NCJ Number
86423
Date Published
Unknown
Length
31 pages
Annotation
This pamphlet provides facts about the FBI in question-and-answer format. It covers administrative matters, jurisdiction, criminal investigations, security matters, foreign counterintelligence, and cooperative services.
Abstract
In 1908, the Attorney General directed that Department of Justice investigations be handled by a small group of special investigators. This group was formed as the 'Bureau of Investigation,' and in 1935 the present FBI was designated by Congress. Applicants for the position of FBI special agent must be American citizens who are in excellent physical condition and between the ages of 23 and 35. Applicants must possess either a law degree or a 4-year accounting degree, or several years of professional experience. The FBI employs over 19,000 employees, of whom 7,800 are special agents. All agents must complete an intensive training course at the FBI Academy. The FBI investigates violations of certain Federal statutes and collects evidence in cases in which the United States is or may be an interested party. The FBI can investigate a matter only when it has authority to do so under a law passed by Congress or on instructions of the President or the Attorney General. FBI agents may make arrests without a warrant for any Federal offense committed in their presence or when they have reasonable grounds to believe that the person to be arrested has committed or is attempting to commit a felony violation of U.S. laws. The FBI has no authority to investigate local crimes not within their jurisdiction. The FBI's jurisdiction includes a wide range of responsibilities in both the criminal and security fields. The FBI is strictly a fact-finding agency and does not designate or label organizations as subversive.