Confidential Informant Intelligence
Definition
Information derived from a source whose identity must be protected. In forensic practice, this intelligence may inform what a scientist is asked to look for but must not influence the analysis or appear in the case file without legal review.
- Field
- Wildlife forensic investigation
- Function
- Directs what a scientist is asked to examine
- Restriction
- Must not influence the analysis itself
- Case file
- Excluded without legal review
Common questions
Why is informant intelligence kept out of the forensic case file?+
Naming or describing a protected source in the file risks exposing their identity, which can endanger them and compromise ongoing operations. Legal review is required before any such material is disclosed, and it is normally handled through a separate intelligence channel rather than the evidentiary record.
How does informant intelligence differ from evidence used to secure a conviction?+
Intelligence can steer where investigators look, for example which shipment or premises to search, but it is not itself presented as proof. The forensic conclusions in court must rest on independently verifiable scientific findings, not on unverified informant claims.
Related terms
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