NCJ Number
174998
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 46 Issue: 10 Dated: October 1998 Pages: 93-100
Date Published
1998
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This discussion of the police use of informants examines informants' motives, the recruitment of sources, and the termination of informants.
Abstract
Because only individuals "close" to illegal activity can provide details about that activity, police must use informants. Informant operations are a volatile and uncertain practice in human trust and control, full of deception, manipulation, psychological games, and double crosses. The role of management in informant operations is important. There must be a credible informant management system that addresses recruitment, registration, handling, and termination of human sources of information. An informant is an individual who provides information about a person, activity, or event, usually under a request for confidentiality. Motives for informants to provide information to police include plea bargaining, pay, revenge, need, fear, and desire to help the police, as well as diversion from their own illegal activities. The recruitment of sources should involve more than just asking someone for cooperation. Both police and the potential informant must understand the ramifications of cooperation. A policy should state how to handle a problem informant, especially one who breaks the law and rules of cooperation. Policy should also dictate what is generally acceptable "baggage" and what is within the recruiting officer's decisionmaking authority. When searching for an informant, there are three critical considerations: capabilities, possible motives to cooperate, and access relevant to the case. Informants should be instructed in their duties, particularly the importance of confidentiality. The termination of an informant must be carefully planned to provide the person some safety from being exposed to those incriminated by the informant's information. This article concludes with an outline of 13 rules for the management of informants.