Federal Bureau Investigations (FBI)

The main investigative arm of the Department of Justice is the Federal Bureau Investigations (FBI) that exercises both the functions of investigation and intelligence. The principal purpose by which the organization was established is to defend the United States against all forms of threats by using an intelligence driven function to secure the national territory.

The FBI was founded on July 26, 1908 where it started out as a small group of special agents working as investigators for the Department of Justice. Its headquarter is in Washington, D.C. with the FBI Director leading a large number of employees consisting of special agents, language specialists, intelligence experts, and information technology analysts as among many others.

Federal Bureau Investigations – Authority 

The principal duties of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) mainly involve the gathering of intelligence and to conduct investigations. Its investigatory power is the broadest among all of the investigating agencies of the Department of Justice. Among its principal duties and powers include the following:

• Carry firearms, serve warrants and make an arrest
• Investigate domestic and international acts of terrorisms
• Eradicate the threat to the national security
• Investigate crimes that are not vested upon the exclusive jurisdiction of a particular government agency
• Exercises the authority to use surveillance devices and tools in its investigations

Federal Bureau Investigations – Responsibilities

The scope of authority of the FBI to investigate different types of crimes is vast. They usually perform the investigation independently or in close coordination with the local law enforcement agencies or other investigating bureaus of the Department of Justice. The most common crimes that the bureau investigates are the following:

• White collar crime
• Terrorism
• Serial killing
• Espionage
• Cyber crime
• Weapons of mass destruction
• Violent crimes
• Fraud
• Public Corruption
• Organized crimes
• Major Thefts
• Bank robbery
• Human Trafficking
• Hate crime
• Crimes against children
• Drug trafficking