Suspicious Disappearances and Deaths – Secret Information Gathering and Other Official Actions

Presentation of Dr. Jenő Unger’s Two Articles on Investigative Work

Abstract

Human life is the greatest asset, so one of the most important tasks of the police is to investigate
disappearances and suspicious deaths. The aim of the study is to explore forgotten professional materials related to this subject, particularly the writings of Dr. Jenő Unger, whose professional publications published in the 30s serve as source material for my article. Dr. Jenő Unger, as an experienced police officer and educator, explores such cases with the thoroughness of a scientist. Broken down by sub-cases, it provides detailed guidance to investigative authorities on how to deal with such sensitive instances. His studies are colourful and instructive by the description of cases that took place. An essential element of both his works, “The Investigation of the Missing” and “The Covering Up the Intent to Kill” is the secret information gathering, which is carried out during the investigation as probing and surveillance. In the case of disappearances, finding the causes of disappearances can answer the question of where the missing person may have gone, which also affects the necessary measures. In the case of deaths, it is important to examine whether the death could have been in someone’s interest. The cause of death may appear natural or unnatural, but it can also appear accidental. The most serious crime is murder, so those who commit it often try to cover it up. But a good police officer should always be suspicious, which is why he needs to investigate all the circumstances that give rise to this. Since cases must also be investigated that later turn out
not to have been committed, or the missing persons may also turn up, or they may themselves be the culprits, the investigation must be carried out carefully, partly using methods of secret
information gathering.