DITA (an acronym for Defense Investigator Training Academy) was established by vote of the Board of Directors of the Defense Investigators Association in 1998. DITA provides certified training in criminal defense investigations. DITA classes address the skills and knowledge essential to provide competent investigation on behalf of the defense in criminal cases. The DITA committee members studied a wide variety of issues and topics to identify classes that they considered to be necessary training for criminal defense investigators.