The Fbi 2 Essay, Research Paper

To uphold the law through the investigation of violations of federal

criminal law; to protect the U.S. from foreign intelligence and terrorist

activities; to provide leadership and law enforcement assistance to

federal, state, local, and international agencies; and to perform these

responsibilities in a manner that is responsive to the needs of the public

and is faithful to the constitution of the U.S.: this is the mission of the

Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The agency now known as the Federal Bureau of Investigation was founded in

1908 when the Attorney General appointed an unnamed force of Special Agents

to be the investigative force of the Department of Justice (DOJ). Before

that time, the DOJ had to borrow Agents from the U.S. Secret Service to

investigate violations of federal criminal laws within its jurisdiction. In

1909, the Special Agent Force was renamed the Bureau of Investigation, and

after a series of name changes, it received its present official name in

1935.

During the early period of the FBIs history, its agents investigated

violations of mainly bankruptcy frauds, antitrust crime, and neutrality

violation. During World War One, the Bureau was given the responsibility of

investigating espionage, sabotage, sedition (resistance against lawful

authority), and draft violations. The passage of the National Motor Vehicle

Theft Act in 1919 further broadened the Bureau’s jurisdiction.

After the passage of Prohibition in 1920, the gangster era began, bringing

about a whole new type of crime. Criminals engaged in kidnapping and bank

robbery, which were not federal crimes at that time. This changed in 1932

with the passage of a federal kidnapping statute. In 1934, many other

federal criminal statutes were passed, and Congress gave Special Agents the

authority to make arrests and to carry firearms.

The FBIs size and jurisdiction during the second World War increased

greatly and included intelligence matters in South America. With the end of

that war, and the arrival of the Atomic Age, the FBI began conducting

background security investigations for the White House and other government

agencies, as well as probes into internal security matters for the

executive branch of the government.

In the 1960s, civil rights and organized crime became major concerns of the

FBI, and counterterrorism, drugs, financial crime, and violent crimes in

the 1970s. These are still the major concerns of the FBI, only now it is to

a greater extent..

With all of this responsibility, it is logical to say that the FBI is a

field-oriented organization. They have nine divisions and four offices at

FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. These divisions and offices provide

direction and support services to 56 field offices and approximately 10,100

Special Agents and 13,700 other employees. Each FBI field office is

overseen by a Special Agent in Charge, except for those located in New York

City and Washington, D.C. Due to their large size, those offices are each

managed by an Assistant Director in Charge.

FBI field offices conduct their official business both directly from their

headquarters and through approximately 400 satellite offices, known as

resident agencies. The FBI also operates specialized field installations:

two Regional Computer Support Centers; one in Pocatello, Idaho, and one in

Fort Monmouth, New Jersey — and two Information technology Centers (ITCs);

one at Butte, Montana, and one at Savannah, Georgia. The ITCs provide

information services to support field investigative and administrative

operations.

Because they do have so much responsibility, their investigative authority

is the broadest of all federal law enforcement agencies. The FBI also

stresses long term, complex investigation, emphasize close relations and

information sharing with other federal, state, local, and foreign law

enforcement and intelligence agencies. A significant number of FBI

investigations are conducted with other law enforcement agencies or as part

of joint task forces.

As part of this process, the FBI has divided its investigations into the

following programs:

Applicant Program Department of Energy and Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Applicants Department of justice Candidates FBI Special Agents and Support

Applicants and others

Civil Rights Program Civil Rights Act of 1964 Discrimination in Housing

Equal Credit Opportunity Act

Counterterrorism Program Hostage taking Sabotage Attempted of Actual

Bombings and others

Financial Crime Program Bank Fraud and Embezzlement Environmental Crimes

Fraud Against the Government and others

Foreign Counterintelligence Programs Espionage Foreign Counterintelligence

Matters

Organized Crime/Drug Program Drug Matters Money Laundering Organized

Crime/Drug Enforcement Task Force Matters and others

Violent Crimes and Major Offenders Program Theft of Government Property

Crime Aboard Aircraft Kidnapping – Extortion and others

These programs cover most everything that the FBI investigates, and some

individual cases in a program often receives extensive investigative

attention because of their size, potential impact, or sensitivity.

Because FBI Special Agents are responsible for handling so many different

things, they have to go through rigorous training in the following areas:

Academics, Firearms, Physical Training/Defense Tactics, and Practical

Exercises. Within these four major areas are components like interviewing

techniques, communications, computer skills, and drug investigations.

Altogether there are 15 components in the four areas I listed previously.

They receive all of this training at the FBI academy in Quantico, Virginia

and must complete 645 hours (15 weeks) of instruction before they graduate.

The training in the academy is difficult, but those who have made it there

have already passed the first test. To qualify for training as an FBI

Agent, you must be:

1. a U.S. citizen 2. between the ages of 23 and 37 when entering on duty;

3. hold a bachelors degree obtained in an accredited four-year resident

program at a college or university; and 4. have three years full-time work

experience, or fluency in a language for which the Bureau has a need for.

After graduation from the FBI Academy, a new Special Agent is assigned to

an FBI field office. This assignment is determined by the individuals

special skills and the needs of the bureau. As part of their duties,

Special Agents are required to relocate during their careers. Special

Agents enter service in Grade GS 10 on the federal governments General

Schedule pay scale and can advance to Grade 13 in field assignment.

In our society today, one of the most important things to us is our safety.

Organizations like the FBI help protect us and investigate crimes to help

prevent future ones. Their motto is Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity, and I

think that each one of those words is justified when it comes to describing

the Federal Bureau of Investigation. When the duties of the FBI are stated

in the mission it says to perform these duties in a manner that is

responsive to the needs of the public and is faithful to the Constitution

of the United States.