# Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to commonly asked questions pertaining to the FBI. What is the FBI? What is the mission of the FBI? What are the primary functions of the FBI?

- What should I do if my child goes missing? Time is of the essence. Immediately contact your local FBI office or closest international office. See About Protecting Your Kids and Is Your Child Missing by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for additional information.
- What career paths does the FBI offer besides the special agent role? The FBI has a wide variety of career opportunities for individuals from all backgrounds and experiences, including intelligence analysts, financial experts, scientists, security specialists, linguists, and more.
- How do I apply for a job at the FBI? Visit the FBI Jobs website to apply for a job and find answers to frequently asked questions about careers in the Bureau.
- Does the FBI investigate graft and corruption in local government and in state and local police departments? The FBI uses applicable federal laws, including the Hobbs Act, to investigate violations by public officials in federal, state, and local governments.
- What is the FBI doing about drug trafficking? The FBI combats drug trafficking by focusing investigations and prosecutions on entire criminal enterprises rather than on individuals.
- How is the FBI fighting organized crime, particularly international organized crime? The FBI's organized crime investigations frequently use undercover operations, court-authorized electronic surveillance, informants and cooperating witnesses, and consensual monitoring.
- What is white-collar crime, and how is the FBI combating it? White-collar crime is generally non-violent in nature and includes public corruption, health care fraud, mortgage fraud, securities fraud, and money laundering.
- Does the FBI keep statistics on criminal offenses committed in the United States? The Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program collects information on serious crimes reported to law enforcement agencies, ranging from murder to burglary to arson.
- What are the most typical civil rights violations? The most common complaints involve allegations of color of law violations and racial violence, such as physical assaults, homicides, verbal or written threats, or desecration of property.
- How does the FBI protect the civil rights of people in the United States? The FBI investigates violations of federal civil rights statutes and supports the investigations of state and local authorities in certain cases.
- Does the FBI investigate computer-related crime? The Bureau is charged with investigating computer-related crimes involving both criminal acts and national security issues.
- How can citizens help the FBI protect the U.S. from foreign intelligence operations? Citizens can raise their own security awareness and report any suspected espionage activity to the FBI.
- Has the ending of the Cold War reduced the amount of espionage? Traditional espionage has changed, increasing in some areas and becoming more difficult to assess and predict.
- Has the use of space satellites, listening devices, and other advanced technology reduced the importance of the human foreign spy? The use of technology gives intelligence officers anonymity, enhancing their efforts but not replacing agents entirely.
- Do spies always operate undercover? Espionage can be committed by almost anyone. These persons often act on their own to fulfill the requests of foreign intelligence services.