Frequently Asked Questions — FBI Who is the head of the FBI? The FBI is led by a Director, who is appointed by the U.S. President and confirmed by the Senate for a term not to exceed 10 years. The current Director is James B. Comey . You can find information on all Directors who have served the FBI on our History website . How is the FBI organized? The FBI is headquartered in Washington, D.C. The offices and divisions at FBI Headquarters provide direction and support to 56 field offices in big cities, more than 350 smaller offices known as resident agencies, several specialized field installations, and more than 60 liaison offices in other countries known as legal attachés. Is the FBI a type of national police force? No. The FBI is a national security organization that works closely with many partners around the country and across the globe to address the most serious security threats facing the nation. We are one of many federal agencies with law enforcement responsibilities. How accurately is the FBI portrayed in books, television shows, and motion pictures? Any author, television script writer, or producer may consult with the FBI about closed cases or our operations, services, or history.

However, there is no requirement that they do so, and the FBI does not edit or approve their work. Some authors, television programs, or motion picture producers offer reasonably accurate presentations of our responsibilities, investigations, and procedures in their story lines, while others present their own interpretations or introduce fictional events, persons, or places for dramatic effect. What does the FBI do with information and evidence gathered during an investigation? If a possible violation of federal law under the jurisdiction of the FBI has occurred, the Bureau will conduct an investigation. The information and evidence gathered in the course of that investigation are then presented to the appropriate U.S. Attorney or Department of Justice official, who will determine whether or not prosecution or further action is warranted. Depending on the outcome of the investigation, evidence is either returned or retained for court. What does the FBI do with persons it arrests in the course of an investigation? A person arrested by the FBI is taken into custody, photographed, and fingerprinted. In addition, an attempt often is made to obtain a voluntary statement from the arrestee. The arrestee remains in FBI custody until the initial court appearance, which must take place without unnecessary delay.

What authority do FBI special agents have to make arrests in the United States, its territories, or on foreign soil? In the U.S. and its territories, FBI special agents may make arrests for any federal offense committed in their presence or when they have reasonable grounds to believe that the person to be arrested has committed, or is committing, a felony violation of U.S. laws. On foreign soil, FBI special agents generally do not have authority to make arrests except in certain cases where, with the consent of the host country, Congress has granted the FBI extraterritorial jurisdiction. Are FBI special agents permitted to install wiretaps at their own discretion? No. Wiretapping is one of the FBI’s most sensitive techniques and is strictly controlled by federal statutes. It is used infrequently and only to combat terrorism and the most serious crimes. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 2516, contains the protocol requiring all law enforcement officers to establish probable cause that the wiretaps may provide evidence of a felony violation of federal law. After determining if a sufficient showing of probable cause has been made, impartial federal judges approve… What is the FBI’s policy on the use of deadly force by its special agents?

FBI special agents may use deadly force only when necessary—when the agent has a reasonable belief that the subject of such force poses an imminent danger of death or serious physical injury to the agent or another person. If feasible, a verbal warning to submit to the authority of the special agent is given prior to the use of deadly force. If a crime is committed that is a violation of local, state, and federal laws, does the FBI “take over” the investigation? No. State and local law enforcement agencies are not subordinate to the FBI, and the FBI does not supervise or take over their investigations. Instead, the investigative resources of the FBI and state and local agencies are often pooled in a common effort to investigate and solve the cases. In fact, many task forces composed of FBI agents and state and local officers have been formed to locate fugitives and to address serious threats like terrorism and street violence. If an individual is being sought by local police for committing a crime, what assistance can the FBI render to locate the fugitive? A “stop” will be placed against the fugitive’s fingerprints in the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division. Local police will be notified immediately upon the receipt of any additional fingerprints of the fugitive.

The fugitive’s name and identifying data also will be entered into the National Crime Information Center, a computerized database that is accessible to law enforcement agencies nationwide. Any agency that inquires about this individual will be informed of his or her fugitive status. In… If a child is missing and possibly kidnapped, but no interstate transportation is known, will the FBI begin an investigation? Yes. The FBI will initiate a kidnapping investigation involving a missing child “of tender years,” even though there is no known interstate aspect. “Tender years” is generally defined as a child 12 years or younger. The FBI will monitor other kidnapping situations when there is no evidence of interstate travel, and it offers assistance from various entities including the FBI Laboratory. What is the FBI’s policy on the use of informants? The courts have recognized that the government’s use of informants is lawful and often essential to the effectiveness of properly authorized law enforcement investigations. However, use of informants to assist in the investigation of criminal activity may involve an element of deception, intrusion into the privacy of individuals, or cooperation with persons whose reliability and motivation may be open to question.

Although it is legally permissible for the FBI to use informants in its investigations, special care is taken… Are informants regular employees of the FBI? No. Informants are individuals who supply information to the FBI on a confidential basis. They are not hired or trained employees of the FBI, although they may receive compensation in some instances for their information and expenses. If a citizen gives information about a potential crime to the FBI and there is a question on whether a federal violation has occurred, who in the government decides? The FBI may conduct an investigation in order to obtain sufficient facts concerning the allegation. If there is a question as to whether or not a federal violation has occurred, the FBI consults with the U.S. Attorney’s office in the district where the alleged offense took place. Can I obtain detailed information about a current FBI investigation that I see in the news? No. Such information is protected from public disclosure, in accordance with current law and Department of Justice and FBI policy. This policy preserves the integrity of the investigation and the privacy of individuals involved in the investigation prior to any public charging for violations of the law. It also serves to protect the rights of people not yet charged with a crime. Does the FBI provide arrest records at the request of private citizens?

