investigator? How to become a Private Investigator? How to become an Inquiry Agent? How to get an investigators license? In Australia and most other countries Private Investigators operate in the field of Civil Investigation. That is Non Criminal Investigation. Like any field of employment it is the applicant who must gain the skills and knowledge to satisfy or even exceed the employers needs to secure work. By reading this Information Pack and adopting it’s content you can position yourself to become a paid working Private Investigator in Australia. The really good news is that 98% of people who read this information will say to themselves, "I can't do that!" thus the majority of your future competition will be eliminated at this point. Congratulations you have almost achieved a start in a new career. Part One – Overview and Background of the investigators work In a nutshell: You must become a Licensed Investigator or you will be merely a stalker. You cannot have a criminal conviction if you want to become a licensed investigator. You cannot be currently bankrupt. The main way to earn income as a Private Investigator is conducting Insurance Investigation on behalf of an established Investigation Agency. No one will employ you on the basis you are: "going to get a license", you must already have it to be employable. You are paid as a subcontractor not as an employee by 90% of investigation Agencies. The reason you paid as a sub contractor is that, what you will investigate by it’s nature, cannot be predicted so no one can say exactly what work you will undertake in any week, even though you will have a lot of work to complete. Not every investigation you undertake will be Fraudulent. You only need a basic knowledge of the law. You do not need police training or background. Investigations must be completed within 14 days You can conduct relationship investigations, and in nine cases out of ten you will prove infidelity. In eight cases out of ten you won’t get paid and if you get repeat business from the same person, they need relationship advice not investigation help. There are two types of Insurance Investigation that you can do to earn money: Surveillance Investigation – where you as a licensed investigator conduct surveillance on an individual or thing and write a report. Factual or Circumstantial Investigation – where you as a licensed investigator, conduct interviews and take statements, inspect accident scenes and write reports. There are five types of Factual or Circumstance Investigation Workers Compensation – investigation of work related injuries. CTP Liability – investigation of motor vehicle accident injuries. Stolen Motor Vehicle – investigation of stolen insured motor vehicles. Break Enter Steal – investigation of home burglaries. Public Liability – investigation of injuries in shopping centres etc. To get work you will need to be interviewed and approved by an Investigation Company and approved by the Insurers for whom they conduct investigations. Thus you will need the following: Up to date and detailed resume Certified copies of your qualifications Current investigation license details Copies of previous licenses (if any) Drivers license RTA driving history from your state police Criminal history report from your state police Equipment list Vehicle insurance Public liability insurance (if you have contents insurance on your house – you have Public Liability Insurance) If you don’t have these you will not become employed. Part Two Your Course Provider – What you need to learn to get work To stand out amongst the applicants for investigation positions and obtain work you must appear to be more knowledgeable than other average applicants. The first step is to select the right investigation course. Today in Australia the qualification you must achieve is PRS30303 Certificate III in Investigative Services. This is your first step to be smarter. Don’t buy the first course you see. Ask your course provider: Will I learn Insurance Investigation? What types specifically will I learn? When did the instructor last do each of those investigations? Is your instructor an experienced Security Guard or experienced Investigator? If you get fobbed off on any question, then as an investigator you should then ask harder questions. Good hard questions for the list above are: If yes – What types? If no – Why not? Specifically how many types of investigation will I learn and what is each called? Who for, how often, involving what, and what days dates and times, and what evidence is there of this? If s/he is an experienced investigator s/he will know: a) What is a Long Tail investigation? b) What is a Moral Hazard? c) If a person confesses to insurance fraud during an investigation, precisely what would the investigator do? Look for evasive answers, hesitations, smoke screens and distinct lack of knowledge. Congratulations you are starting to think like an investigator already. For the exact Units included in the Certificate III Qualification see Part 5 Part Three The Employment Interview After having enrolled, successfully completed your Investigation Course, and obtained your license you must now get work. In this section it is essential to grasp and get