CALIFORNIA CENTER FOR INVESTIGATIVE STUDY-CCFIS
California Center for Investigative Study (CCFIS)
Advancing Criminal Defense Investigation Through Science, Methodology, and Professional Excellence
CCFIS is a professional and academic center dedicated to advancing the disciplines of criminal defense investigation, forensic investigation, and investigative analysis through structured methodology, professional education, research, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Secondary button: View Courses
CCFIS brings together investigators, forensic specialists, legal professionals, consultants, educators, and serious students committed to strengthening investigative practice within criminal and civil litigation. The Center exists to promote analytical rigor, evidentiary integrity, and professional excellence through training, peer-informed study, and applied investigative frameworks. This positioning reflects the current site’s stated focus on criminal defense and forensic investigations, professional collaboration, peer-reviewed material, training, and expert resources.
​
CCFIS as a Professional and Intellectual Hub
One of the central problems in criminal defense investigation has long been the absence of a true institutional center comparable to the infrastructure routinely available to law enforcement agencies and prosecutorial offices. Police investigators work within agencies that provide standardized training, policy guidance, specialized units, forensic laboratory access, intelligence-sharing systems, and continuing professional development. Defense investigators, by contrast, have often been required to build expertise independently, case by case, with fewer formal structures to support long-term methodological growth.
CCFIS directly addresses that gap.
The Center’s public-facing platform reflects a broader institutional vision. The Center includes access points for courses, forum discussion, a blog, a bookstore, groups, and an online learning environment. It also highlights an online library that includes peer-reviewed topic papers, books, investigative journals and manuals, as well as an expert directory.​
Featured resources
​
Online Courses
Professional instruction focused on criminal defense and forensic investigation.
Research Library
Peer-reviewed topic papers, books, journals, and manuals.
Expert Directory
A centralized resource connecting attorneys and clients with vetted professionals.
​​
Our Mission​
​
Our mission is to elevate the role of the criminal defense investigator and forensic specialist by promoting rigorous analysis, continuous learning, scientific inquiry, and principled investigative practice in service of justice.
Join a center built for serious investigators and legal professionals.
Access training, research, and a professional network committed to advancing investigative excellence.
​
ONLINE COURSES
Ethical Considerations In Criminal Defense Investigations for CCDI's CCFIS-OLC-CEU001
CCFIS-OLC-CLEU001
The curriculum at the Center For Investigative Study-ONLINE, emphasizes both industry standard requirements and promotes our students’ intellectual, professional growth and personal development. We promote professional excellence, academic excellence, and the promotion of the advance study of the art and science of defense and forensic investigation.
Training and Professional Development
​
CCFIS provides professional education designed to advance the knowledge, judgment, and technical skill of investigators, forensic specialists, and legal professionals. Our training emphasizes both industry standards and the broader intellectual development required for high-level investigative work. This reflects the current site’s emphasis on online courses and on promoting professional and academic excellence.
Section: What we offer
Online Courses
Flexible learning opportunities designed for working professionals.
Continuing Education
Programs focused on advancing specialized competence and professional standards.
Methodology-Based Instruction
Training that integrates structured investigative frameworks with practical application.
Interdisciplinary Learning
Course content relevant to defense investigators, forensic professionals, and legal practitioners.
Section: Training philosophy
Our educational model is built on the principle that serious investigative practice must combine field experience with disciplined study. CCFIS training is designed to strengthen analytical thinking, evidentiary evaluation, witness assessment, and professional judgment in real-world case environments.
Section: Ideal audience
This training is appropriate for:
Criminal defense investigators
Forensic specialists
Private investigators
Legal professionals
Consultants
Students and developing practitioners