Yes. You can obtain a copy of your own ”Identification Record”—often referred to as a criminal history record or a "rap sheet"—by submitting a written request to our Criminal Justice Information Services Division. We check various systems for any arrest records, a process that is generally known as a criminal background check. Your request must include proof of identity and payment of an $18 processing fee by credit card or by money order or cashiers check made payable… Who monitors or oversees the FBI? The FBI’s activities are closely and regularly scrutinized by a variety of entities. Congress—through several oversight committees in the Senate and House—reviews the FBI’s budget appropriations, programs, and selected investigations. The results of FBI investigations are often reviewed by the judicial system during court proceedings. Within the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI is responsible to the attorney general, and it reports its findings to U.S. Attorneys across the country. The FBI’s intelligence… What tasks do FBI agents typically perform? Our agents enforce many different federal laws and perform various roles in the Bureau, so there really is no such thing as a “typical day” for an FBI agent.

Agents in our field offices, for example, could be testifying in federal court one day and executing a search warrant and gathering evidence the next. Over the course of a week, they might meet with a source to gather intelligence on illegal activities; make an arrest; and then, back in the… What kinds of guns do FBI agents use? Agents carry Bureau-issued or approved handguns and may be issued additional equipment as needed. Those in specialized areas like the Hostage Rescue Teams may also be issued weapons that fit their duties. Agents are allowed to carry personal weapons, provided they do not violate the policies regarding firearms. Unless otherwise instructed, agents are required to be armed at all times. How old do you have to be to become an agent? You must be at least 23 years old at the time of your appointment. You must also be younger than 37, unless you qualify for an age waiver available to veterans. See our qualification requirements webpage for more information on what it takes to become a special agent. What kind of training does an agent go through? All special agents begin their career at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, for 20 weeks of intensive training at one of the world’s finest law enforcement training facilities.

During their time there, trainees live on campus and participate in a variety of training activities. Classroom hours are spent studying a wide variety of academic and investigative subjects, including the fundamentals of law, behavioral science, report writing, forensic science, and basic and advanced investigative, interviewing, and intelligence techniques. Students… How many agents have been killed in the line of duty? A number of FBI agents have been designated as service martyrs—agents killed in the line of duty as the result of a direct adversarial force or at the hand of an adversary. In addition, other FBI agents have lost their lives in the performance of their duty, but not necessarily during an adversarial confrontation (such as in the “hot pursuit” of a criminal). See our Hall of Honor for more information and a list of agents in both categories. What type of applicants does the FBI investigate? We conduct background investigations on all those who apply for jobs with the FBI. We also conduct background investigations on those who have been selected for jobs in certain other government entities, such as the White House, the Department of Justice, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, and some House and Senate congressional committees. Who can obtain the results of such background investigations?

You can request the results of your own background investigation through the Freedom of Information/Privacy Acts. See our FBI Records webpage to learn how to make such a request. The results of our background investigations may also be given to requesting government agencies that need to determine if a person is suitable for a job or should be given access to secret government materials. Does the FBI mail hard copies of wanted posters on fugitives to private citizens? No. The distribution of FBI fugitive material is limited to authorized law enforcement and government agencies and to legitimate media and public entities where a direct law enforcement purpose is served. Since the FBI does not send hard copies of wanted posters to the public, is there any way I can see photographs and descriptions of current FBI fugitives? Yes. As part of its investigative publicity program, the FBI posts photographs and other information regarding fugitives, terrorists, kidnapped and missing persons, bank robbers, and others on our Wanted by the FBI website . The FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, Most Wanted Terrorists, and Cyber’s Most Wanted are included. How does the FBI differ from the Central Intelligence Agency? The CIA and FBI are both members of the U.S. Intelligence Community. The CIA, however, has no law enforcement function.

Rather, it collects and analyzes information that is vital to the formation of U.S. policy, particularly in areas that impact the security of the nation. The CIA collects information only regarding foreign countries and their citizens. Unlike the FBI, it is prohibited from collecting information regarding “U.S. Persons,” a term that includes U.S. citizens, resident aliens… How does the FBI differ from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)? The FBI is a primary law enforcement agency for the U.S. government, charged with enforcement of more than 200 categories of federal laws. The DEA is a single-mission agency charged with enforcing drug laws. The ATF primarily enforces federal firearms statutes and investigates arsons and bombings. The FBI works closely with both agencies on cases where our jurisdictions overlap. How does the FBI interact with other federal law enforcement agencies? The FBI has long believed that cooperation is the backbone of effective law enforcement. The Bureau routinely cooperates and works closely with all federal law enforcement agencies on joint investigations and through formal task forces—both national and local—that address broad crime problems and national security threats.

In April 2002, the FBI’s Office of Law Enforcement Coordination (now the Office of Partner Engagement ) was established to build bridges, create new partnerships, and strengthen and support existing relationships between… Does the FBI exchange fingerprint or arrest information with domestic and foreign police agencies? Yes. Identification and criminal history information may be disclosed to federal, state, or local law enforcement agencies or any agency directly engaged in criminal justice activity. Such information also may be disclosed to any foreign or international agency consistent with international treaties, conventions, and executive agreements, where such disclosure may assist the recipient in the performance of a law enforcement function. What is the FBI’s policy on sharing information in its files with domestic or foreign investigative agencies or with other governmental entities? Through what is known as the National Name Check Program , limited information from the FBI’s central records system is provided in response to requests by other entities lawfully authorized to receive it. These entities include other federal agencies in the Executive Branch, congressional committees, the federal judiciary, and some foreign police and intelligence agencies. The FBI’s central records system contains information regarding applicant, personnel, administrative actions, and criminal and security/intelligence matters.

