ST. THOMAS - When a federal prosecutor in Texas questions the legality of hypnosis or a federal agent in New York struggles with a criminal's financial trail, they may find some answers in two books compiled in the Virgin Islands.  This year, former U.S. attorney David Nissman, in conjunction with Atlanta-based Corpus Juris Publishing Co., published two investigative guidebooks: "Proving Federal Crimes" and "Follow The Money: A Guide to Financial & Money Laundering Investigations."

Nissman said the books aim to educate and help federal agents and prosecutors structure their investigations and build legally sound cases. "Some have told me that they don't go out to make an arrest without consulting the book first," Nissman said of the latest edition of "Proving Federal Crimes," published in January.

The latest edition is the first commercially published version of the book since the Justice Department put it out between 1954 to 1981. The 2005 edition of the 800-page Proving Federal Crimes features a string of detailed chapters with subjects ranging from structuring an investigation to post-trial proceedings. Topics covered include managing a wiretap, search warrants, obtaining evidence abroad, electronic surveillance, informants and interrogation.

The latest edition also includes new sections on the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 - new laws to combat corporate crime - and the Patriot Act.  Nissman wrote some chapters and compiled materials from the public domain for the book. He tapped into sources of information such as the Federal Judicial Center, FBI, U.S. Secret Service, Federal Defender's publications and the U.S. attorney's manual.

While "Proving Federal Crimes" covers a wide range of topics, Nissman also released another book, "Follow the Money: A Guide to Financial & Money Laundering Investigations," this summer.  The 468-page volume focuses on financial investigations, fraud and money-laundering schemes.  "Financial investigations are now required in drug cases, but we have not trained agents to do financial investigations," he said.

Nissman said the idea for "Follow the Money" came from a Virgin Islands drug case and an agent who wanted to do a money-laundering investigation but did not know how.  Nissman said he prepared the beginnings of what would later become the book to help the agent. He said the guidelines helped the agent build a successful case.  He said that both books are useful guides in combating global crime, tracking the financing of terrorism and dealing with arrests made on foreign soil.  "It is a lot more complex than it was before," he said.

Nissman, who is the territory's 19th U.S. attorney, retired last year after 28 years of public service as a state and federal prosecutor.  In 1995, Nissman became a publisher for the Justice Department and published more than 15 books, created an electronic library system and restructured the national magazine U.S. Attorneys' Bulletin. He previously authored the 2001 edition of "Proving Federal Crimes," which was selected by Amazon.com as one of the 10 best law books of the year.  Since the Justice Department last published "Proving Federal Crimes" in 1981, updating it - in order to meet ever-changing criminal schemes and federal laws - has continued to be a high priority for him.  The books are available at Amazon.com or through Corpus Juris Publishing Co. at www.cjpbooks.com. "Proving Federal Crimes" retails at Amazon.com for $175. V.I. residents or law enforcement agencies can get a discount at $125. "Follow the Money" retails at Amazon.com for $175. V.I. residents or law enforcement agencies can get a discount at $115.