Undertaking Effective Investigations A Guide for National Human Rights Institutions While not all of the categories may be relevant to every investigation, the investigator planning the investigation should consider them all. The plan should be reviewed and updated as the investigation progresses. The length of the plan will depend on the scope, volume and complexity of the issues under investigation. THE INVESTIGATION PLAN TEMPLATE The template is divided into the following segments: • • • • • • • • What is being investigated? What is the overall approach to gathering the evidence? What and where is the evidence? What problems might arise during the investigation? What resources will be required? How are internal and external communications going to be managed? What are the milestones and timelines? When will the investigation be completed? 2. WHAT IS BEING INVESTIGATED? The first step in an investigation plan is to set out as precisely as possible exactly what is being investigated. It may be a specific allegation or series of allegations. It may be an issue that has been identified as appropriate for an “own motion” (suo moto) investigation. It may be a number of interrelated issues or allegations. Obviously, the issue has to have a human rights dimension. That should be clearly identified and articulated. If any apparent systemic issues have been identified, those issues should be clearly framed and an indication given as to whether they will be investigated. Do not make the scope of the investigation bigger than it needs to be. Keep the issue(s) as narrow and as focused as possible. In the interests of clarity, it may be prudent to note any related or similar issues that are not being investigated. 3. WHAT IS THE OVERALL APPROACH TO GATHERING THAT EVIDENCE? A brief outline should be prepared setting out the overall approach to conducting the investigation. What is the strategy? How is it anticipated that the investigation will unfold? What investigative steps will be taken and in what order? Decide, for example, if witness interviews should wait until documents have been collected and reviewed. When, if at all, should investigators go to any scene that relates to the investigation? Should witnesses be interviewed in a certain order, if at all possible? No two investigations are exactly the same. There will be many variations to an overall strategy. 4. WHAT AND WHERE IS THE EVIDENCE? Identify who should be spoken to and what documentary, physical and digital evidence should be gathered. The following categories may be helpful as the investigator goes through that process. Many are interrelated. 34