Dissemination of FBI information is made… Do FBI agents work with state, local, or other law enforcement officers on “task forces”? Absolutely, and we consider it central to our success today. Task forces have proven to be a highly effective way for the FBI and federal, state, and local law enforcement to join together to address specific crime problems and national security threats. In law enforcement, “concurrent jurisdiction” may exist, where a crime may be a local, state, and federal violation all at the same time. Task forces typically focus on terrorism, organized crime, narcotics, gangs, bank robberies, kidnapping, and motor… What training assistance is afforded local law enforcement officers? The FBI offers several training opportunities. The FBI National Academy, founded in 1935, provides college-level training to mid-level state, local, and international police officers. The FBI National Academy is located in the same facility as the FBI Academy, where the Bureau trains its own employees, at Quantico, Virginia. As part of the FBI’s Field Police Training Program, qualified Bureau police instructors provide training assistance at local, county, and state law enforcement training facilities to improve the investigative, managerial, administrative… What is the Critical Incident Response Group?

The FBI’s Critical Incident Response Group (CIRG) provides rapid assistance to incidents in a crisis. Through CIRG, expert assistance is available in cases involving the abduction or mysterious disappearance of children, crisis management, hostage negotiation, criminal investigative analysis, and special weapons and tactics. CIRG also assists in the assessment, selection, and training of FBI undercover employees. What is the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in Budapest? The ILEA is a multinational effort organized by the U.S., the government of Hungary, and other international training partners. This initiative teaches cutting-edge leadership and investigative techniques to international police managers in the region through an intensive program similar to the FBI National Academy and provides specialized classes on everything from corruption to cyber crime. This training not only aids the countries but substantially helps the FBI investigate international crime aimed at U.S. citizens and interests. The FBI… Does the FBI Laboratory conduct examinations of evidence for anyone other than the FBI? Yes. In addition to performing examinations for its own cases, the FBI Laboratory conducts scientific examinations of evidence, free of charge, for any federal, state, and/or local law enforcement organization in the United States.

These services also may be made available to international law enforcement agencies under special agreement between the attorney general and the secretary of state. What is the FBI’s role in combating terrorism? The FBI is the nation’s lead federal law enforcement agency for investigating and preventing acts of domestic and international terrorism. It is the lead federal agency for investigating attacks involving weapons of mass destruction—those involving chemical, radiological, or biological agents or nuclear weapons. The FBI is also responsible for specific terrorism-related offenses, such as violence at airports, money laundering, attacks on U.S. officials, and others. The FBI also works closely with the Director of National Intelligence and… What is the FBI’s responsibility in bombing cases? The FBI investigates the malicious damaging or destruction, by means of an explosive, of property used in interstate or foreign commerce. These matters include the bombing or attempted bombing of college or university facilities and incidents that appear to have been perpetrated by terrorist or revolutionary groups. The FBI also investigates bombings in the U.S. and overseas where incidents were acts of terrorism against U.S. persons or interests. Bombings are also under the ATF jurisdiction, so there are… Does the FBI share information on terrorists with other domestic and foreign law enforcement agencies? Yes.

Combating terrorism effectively requires the continuous exchange of information and close, daily coordination among U.S. law enforcement, members of the U.S. Intelligence Community, first responders, international law enforcement agencies, and others. To help ensure the two-way flow of information and intelligence, the FBI participates in numerous national and local joint terrorism task forces and interagency initiatives such as the National Counterterrorism Center. Does the FBI investigate hate groups in the United States? The FBI investigates domestic hate groups within guidelines established by the attorney general. Investigations are conducted only when a threat or advocacy of force is made; when the group has the apparent ability to carry out the proclaimed act; and when the act would constitute a potential violation of federal law. Does the FBI “monitor” any potential terrorist groups in the United States? The FBI is bound by guidelines issued by the attorney general that establish a consistent policy on when an investigation may be initiated. Through these guidelines, the FBI obtains authorization to collect information. The facts are analyzed and then used to prevent terrorist activity and, whenever possible, to aid in the arrest and prosecution of persons or groups who have violated the law. What action does the FBI take when a foreign group linked to terrorism abroad has members in the United States?

The approach taken by the FBI in counterterrorism investigations is based on the need both to prevent incidents where possible and to react effectively after incidents occur. Our investigations focus on the unlawful activity of the group, not the ideological orientation of its members. When conducting investigations, the FBI collects information that not only serves as the basis for prosecution, but also builds an intelligence base to help prevent terrorist acts. What concerns do the FBI and the law enforcement communities have regarding the growing use of encryption products by the public, both domestically and abroad? Law enforcement is extremely concerned about the serious threat posed by the use of robust encryption products that do not allow for authorized access or the timely decryption of critical evidence, obtained through lawful electronic surveillance and search and seizure. On one hand, encryption is extremely beneficial when used legitimately to protect commercially sensitive information and communications. On the other hand, the potential use of such products by criminals or terrorists raises a tremendous threat to public safety and national… What is the FBI’s foreign counterintelligence responsibility? As the country’s lead counterintelligence agency, the FBI is responsible for detecting and lawfully countering actions of foreign intelligence services and organizations that employ human and technical means to gather information about the U.S. that adversely affects our national interests.

Our investigations include foreign and economic espionage, or “spying” activities, that may involve the acquisition of classified, sensitive, or proprietary information from the U.S. government or U.S. companies. The FBI investigates whenever a foreign entity conducts… What is “economic espionage”? Economic espionage is foreign power-sponsored or coordinated intelligence activity directed at the U.S. government or U.S. corporations, establishments, or persons, designed to unlawfully or clandestinely influence sensitive economic policy decisions or to unlawfully obtain sensitive financial, trade, or economic policy information; proprietary economic information; or critical technologies. This theft, through open and clandestine methods, can provide foreign entities with vital proprietary economic information at a fraction of the true cost of its research and development, causing significant economic… Do spies always operate undercover? No. Espionage can be committed by almost anyone. A great deal of technology and sensitive information is lost through insiders within U.S. corporations. Espionage subjects often act on their own to fulfill requests of foreign intelligence services. 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.