across these concepts in interviews with potential employers. The best things in your favour are: Your License Your new knowledge Your location The requirement that 95% of all investigations must be completed within 14 days. (This sense of urgency means you have work opportunities). The downside is that Investigation Agencies have put their faith in less trained, and less skilled people than you in the past and thus, they are cautious about engaging new investigators, for strong reasons. What they did wrong was: Not complete work on time Did not send progress reports every 48 hours on investigations Insulted or upset people making the claim Did not know how to conduct interviews and take statements Did not know how to write reports Had no or only outdated equipment Made the same mistakes over and over again Blundered surveillance operations Lacked ethics Lied or exaggerated costs or time involved in the conduct of investigations Knowing that those are the ten biggest problems with investigators you can at the interview eliminate the employers concerns with you by: Demonstrate how you complete investigations in a timely fashion Explain that you can email, fax, or make progress reports through dedicated web sites and file tracking systems. Use empathy and people skills Challenge the interviewee at interview to ask you to take a statement now on any type of 5 different investigations Provide examples of your course reports Show current and ask what equipment will be required and commit to obtaining it Tell the interviewee that a good investigator learns something new every day Demonstrate from your course a thorough knowledge of surveillance techniques and skills Emphasise your ethical past and provide referees Demonstrate how you are committed to cost consciousness (saving unnecessary expense) Never leave an interview situation without getting a commitment for action in engaging your services. Action includes: Relevant forms to complete regarding approval by Insurers Commencement date, or induction day date and time. The organisations manuals and guides including pro formas A day or two days orientation with an investigator in the field Be consistent it takes time to achieve any worthwhile outcome. If the Investigation Agency cannot use your services at this time keep applying to others. Most agencies are listed in the Yellow Pages under Investigators. Just because there is a large advertisement, it does not mean it is a big company, apply to as many as are listed. Part Four Strategies Write, phone, email and make personal visits to employers. Timing is very important. Just because the organisation does not have a vacancy today, it does not mean there won’t be a vacancy tomorrow or next month. Never give in; a good investigator sees matters through to the conclusion. In this case your conclusion is to get paid work. The investigation industry is one with a large turnover of staff; this is mainly because investigators grow into Government employment, as they are attracted by the attractive incomes and benefits. Thus a continual vacuum is created in vacancies, and employers need to fill those vacancies. How to excel in this industry? Complete work thoroughly and on time. Communicate with your employer and client. Be competitive in your business approach. Insurers today want investigations completed in 14 days, from receipt of instructions, to final report, and updates every three days in the process. If you can meet that challenge you can excel as an investigation professional. My Academy answers over 50 inquiries per week from people wishing to become a Private Investigator. On average only 10 per month, of these are accepted into any of our qualification programs. The investigation industry has a sexy image due to television and movies, however it is at times, complex, demanding work un - suited to people who are not solution focused in their career outlook. Tell your potential employer these if they relate to you from the success of the learning in your course: Factual investigation applicants – what to say: I can take statements written or recorded I can write reports I can conduct Stolen Motor Vehicle Investigations I can conduct Workers Compensation Investigations I understand the and know the relevant parts of the Insurance Contracts Act Surveillance Investigators – what to say: I know what a pretext approach is I can follow subjects in a vehicle I understand what an investigators duty of Non Disclosure is I understand the need for steady, focused clear video tape I am familiar with / know the Privacy Act If you have any other skills point them out, as they will be advantageous: Multi language skills Computer skills – Auto Cad or similar Teaching skills and experience A trade (Trades people make excellent investigators) Qualifications in other industries Advanced people skills Remember your location alone has significant advantages because around where you live there are investigations to be conducted in the form of: Workers Compensation Surveillance CTP Liability Public Liability Stolen Motor Vehicle PART 5 The Australian Security Academy ’s Certificate III Information Pack Are you looking for a work, with more…. career potential? Would you like