Introduction
Federal constitution, state legislatures, law making bodies and US congress creates administrative agencies. The main aim of the agencies is to manage social problems and rectify serious social problems. Besides, the agencies supervise matters concerning the government, which are beyond the expert skills of the legislators. The powers of the administrative agencies are intelligible, and control systems limit the powers. The paragraphs below discuss roles and functions of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which is an administrative agency with rules and procedures of its own.
Purpose of the agency and enabling act that created the agency
Federal stands for the national government of the US; Bureau means divisions or departments in the government; investigation refers to the gathering of evidence and facts to prevent and solve crimes. The main purpose of FBI is to defend and protect the US against foreign intelligence threats and terrorism. Besides, its aim is to enforce and uphold criminal laws of the US, as well as providing criminal justice and leadership services to state, federal, municipal and to partners of the international agencies ( Alfred and Mayton 100). In essence, FBI aims at performing these responsibilities in such a manner that, they respond to the public’s needs, as well as faithful to the United State’s constitution. It was established under the Major Crimes Act.
Historical perspective
Joseph Bonaparte, the attorney general in 1908, created Bureau of investigation (BOI), during the presidency of Roosevelt Theodore. In 1935, the BOE was renamed as the federal bureau of investigation. Secret service agents were the pioneer members of staff in the agency. Edgar Hoover, the first director of the agency, created an FBI laboratory, whose main aim was to professionalize government’s investigations. The US president appoints the director of FBI and the senate confirms the appointment. The director’s term does not exceed ten years, and the current director is Mueller Robert.
Functions of the agency
FBI agency has the greatest investigative authority in all the federal enforcement law agencies. The agency divides its investigations into various programs, such as international and domestic terrorism, public corruption, organized drugs, foreign counter-intelligence, violent crimes, applicant matters and major offenders. Investigative philosophy of the agency emphasizes information sharing and close relations with other international, local, federal law intelligent and enforcement agencies.
FBI investigates all federal crime, and authorizes appointment of officials by the attorney general. The appointed officials prosecutes and detect crimes against the U.S. The agency carry firearms serve warranty and make arrests through officials and special agents. Federal law empowers special agents and officials in the agency to make seizures of federal statutes’ violation under warrant (Barksdale 12).
Moreover, the agency investigates particular criminal violations, such as kidnapping, assault and congressional assassination. The agency also investigates state law violations but under limited circumstances, particularly felony killings of law enforcement officers in the state, serial killers and violent crime against those travelling from one state to another. Other FBI functions include collection of identification records and finger print cards, training of local and state officials in law enforcement in FBI national academy and operation of FBI laboratory, information centre and national crime information. Ultimately, the agency investigates various statutory sources, authorities of the attorney general and threats to pursuant and national security of the president’s executive orders.
Organizational chart with descriptions of the major positions within the agency
Washington D.C holds the headquarters of the agency in a building known as Edgar Hoover building. The agency has sixty main field offices in the United States. Besides, there are more than sixty offices world wide in consulates general and U.S embassies.
Head leader of the agency is the director, whose subordinate operational offices include office of the congressal and public affairs and office of general counsel. Under the director, there is the director of criminal investigations, who reports to the director, and his main duty is to conduct and manage criminal investigations that are under the FBI’s jurisdiction. Director of counter-terrorism is also under the director, and his main duty is to coordinate all national activities related to counter-terrorism. Director of administration also reports to the head director and involves in financial services, administrative, information resources and security services. Director of law enforcement deals with issues in law enforcement, which falls under the jurisdiction of the FBI agency. Special agent officials are all under the directors.
There are approximately 40,000 people who work for the agency. 15,000 of these people are special agents while 25,000 are professional staff members (Ronald 389). Employees are many, with women holding the greatest number, followed by men and people with disabilities. In fact, the number of women is double that of men while the number of men doubles that of the disabled.
Accomplishments and criticisms of the agency
The agency has many accomplishments, especially in investigating crimes in the country. The accomplishments are successful because the agency acts without the influence of politics. During the Second World War, FBI used intelligence collection to participate in the war because technical laboratory played the greatest role. The agency’s inventive and highly skilled staff cooperated with scientists, engineers and cryptographers with an aim of enabling the US to control information flow from the belligerents. Besides, FBI carried out responsibility of sabotage investigations and was successful in arresting and locating enemies during the Second World War. FBI and its predecessor agencies are remarkably successful in investigating sabotage and espionage acts, incase of any suspicion.
The agency is also successful in carrying out investigations concerning the national security; for instance, in 1946, the president authorized the agency to so. After the post war, the agency expanded its authority on investigating prospective and present employees in the government, which is very successful (Reid 74). In addition, the agency is successful in investigating disloyalty among federal employees. Moreover, advances in technical development and forensic science enable the agency to devote a substantial portion of its resources to helping local and state enforcement agencies.
FBI is criticized of not busting Chinese spies who stole U.S nuclear weapons, and were also accused of going after the spy catcher who exposed them. The agency is trying to find out the man who discovered the espionage, gave a warning to the public and informed the congress about the cover-up. In fact, the FBI went for that man, who was a former intelligence Notra Trulock in the energy department. FBI is charged with dealing in crimes such as espionage, extortion, robbery, fraud and violations of civil rights. In essence, FBI is criticized of its increased responsibility in jurisdiction.
Personal critique of the agency’s effectiveness, and possible recommendations of the agent’s future
The agency is effective, but it has extremely strict rules and its jurisdiction powers are very great. In this regard, I feel that the agency uses excess powers, which is unfair to the citizens. The excess powers may also make the agency to kill innocent people.
Possible recommendations of the agency’s future include: making various changes in the agency, so that it becomes the most appropriate agency to deal with terrorism in the USA; adding more resources in state; local and federal law enforcement agencies in supporting training; clarifying the agency’s jurisdiction and responsibilities in a legislative charter; ‘co-locating’ counterterrorism division in the agency with TTIC, to improve operational responsibilities (Pierce 88).
Conclusion
FBI has unique and a combination of authorities, which makes it able to address criminal threats and national security that are mainly intertwined. In addition, the authorities help the agency to use intelligence tools, such as recruiting or surveillance tools, as well as law enforcement tools of prosecution and arrest. Unlike other local intelligence agencies in the world, FBI can shift freely between intelligence action and collection. Consequently, the agency gathers intelligence and information on financial and social network.
Works Cited
Aman, Alfred and William, Mayton. Administrative Law. 2nd ed. St. Paul, Minn.: West Group.
2001. Print
Barksdale, Yvette M.. "The Presidency and Administrative Value Selection." American
University Law Review 42. 1993. Print
Pierce, Richard. Administrative Law Treatise. 4th ed. New York: Aspen Law & Business. 2002
Reid, Sarah A. "One of the biggest things the FBI has ever done". The Winchester Star. 2006
Ronald, Kessler. The Bureau: The Secret History of the FBI.1st ed. 2002. Print