Apparent espionage activities include attempting to view or steal records or plans without authorization; scavenging through trash; eavesdropping on conversations; asking questions without a need to know certain information; keeping unusual hours; or working outside the normal office areas. Security awareness is vital to our national interests. Does the FBI investigate computer-related crime? Yes. The FBI is charged with investigating computer-related crimes involving both criminal acts and national security issues. Examples of criminal acts would be using a computer to commit fraud or using the Internet to transmit obscene material. In the national security area, the FBI investigates criminal matters involving the nation’s computerized banking and financial systems; the various 911 emergency networks; and telecommunications systems. See our Cyber Crime webpage for more information. 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.

Federal civil rights violations fall into several categories: hate crimes motivated by bias against such characteristics as race, religion, national origin, and sexual orientation; color of law crimes involving law enforcement and related criminal justice professionals’ misuse of their right to discretion, such as use of excessive force or police misconduct; involuntary servitude or slavery; violations of the Voting… Does the FBI keep statistics on criminal offenses committed in the United States? Yes. The FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program , which began in 1929, collects information on serious crimes reported to law enforcement agencies. The categories are murder, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. The program also collects information on hate crimes and on persons arrested for other less serious crime categories. Hate crime offenses cover incidents motivated by race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability. What is white-collar crime, and how is the FBI combating it? The term “white-collar crime” was reportedly coined in 1939 and has since become synonymous with the full range of frauds committed by business and government professionals.

White-collar crime is generally non-violent in nature and includes public corruption, health care fraud, mortgage fraud, securities fraud, and money laundering, to name a few. White-collar scams can destroy a company, devastate families by wiping out their life savings, or cost investors billions of dollars (or even all three). Today’s fraud schemes are… How is the FBI fighting organized crime, particularly international organized crime? The FBI uses a variety of laws, asset forfeiture statutes, and sophisticated investigative techniques in its domestic and international cases. The criminal and civil provisions of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) statute are particularly suited to dismantle criminal organizations. Our organized crime investigations frequently use undercover operations, court-authorized electronic surveillance, informants and cooperating witnesses, and consensual monitoring. Many of these are conducted in concert with domestic and international police agencies. The FBI investigations focus on major international, national… What is the FBI doing about drug trafficking? The FBI has determined that the most effective means of combating this crime is to use the enterprise theory of investigation, which focuses investigations and prosecutions on entire criminal enterprises rather than on individuals. Through this process, all aspects of the criminal operation can be identified.

The theory supports not only the prosecution of the criminal enterprise, but also the seizure of the enterprise’s assets and is intended to disrupt or dismantle entire criminal organizations. In our cases, we… Does the FBI investigate graft and corruption in local government and in state and local police departments? Yes. The FBI uses applicable federal laws, including the Hobbs Act, to investigate violations by public officials in federal, state, and local governments. A public official is any person elected, appointed, employed, or otherwise having a duty to maintain honest and faithful public service. Most violations occur when the official solicits, accepts, receives, or agrees to receive something of value in return for influence in the performance of an official act. The categories of public corruption investigated by the FBI… What does FBI stand for in Organizations category? All Acronyms. FBI. Published January 19, 2017. Accessed January 19, 2017. CSE All Acronyms. FBI [Internet]; Jan 19, 2017 [cited 2017 Jan 19].

Available from: MHRA 'FBI', All Acronyms, 19 January 2017, < [accessed 19 January 2017] Bluebook All Acronyms, FBI (Jan. 19, 2017, 1:01 AM), available at CSE FBI — Organizations Begun in 1950, the Mattachine Society was an early homosexual rights advocacy organization. It became the subject of an FBI internal security investigation between 1953 and 1956. 12.06.10 FBI - Slang/Internet Slang <a href="">FBI</a> Citations MLA style: "FBI." Acronym Finder. 2017. AcronymFinder.com 20 Jan. 2017 Chicago style: Acronym Finder. S.v. "FBI." Retrieved January 20 2017 from APA style: FBI. (n.d.) Acronym Finder. (2017).

Retrieved January 20 2017 from Category Filters What to Do if the FBI Comes to Your Door What to Do if the FBI Comes to Your Door Federal Investigators and Your Rights Center for Constitutional Rights Do I have to talk to the FBI? 3. Under what laws do the agents operate? 4. What federal agencies are likely to be interested in a citizen's political activities and affiliations? 5. How does the FBI learn about citizens and organizations? 6. What if I suspect surveillance? 7. How should I respond to threatening letters or calls? 8. What rights do I have? 9. What should I do if police, FBI, or other agents appear with an arrest or search warrant? 10. What should I do if agents come to question me? 11. If I don't cooperate, doesn't it look like I have something to hide? 12. Are there any circumstances under which it is advisable to cooperate with an FBI investigation? 13. How can grand juries make people go to jail? 14. Is there any way to prevent grand jury witnesses from going to jail? 15. Errata Notes People opposing U.S.

policies in Central America, giving sanctuary to refugees from Guatemala and El Salvador, strugglingfor Black liberation, and against nuclear weapons, are today more than ever likely to receive visits from FBI agents or otherfederal investigators. Increasingly, agents are also visiting the familist, friends, and employers of these activists.This pamphlet is designed to answer the most frequent questions asked by people and groups experiencing governmentscrutiny, and to help them develop practical responses. What is Political Intelligence? Political intelligence is information collected by the government about individuals and groups. Files secure under theFreedom of Information Act disclose that government officials have long been interested in all forms of data. Informationgathered by government agents ranges from the most personal data about sexual liaisons and preferences to estimates of thestrength of groups opposing U.S. policies. Over the years, groups and individuals have developed various ways of limitingthe collection of information and preventing such intelligence gathering from harming their work. Do I have to talk to the FBI? No. The FBI does not have the authority to make anyone answer questions (other than name and address [see errata]), to permit a search without a warrant, or to otherwise cooperate with an investigation.

