FBI Jurisdiction and Investigative Responsibilities in the United States
Federal Bureau of Investigation: Jurisdiction and Investigative Responsibilities
Introduction to FBI Jurisdiction and Investigative Responsibilities
The FBI has the broadest jurisdiction (investigative authority) of all federal law enforcement agencies. It is authorized to investigate all federal criminal violations that the United States Congress has not specifically assigned to other federal agencies. It may investigate other matters at the request of the president or attorney general of the United States, or if authorized under a law passed by Congress. This mandate stands in contrast to other federal law enforcement agencies, which have narrower missions. For example, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) enforces federal drug laws, and the Secret Service investigates counterfeiting and protects the president and vice president and their families.
The FBI investigates hundreds of different federal crimes, including organized crime, drug trafficking, espionage, terrorism, bank robbery, extortion, racketeering, and kidnapping. The agency is responsible for investigating federal civil rights violations, such as police brutality, housing discrimination, and racial violence. The FBI also investigates so-called white-collar crimes, such as money laundering, bank fraud and embezzlement, corruption in local and state government, election-law violations, environmental crimes, and computer-related crimes. Additionally, it handles cases involving threats or actual violence against the president, vice president, and members of Congress. In all cases, the FBI presents the results of its investigations to federal prosecutors in the Justice Department, who decide whether to prosecute suspects in the federal courts.
In conducting investigations, the FBI frequently works with local, state, federal, and international law enforcement organizations. For example, the FBI works with the Central Intelligence Agency to prevent foreign spies from obtaining U.S. national security secrets. It also works with the DEA in drug cases and with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives in certain cases involving bombs, arson, or firearms violations. Criminal activities often cross state and country borders. As a national law enforcement agency, the FBI is best equipped to investigate them. It investigates interstate criminal activity and can arrest fugitives who cross state lines to avoid prosecution. Although the FBI is not usually authorized to make arrests in foreign countries, the agency works with law enforcement agencies abroad to apprehend suspects wanted for crimes in U.S. jurisdictions.
The FBI also conducts noncriminal inquiries. It researches the backgrounds of U.S. Supreme Court nominees, Cabinet nominees, and other presidential appointees to help the U.S. Senate decide if these candidates should be confirmed. It also conducts background checks on people who apply for employment at the FBI, Justice Department, White House, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and certain other government agencies. Finally, the FBI may collect evidence in civil suits involving the United States government.
Among functions specifically excluded from the jurisdiction of the FBI are investigations of counterfeiting, which are handled by the Secret Service, and violations of customs and revenue laws, which are handled by the United States Customs Service. Violations of postal laws, which are under the jurisdiction of the United States Postal Service, are also excluded from the jurisdiction of the FBI. Intelligence activities aimed at foreign countries, related to the national security of the United States, are generally carried out by the CIA. However, the FBI does investigate terrorism outside of the United States when directed against U.S. citizens or interests, such as U.S. embassies.” (1)
Resources
Notes and References
- Information about FBI Jurisdiction and Investigative Responsibilities in the Encarta Online Encyclopedia
Guide to FBI Jurisdiction and Investigative Responsibilities
In this Section
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation Structure, FBI Jurisdiction and Investigative Responsibilities, FBI Agents, Law Enforcement Services, FBI Law Enforcement Services (including FBI Fingerprint Identification, FBI Laboratory, FBI Criminal Profiling, FBI Police Training, National Crime Information Center and Crime Statistics), FBI History (including FBI Early Years, Hoover Reforms, FBI in the World War II and Postwar Era, FBI Antiradical Activities, FBI Reform, Ruby Ridge, FBI Under Freeh and September 11 Attacks), FBI and the Patriot Act and National Lawyers Guild.