How the FBI Works

Image courtesy US Department of Justice

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the most powerful government agency in the United States. Some call it the largest law enforcement agency in the world. In its 100-year history, the agency has been at the heart of several infamous cases -- some successful, some controversial. In the age of terrorism, the FBI is as complicated and powerful as ever.

In this article, we'll find out what the FBI does, how it started, and how you can become an FBI agent. We'll take a look at some of the tools and techniques used by the FBI, and we'll learn about J. Edgar Hoover, the man who molded the Bureau into a powerful crime-solving agency.

­The FBI is the investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Justice, and its specific mission is constantly evolving. Currently, the FBI's focus is on stopping terrorism, corruption, organized crime, cyber crime and civil rights violations, as well as investigating serious crimes such as major thefts or murders. They also assist other law enforcement agencies when needed. Crimes that specifically fall under FBI jurisdiction include those in which the criminal crossed state lines, violations of federal controlled substance laws, and other violations of federal laws.

According to its Web site:

The official mission of the FBI is to uphold the law through the investigation of violations of federal criminal law; to protect the United States 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 United States.

• It is not a national police force; state and local law enforcement agencies are not subservient to the FBI. It's simply a different jurisdiction for different kinds of crimes.
• It doesn't "take over" cases from local agencies. If a crime partly involves FBI jurisdiction, or if it is serious enough to require FBI involvement, then the FBI forms a task force in which agents will work closely with state and local police.
• The FBI does not prosecute cases. It provides investigative information to United States attorneys, who then use that information to decide whether to prosecute.

FBI agents can carry firearms, and their use is restricted by the same rules that restrict all other law enforcement offices in the U.S. Deadly force can only be used when necessary to prevent death or injury to the agent or others. Agents cannot wiretap suspects (use electronic means to listen in on telephone conversations) without receiving a court order. To get a court order, they have to prove probable cause that the suspect is engaged in an illegal activity, and that a wiretap will help them gain crucial information. A federal judge must approve and monitor the tap. Wiretapping without a court order is a felony.

Structure of the FBI

Image courtesy FBI FBI Director Robert S. Mueller, III

Image courtesy CIA The J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building

The FBI is part of the U.S. Department of Justice, which is headed by the U.S. Attorney General. The FBI exists under the Attorney General's authority to create investigative agents for the enforcement of federal laws (Sections 533 and 534, Title 28 of the U.S. Code). However, the Attorney General doesn't exercise direct authority over the FBI itself -- that's the job of the Inspector General. Prior to 2002, the Inspector General could investigate the FBI, but only with the permission of the Attorney General. In the wake of several scandals in 2001, including the revelation that FBI agent Robert Hanssen had been selling U.S. secrets to the Soviets for 15 years, Congress gave the Inspector General more oversight power [ref].

The President appoints the director of the FBI for a 10-year term. The current director is Robert S. Mueller, III. There are several deputy directors beneath him, and an executive assistant director heads each of the 11 divisions of the FBI. These divisions generally coincide with a type of crime the FBI investigates. For example, there is a counterterrorism division, a criminal investigation division and an information technology division.

The FBI is headquartered in the J. Edgar Hoover Building in Washington, D.C. Opened in 1974, the massive bunker-like building houses the director, most department heads and the world-famous FBI Crime Lab. (The FBI building tour is currently closed for renovations, but tours are scheduled to resume in Spring 2007.) FBI Field offices are located in most major cities -- there are 56 in total. A Special Agent in Charge heads each field office. An assistant director heads exceptionally large field offices in New York and Los Angeles. In addition, the FBI has about 400 resident agencies in smaller cities or other areas where an FBI presence is required.

The FBI's Organization

As of March 31, 2006, the FBI employed more than 30,000 people, comprising 12,515 agents, and 17,485 support personnel, lab technicians and administrators. In the past, the FBI was considered an unfriendly place for women and minorities. In 1972, the FBI did not have a single female agent, and only a small percentage were minorities [ref]. Today, more than 13,000 FBI employees are women, with 7,691 minorities and over 1,000 people with disabilities [ref].

FBI funding is part of the Department of Justice and comes from the overall federal budget. In 2003, the FBI's total budget was $4.298 billion [ref].

Next, we'll learn about the history of the FBI.