Agents are usually lawyers, and they arealways trained as investigators; they have learned the power of persuasion, the ability to make a person feel scared, guilty, orimpolite for refusing their requests for information. So remember, they have no legal authority to force people to doanything -- unless they have obtained an arrest or search warrant. Even when agents do have warrants, you still don't have toanswer their question. Under what laws do the agents operate? In 1976, FBI guidelines regulating the investigation of political activities were issued by Attorney General Edward H. Levi.Criticized by liberals and conservatives alike, the guidelines were issued in the wake of aCongressional committee's reportof highly questionable activities by the FBI: monitoring the activities of domestic political groups seeking to effect change. The report exposed the FBI's counter-intelligence program (COINTELPRO) under which the agency infiltrated groups,compiled dossiers on, and directly interfered with individuals engaged in activities protected by the First Amendment rightsto freedom of expression and association.The FBI COINTELPRO program was initiated in 1956. Its purpose, as described later by FBI Director J.

Edgar Hoover,was "to expose, disrupt, misdirect, discredit, or otherwise neutralize activities" of those individuals and organizations whoseideas or goals he opposed. Tactics included: falsely labelling individuals as informants; infiltrating groups with personsinstructed to disrupt the group; sending anonymous or forged letters designed to promote strife between groups; initiatingpolitically motivated IRS investigations; carrying out burglaries of offices and unlawful wiretaps; and disseminating to othergovernment agencies and to the media unlawfully obtained derogatory information on individuals and groups.In 1983, Attorney General William French Smith issued superseding guidelines that authorized "domestic security/ terrorism" investigations against political organizations whenever the FBI had a reasonable belief that these groups mightviolate a law. The new guidelines permitted the same intrusive techniques the FBI used against organized crime.The Smith guidelines were justified by the Attorney General's observation that "our citizens are no less threatened bygroups which engage in criminal violence for political...

purposes that by those which operate lawlessly for financial gain."He concluded: "we must ensure that criminal intelligence resources that have been brought to bear so effectively inorganized crime and racketeering investigations are effectively employed in domestic security/ terrorism cases." Theguidelines provide, therefore, no safeguards to protect against infringements of First Amendment rights.Worst, they ignore the history of COINTELPRO abuses, and abolish the distinction between regular criminal investigationsand investigations of groups and individuals seeking political change. They fail to limit the investigative techniques used toobtain data on political groups, so that now the FBI may use any technique, including electronic surveillance and informers,against political organizations.Today, the FBI may begin a full investigation whenever there is a reasonable indication that "two or more persons areengaged in an enterprise for the purpose of furthering political or social goals wholly or in part through activities thatinvolve force or violence and a violation of the criminal laws of the United States." The FBI has interpreted "force orviolence" to include the destruction of property as a symbolic act, and the mere advocacy of such property destructionwould trigger an investigation.

Even without any reasonable indication, under a separate guideline on "Civil Disorders andDemonstrations Involving a Federal Interest," the FBI may investigate an organization that plans only legal and peacefuldemonstrations.Another set of rules governing federal intelligence gathering is Executive Order 12333, in force since 1981. It authorizes theFBI and CIA to infiltrate, manipulate and destroy U.S.political organizations, as well as to use electronic surveillance -- under the pretext of an international intelligence investigation. What federal agencies are likely to be interested in a citizen's political activities andaffiliations? The FBI is still the major national intelligence-gathering agency. There are also many other federal, state, local and private investigative agencies. At least 26 federal agencies may gather intelligence, including the Immigration & Naturalization Service, Internal Revenue Service, and the Treasury Department's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Local policeagencies sometimes contain "special services" units and narcotics or other "strike forces" in which federal, state, and local agencies cooperate. The Central Intelligence Agency and National Security Agency are particularly active when a political organization has or is suspected to have international contacts.

Military security agencies and increasingly significant"private" research institutes and security agencies also gather intelligence.A recent Freedom of Information Act request on behalf of the Livermore Action Group, an anti-nuclear organization,revealed that the Navy, the U.S. Marshal's Service, and the Marine Corps all sent agents to the Group's public meetings andkept newspaper reports of such meetings. Most chilling was the revelation that the Federal Emergency Management Agency(FEMA) -- the federal agency charged with implementing martial law in the event of a nuclear war -- was also watching theLivermore group. Federal and state, local and private agencies, all tend to share information in a variety of ways. How does the FBI learn about citizens and organizations? Political intelligence is gathered from public sources, such as newspapers and leaflets. It is also collected by informers whomay be government employees or people recruited by them. Political intelligence is also collected through FBI visits to your home or office. We are here most concerned with this aspect of intelligence gathering.Agents may be sent to interview people after FBI officials decide there is a "reasonable indication" that an organization orperson meets the guidelines for a "domestic security" investigation.

Such interviews are a primary source of information, formost people are not aware of their right not to talk to federal agents.Most people are also unaware of the limits to the power of FBI and other investigative agents. Many people visited byagents are also afraid of being rude or uncooperative. Agents may be friendly and courteous, as if they are attempting toprotect you or your organization, or express admiration for your organization and its goals. Occasionally, the FBI maypersuade a disaffected member of an organization to give them information about other members, including their personal lives, character and vulnerabilities. A major job of FBI agents is to convince people to give up their rights to silence and privacy. For example, after a Quakerpacifist spoke in Anchorage, Alaska, at a memorial Service for El Salvador's Archbishop Romero, FBI agents visited a localpriest and interrogated him about the speaker. The agents asked about the speaker's organizational affiliations andexpressed fears about "terrorist connections." The agents informed the priest that they would do a "computer check" on thespeaker and his wife, and asked the priest if the two might do violence to the U.S.