to exceed your own career expectations and provide the added value you are so capable of, in your everyday work activities? Are you competitive, organised and able to complete tasks in a timely manner? Do you enjoy the challenge of something different every day? Become a Licensed Working Private Investigator! Thank you for your enquiry regarding the Private Investigator Course. Your Information pack contains 4 items: 1: Course Information 2: Frequently asked questions 3: Complete course outline table 4: Private Investigator test A lot of experienced investigators have achieved their qualification through on line study. It is the most comprehensive and easiest way to gain a National Qualification in Investigative Services. Maybe it’s because of all these great benefits: · No travelling to and from classes. · No parking hassles. · No distractions. · One on one instruction and assessment. · No repeating training you have previously undertaken. · Recognition of your previous work and life experience. · No time wasted listening to lectures and war stories. · No classes on subjects irrelevant to your work. · You don’t have to listen to a teacher telling you how good he was 15 years ago. · You can work on your study out of your own home, office, (Or from the beach!) At your own pace. Course Information PRS 30303 A career as a Private Investigator is both challenging and rewarding. You will operate in the civil investigation Industry conducting non – criminal investigations, in the areas of: Public Liability Investigation Workers Compensation investigation Motor Vehicle accident Stolen Motor Vehicles Surveillance Household general claims (property). Compulsory Third Party Motor Vehicle Claims You can tailor a very successful and rewarding career, in any, or all of the above. These are the money earning investigations. Working in these areas, you can confidently expect to earn over $50,000 per year as a professional investigator. The Australian Security Academy Pty Ltd Established in November 1999 the Academy has developed client partnerships with some of Australia ’s largest Investigation Agencies, supplying trained, competent investigators, to those agencies, on demand. The Academy is Australia ’s only specialist Investigation Registered Training Organisation (RTO) that is, committed to teaching Investigations. Most RTO’s who teach investigations are owned and operated by persons who teach Security Guarding, often employing Police Officers who have never completed a Civil Investigation. Although they are most probably excellent security guard training firms, they do not teach investigations Australia wide every day. The work of a Private Investigator has nothing to do with that of a Security Guard. At the Academy, Investigations are our passion, and through your learning at the Academy you will quickly acquire the skills of an investigation professional. The Academy is owned and operated, by qualified professional investigators, who teach income earning skills, to individuals who want to excel as Private Investigators / Inquiry Agents. Frequently Asked Questions How is the Investigation Program Delivered? Your course is delivered by a combination of online and, workshop training. That is you complete a series of scenario assignments. These reflect real workplace investigations. You receive workbooks relevant to your training and are never asked to learn something that you won’t use in your daily activities of a Private Investigator. Investigations are complex, and take some time to learn. Night courses are generally very difficult to complete after a hard days work, so the Academy allows you the opportunity to learn on line. This type of training is called Flexible Delivery, allowing learners to complete training as quickly or as leisurely as the wish. There are over 5,000 licensed investigators working in Australia today. Most are employed in Insurance Investigation, otherwise known as Civil Investigation. Professional P.I.'s in Australia do not do criminal investigation work. No two investigations are the same, and the reason you are engaged to undertake work is to, gather all factual evidence relating to a matter or claim, so a solicitor, specialist or claims manager can make a decision about paying, negotiating or denying a claim. If you like a challenge, and possess an inquiring mind and an ability to make people relax you will excel as a P.I. Licensing To become a worker in this industry, you must obtain a license. The minimum qualification needed varies between states from Certificate II in Queensland to Certificate III in Victoria. You are not employable until you hold that license. Thus prospective employers will not engage your services until you meet the licensing requirement. The truth is employers receive a lot of applications from unlicensed individuals speculating on the hope that their application will be noticed and the employer will train them for free. Investigation employers are not in the business of training beginners. That is one reason why pre licensing courses were established, to reduce the burden on busy employers. Another reason was to weed out those who seriously believe that civil investigators carry guns, and enforce the law.