Our Services
We provide support services to meet the needs and challenges that face prosecutors, law enforcement personnel, technical support personnel and defense attorneys within the complex field of criminal environmental enforcement.
The Prosecution's Challenges
Drielak & Associates Inc., with its 30 years of environmental crime investigative experience, has identified these 5 major areas of vulnerability in a criminal environmental prosecution involving chemical, biological or radiological evidence. These 5 areas alone will generate a defense discovery request for dozens of specific documents and produce over 100 cross examination questions for the government's technical witnesses. These are questions that, in most instances, the prosecution will wish to avoid.
The Criminal Defense Strategy
In environmental crime prosecutions, the quality of the analysis will be determined by the quality of the evidence sample. The quality of that evidence sample will be determined by the evidence collection protocols, proper equipment preparation and the adequate training of those individuals who are wholly or partial responsible for the collection and handling of that evidence. If these basic principles are called into question, doubt may emerge as to the quality of the analysis and the final results of that analysis.
For Prosecutors:
Drielak & Associates Inc. will provide both training and initial guidance throughout the criminal investigative and trial process with a strong focus on those forensic evidence issues that may impact on the final jury verdict. Investigative support and guidance is available for those prosecutors who must rely heavily on regulatory personnel during the course of a criminal investigation and during the evidence collection process. Trial support is another key service that is offered to the environmental prosecutor. It is normally at the trial preparation stage in the criminal justice system process that the environmental prosecutor learns of the numerous problematic technical issues surrounding the initial collection of the crime scene evidence.
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For Defense Attorneys:
Drielak & Associates Inc. will provide both training and guidance as to the documents, records and questions needed for the proper defense of those individuals and corporations criminally charged with the release of a hazardous waste or substance into the environment. After a detailed analysis of the prosecution provided case records, we will provide the defense with specific areas of inquiry, specific cross examination questions and follow up questions for the government’s technical witnesses. Telephone consultations and post search warrant site inspections are also available.
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For Law Enforcement & Technical Support:
Drielak & Associates Inc. will provide basic and advanced training for those individuals charged with investigating and collecting evidence at environmental crime scenes. Advanced lecture and field based training is available in the subject areas of: Developing Probable Cause for Search Warrants, Planning and Execution Requirements for Search Warrants, Environmental Crime Investigative Techniques and Hot Zone Forensics.