President, scheduled to visit the area.These interrogations were repeated in the community by agents who later admitted there was no basis for their questionsabout "terrorist connections" and the danger to the President. What if I suspect surveillance? Prudence is the best course, no matter who you suspect, or what the basis of your suspicion. When possible, confront thesuspected person in public, with at least one other person present. If the suspect declines to answer, he or she at least nowknows that you are aware of the surveillance. Recently, religious supporters of a nation-wide call to resist possible U.S.intervention in Central America noticed unfamiliar people lurking around their offices at 6 a.m., but failed to ask what theywanted and who they were. If you suspect surveillance, you should not hesitate to ask the suspected agents names andinquire about their business.The events giving rise to suspicions of surveillance vary widely, but a general principle remains constant: confront thesuspected agents politely and in public (never alone) and inquire of their business. If the answer does not dispel yoursuspicion, share it with others who may be affected and discuss a collective response.

Do not let fears generated by"conspicuous" surveillance create unspoken tensions that undermine your work and organization. Creating fear is often thepurpose of obvious surveillance. When in doubt, call a trusted lawyer familiar with political surveillance. Please do not callthe number that was printed here as the Movement Support Network Hotline, because it is no longer active, andis now the private residence of an unrelated person. How should I respond to threatening letters or calls? If your home or office is broken into, or threats have been made against you, your organization, or someone you work with,share this information with everyone affected. Take immediate steps to increase personal and office security. You shoulddiscuss with your organization's officials and with a lawyer whether and how to report such incidents to the police. If youdecide to make a report, do not do so without the presence of counsel. What rights do I have? 1. The Right to Work for Change. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects the rights of groups and individuals who advocate, petition, and assemble to accomplish changes in laws, government practices, and even the form of government Political intelligence gathering is not supposed to interfere with these rights. 2. The Right to Remain Silent.

The Fifth Amendment of the Constitution provides that every person has the right toremain silent in the face of questions (other than name and address) posed by any police officer or government agent. Since 1970, however, federal prosecutors may request judges to order a subpoenaed witness to testify, after a grantof immunity, at a grand jury hearing or at a criminal trial. This grant of immunity means that your FifthAmendment right to refuse to testify is taken away. What is given to you is only the promise not to use yourtestimony against you in a subsequent criminal prosecution. But you can still be charged with a crime. Failure totestify after a grant of immunity is discussed on page 12 below. 3. The Right to be Free from "Unreasonable Searches and Seizures." Without a warrant, no government agent isallowed to search your home or office (or any other place that is yours and private) You may refuse to let FBI More From This User Home Home Welcome to InfraGard About InfraGard is a partnership between the FBI and the private sector.

It is an association of persons who represent businesses, academic institutions, state and local law enforcement agencies, and other participants dedicated to sharing information and intelligence to prevent hostile acts against the U.S. Services Critical Infrastructures Critical infrastructure are the assets, systems, and networks, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that their incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating effect on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination thereof. What does FBI stand for? All Acronyms. FBI. Published January 19, 2017. Accessed January 19, 2017. CSE All Acronyms. FBI [Internet]; Jan 19, 2017 [cited 2017 Jan 19]. Available from: MHRA 'FBI', All Acronyms, 19 January 2017, < [accessed 19 January 2017] Bluebook All Acronyms, FBI (Jan. 19, 2017, 3:01 PM), available at CSE FBIJOBS Search Jobs WE ARE ONE FAMILY.

At the FBI, we will challenge you to forge a career with other dedicated employees working for the same critical mission. We have a diverse culture of employees that make One FBI. Become a part of our family and experience a career like no other. Structure of the FBI - How the FBI Works | HowStuffWorks Structure of the FBI Image courtesy CIA The FBI is part of the U.S. Department of Justice, which is headed by the U.S. Attorney General. The FBI exists under the Attorney General's authority to create investigative agents for the enforcement of federal laws (Sections 533 and 534, Title 28 of the U.S. Code ). However, the Attorney General doesn't exercise direct authority over the FBI itself -- that's the job of the Inspector General. Prior to 2002, the Inspector General could investigate the FBI, but only with the permission of the Attorney General. In the wake of several scandals in 2001, including the revelation that FBI agent Robert Hanssen had been selling U.S. secrets to the Soviets for 15 years, Congress gave the Inspector General more oversight power [ ref ]. The President appoints the director of the FBI for a 10-year term.

The current director is Robert S. Mueller, III. There are several deputy directors beneath him, and an executive assistant director heads each of the 11 divisions of the FBI. These divisions generally coincide with a type of crime the FBI investigates. For example, there is a counterterrorism division, a criminal investigation division and an information technology division. Up Next Flying High: Air Force One Quiz The FBI is headquartered in the J. Edgar Hoover Building in Washington, D.C. Opened in 1974, the massive bunker-like building houses the director, most department heads and the world-famous FBI Crime Lab. (The FBI building tour is currently closed for renovations, but tours are scheduled to resume in Spring 2007.) FBI Field offices are located in most major cities -- there are 56 in total. A Special Agent in Charge heads each field office. An assistant director heads exceptionally large field offices in New York and Los Angeles. In addition, the FBI has about 400 resident agencies in smaller cities or other areas where an FBI presence is required.

