Most of us know what the FBI is, but we may not know how or why it came to exist. For most Americans, the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) has carried a certain mystery to it; known as the elite branch of US law enforcement.
The FBI was created in 1908 under President Theodore Roosevelt as the Bureau of Investigation. Attorney General Charles Bonaparte formed a small group of special agents, some from the Department of Justice and some from the Secret Service to work under the Department of Justice, reporting to Chief Examiner Stanley Finch. At the time, there were 34 agents. Though not known as the FBI at the time, this was the first group of federal investigative agents. In 1909, the group became known as the Bureau of Investigation.
Over the next few years, more criminal legislation was passed, and historical events like World War I, the Great Depression and organized crime increased the need for federal investigative work, so the group expanded. It became known as the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 1935.
Today, the FBI is primarily responsible for investigating federal crimes and acquiring information and evidence for national security purposes. The department has five branches: the Administrative Branch, the Criminal Investigations Branch, the Law Enforcement Services Branch, the National Security Branch and the Office of the Chief Information Officer. Among their top priorities are preventing terrorist attacks, countering espionage, fighting white collar crime and organized crime. They often work with other agencies, including military investigative services and local law enforcement, particularly when crimes committed can fall under federal jurisdiction. In recent years, their work in stopping terrorism has been increased, and they often work closely with the Department of Homeland Security.
Though the FBI investigates many crimes and makes arrests, they do not prosecute these crimes. Federal crimes investigated by the FBI are generally prosecuted by the Department of Justice under federal prosecutors.
Gaining employment with the FBI can be difficult. First of all, employees must pass a thorough background investigation that includes a criminal background check, credit check, interviews with family and friends and psychological testing. In addition, professional candidates must have a four year degree in their field. To be considered for a special agent position, you must have a degree, along with experience in their corresponding field, be between 23 and 36 years of age and pass a physical test. You must enter the agency in one of four fields. These are accounting, law, language, computer science or diversified.
Work with the FBI can be dangerous, challenging and interesting to those who do so. The FBI has almost 34,000 employees today. Over 13,000 of these are special agents. Their main headquarters is in Washington, DC and they have 56 field offices in major cities around the US, with some small offices in smaller cities. They also have 60 international offices, located in US Embassies throughout the world. They currently operate on a budget of more than $7 billion.
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