NCJ Number
34406
Date Published
1976
Length
250 pages
Annotation
LEGISLATION IS NEEDED TO CLARIFY THE PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF FBI DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE OPERATIONS CONCLUDES THIS REPORT WHICH STUDIED 797 RANDOMLY SAMPLED CASES ON INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE ACTED ON DURING 1974.
Abstract
THE REPORT FOUND THAT THE FBI'S AUTHORITY TO CARRY OUT DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE INVESTIGATIONS IS UNCLEAR AND THAT INVESTIGATIONS ARE TOO BROAD IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE INVESTIGATED AND THE SCOPE OF THE INVESTIGATIONS. INVESTIGATIONS ARE GENERALLY PASSIVE IN THAT INFORMATION IS GATHERED FROM OTHER SOURCES, BUT THEY ARE ALL ENCOMPASSING. QUESTIONABLE TECHNIQUES WERE FOUND TO BE USED INFREQUENTLY, BUT LEGISLATION IS RECOMMENDED TO LIMIT THEIR FUTURE USE. FURTHER, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SHOULD LIMIT RETENTION OF INVESTIGATIVE DATA BECAUSE ALTHOUGH THE FBI ADEQUATELY CONTROLLED DISSEMINATION OF INVESTIGATIVE INFORMATION, IT HAS NOT ADEQUATELY EXAMINED ITS PROCEDURES FOR MAINTAINING SUCH DATA. ALSO, NEITHER THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT NOR THE CONGRESS EXERCISED ADEQUATE CONTROL AND OVERSIGHT OVER FBI DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE OPERATIONS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)