The FBI's Organization As of March 31, 2006, the FBI employed more than 30,000 people, comprising 12,515 agents, and 17,485 support personnel, lab technicians and administrators. In the past, the FBI was considered an unfriendly place for women and minorities. In 1972, the FBI did not have a single female agent, and only a small percentage were minorities [ ref ]. Today, more than 13,000 FBI employees are women, with 7,691 minorities and over 1,000 people with disabilities [ ref ]. FBI funding is part of the Department of Justice and comes from the overall federal budget. In 2003, the FBI's total budget was $4.298 billion [ ref ]. Next, we'll learn about the history of the FBI. ­ FBI — Human Sex Trafficking Home • 2011 • March • Human Sex Trafficking Info Human Sex Trafficking Human sex trafficking is a serious problem for every level of law enforcement.

By Amanda Walker-Rodriguez and Rodney Hill Human Sex Trafficking By Amanda Walker-Rodriguez and Rodney Hill Human sex trafficking is the most common form of modern-day slavery. Estimates place the number of its domestic and international victims in the millions, mostly females and children enslaved in the commercial sex industry for little or no money.1 The terms human trafficking and sex slavery usually conjure up images of young girls beaten and abused in faraway places, like Eastern Europe, Asia, or Africa. Actually, human sex trafficking and sex slavery happen locally in cities and towns, both large and small, throughout the United States, right in citizens’ backyards. Appreciating the magnitude of the problem requires first understanding what the issue is and what it is not. Additionally, people must be able to identify the victim in common trafficking situations. HUMAN SEX TRAFFICKING Many people probably remember popular movies and television shows depicting pimps as dressing flashy and driving large fancy cars. More important, the women—adults—consensually and voluntarily engaged in the business of prostitution without complaint. This characterization is extremely inaccurate, nothing more than fiction.

In reality, the pimp traffics young women (and sometimes men) completely against their will by force or threat of force; this is human sex trafficking. The Scope Not only is human sex trafficking slavery but it is big business. It is the fastest-growing business of organized crime and the third-largest criminal enterprise in the world.2 The majority of sex trafficking is international, with victims taken from such places as South and Southeast Asia, the former Soviet Union, Central and South America, and other less developed areas and moved to more developed ones, including Asia, the Middle East, Western Europe, and North America.3 Ms. Walker-Rodriquez is an assistant state’s attorney in Baltimore County and a current member of the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force. Mr. Hill, a retired police lieutenant, is an assistant state’s attorney in Baltimore County and a current member of the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force.

Unfortunately, however, sex trafficking also occurs domestically.4 The United States not only faces an influx of international victims but also has its own homegrown problem of interstate sex trafficking of minors.5 Although comprehensive research to document the number of children engaged in prostitution in the United States is lacking, an estimated 293,000 American youths currently are at risk of becoming victims of commercial sexual exploitation.6 The majority of these victims are runaway or thrown-away youths who live on the streets and become victims of prostitution.7 These children generally come from homes where they have been abused or from families who have abandoned them. Often, they become involved in prostitution to support themselves financially or to get the things they feel they need or want (like drugs). Other young people are recruited into prostitution through forced abduction, pressure from parents, or through deceptive agreements between parents and traffickers. Once these children become involved in prostitution, they often are forced to travel far from their homes and, as a result, are isolated from their friends and family. Few children in this situation can develop new relationships with peers or adults other than the person victimizing them.

The lifestyle of such youths revolves around violence, forced drug use, and constant threats.8 Among children and teens living on the streets in the United States, involvement in commercial sex activity is a problem of epidemic proportion. Many girls living on the street engage in formal prostitution, and some become entangled in nationwide organized crime networks where they are trafficked nationally. Criminal networks transport these children around the United States by a variety of means—cars, buses, vans, trucks, or planes—and often provide them counterfeit identification to use in the event of arrest. The average age at which girls first become victims of prostitution is 12 to 14. It is not only the girls on the streets who are affected; boys and transgender youth enter into prostitution between the ages of 11 and 13 on average.9 The Operation Today, the business of human sex trafficking is much more organized and violent. These women and young girls are sold to traffickers, locked up in rooms or brothels for weeks or months, drugged, terrorized, and raped repeatedly.10 These continual abuses make it easier for the traffickers to control their victims.

The captives are so afraid and intimidated that they rarely speak out against their traffickers, even when faced with an opportunity to escape. Generally, the traffickers are very organized. Many have a hierarchy system similar to that of other criminal organizations. Traffickers who have more than one victim often have a “bottom,” who sits atop the hierarchy of prostitutes. The bottom, a victim herself, has been with the trafficker the longest and has earned his trust. Bottoms collect the money from the other girls, discipline them, seduce unwitting youths into trafficking, and handle the day-to-day business for the trafficker. Traffickers represent every social, ethnic, and racial group. Various organizational types exist in trafficking. Some perpetrators are involved with local street and motorcycle gangs, others are members of larger nationwide gangs and criminal organizations, and some have no affiliation with any one group or organization. Traffickers are not only men—women run many established rings. Traffickers use force, drugs, emotional tactics, and financial methods to control their victims. They have an especially easy time establishing a strong bond with young girls. These perpetrators may promise marriage and a lifestyle the youths often did not have in their previous familial relationships.

They claim they “love” and “need” the victim and that any sex acts are for their future together. In cases where the children have few or no positive male role models in their lives, the traffickers take advantage of this fact and, in many cases, demand that the victims refer to them as “daddy,” making it tougher for the youths to break the hold the perpetrator has on them. Sometimes, the traffickers use violence, such as gang rape and other forms of abuse, to force the youths to work for them and remain under their control. One victim, a runaway from Baltimore County, Maryland, was gang raped by a group of men associated with the trafficker, who subsequently staged a “rescue.” He then demanded that she repay him by working for him as one of his prostitutes. In many cases, however, the victims simply are beaten until they submit to the trafficker’s demands. In some situations, the youths have become addicted to drugs. The traffickers simply can use their ability to supply them with drugs as a means of control. Traffickers often take their victims’ identity forms, including birth certificates, passports, and drivers’ licenses.

In these cases, even if youths do leave they would have no ability to support themselves and often will return to the trafficker. These abusive methods of control impact the victims both physically and mentally. Similar to cases involving Stockholm Syndrome, these victims, who have been abused over an extended period of time, begin to feel an attachment to the perpetrator.11 This paradoxical psychological phenomenon makes it difficult for law enforcement to breach the bond of control, albeit abusive, the trafficker holds over the victim. NATIONAL PROBLEM WITH LOCAL TIES The Federal Level In 2000, Congress passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), which created the first comprehensive federal law to address trafficking, with a significant focus on the international dimension of the problem. The law provides a three-pronged approach: prevention through public awareness programs overseas and a State Department-led monitoring and sanctions program; protection through a new T Visa and services for foreign national victims; and prosecution through new federal crimes and severe penalties.12 As a result of the passing of the TVPA, the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons was established in October 2001.

This enabling legislation led to the creation of a bureau within the State Department to specifically address human trafficking and exploitation on all levels and to take legal action against perpetrators.13 Additionally, this act was designed to enforce all laws within the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that apply.14 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is one of the lead federal agencies charged with enforcing the TVPA. Human trafficking represents significant risks to homeland security. Would-be terrorists and criminals often can access the same routes and use the same methods as human traffickers. ICE’s Human Smuggling and Trafficking Unit works to identify criminals and organizations involved in these illicit activities. The FBI also enforces the TVPA. In June 2003, the FBI, in conjunction with the Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, launched the Innocence Lost National Initiative. The agencies’ combined efforts address the growing problem of domestic sex trafficking of children in the United States. To date, these groups have worked successfully to rescue nearly 900 children.

Investigations successfully have led to the conviction of more than 500 pimps, madams, and their associates who exploit children through prostitution. These convictions have resulted in lengthy sentences, including multiple 25-year-to-life sentences and the seizure of real property, vehicles, and monetary assets.15 Both ICE and the FBI, along with other local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and national victim-based advocacy groups in joint task forces, have combined resources and expertise on the issue. Today, the FBI participates in approximately 30 law enforcement task forces and about 42 Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)-sponsored task forces around the nation.16 In July 2004, the Human Smuggling Trafficking Center (HSTC) was created. The HSTC serves as a fusion center for information on human smuggling and trafficking, bringing together analysts, officers, and investigators from such agencies as the CIA, FBI, ICE, Department of State, and Department of Homeland Security. The Local Level With DOJ funding assistance, many jurisdictions have created human trafficking task forces to combat the problem.

BJA’s 42 such task forces can be demonstrated by several examples.17 In 2004, the FBI’s Washington field office and the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department joined with a variety of nongovernment organizations and service providers to combat the growing problem of human trafficking within Washington, D.C. In January 2005, the Massachusetts Human Trafficking Task Force was formed, with the Boston Police Department serving as the lead law enforcement entity. It uses a two-pronged approach, addressing investigations focusing on international victims and those focusing on the commercial sexual exploitation of children. The New Jersey Human Trafficking Task Force attacks the problem by training law enforcement in the methods of identifying victims and signs of trafficking, coordinating statewide efforts in the identification and provision of services to victims of human trafficking, and increasing the successful interdiction and prosecution of trafficking of human persons. Since 2006, the Louisiana Human Trafficking Task Force, which has law enforcement, training, and victim services components, has focused its law enforcement and victim rescue efforts on the Interstate 10 corridor from the Texas border on the west to the Mississippi border on the east.

This corridor, the basic northern border of the hurricane-ravaged areas of Louisiana, long has served as a major avenue of illegal immigration efforts. The I-10 corridor also is the main avenue for individuals participating in human trafficking to supply the labor needs in the hurricane-damaged areas of the state. In 2007, the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force was formed. It aims to create a heightened law enforcement and victim service presence in the community. Its law enforcement efforts include establishing roving operations to identify victims and traffickers, deputizing local law enforcement to assist in federal human trafficking investigations, and providing training for law enforcement officers. Anytown, USA In December 2008, Corey Davis, the ringleader of a sex-trafficking ring that spanned at least three states, was sentenced in federal court in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on federal civil rights charges for organizing and leading the sex-trafficking operation that exploited as many as 20 females, including minors. Davis received a sentence of 293 months in prison followed by a lifetime term of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to multiple sex-trafficking charges, including recruiting a girl under the age of 18 to engage in prostitution.

Davis admitted that he recruited a minor to engage in prostitution; that he was the organizer of a sex-trafficking venture; and that he used force, fraud, and coercion to compel the victim to commit commercial sex acts from which he obtained the proceeds. According to the indictment, Davis lured victims to his operation with promises of modeling contracts and a glamorous lifestyle. He then forced them into a grueling schedule of dancing and performing at strip clubs in Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey. When the clubs closed, Davis forced the victims to walk the streets until 4 or 5 a.m. propositioning customers. The indictment also alleged that he beat many of the victims to force them to work for him and that he also used physical abuse as punishment for disobeying the stringent rules he imposed to isolate and control them.18 As this and other examples show, human trafficking cases happen all over the United States. A few instances would represent just the “tip of the iceberg” in a growing criminal enterprise. Local and state criminal justice officials must understand that these cases are not isolated incidents that occur infrequently. They must remain alert for signs of trafficking in their jurisdictions and aggressively follow through on the smallest clue.

Numerous Web sites openly (though they try to mask their actions) advertise for prostitution. Many of these sites involve young girls victimized by sex trafficking. Many of the pictures are altered to give the impression of older girls engaged in this activity freely and voluntarily. However, as prosecutors, the authors both have encountered numerous cases of suspected human trafficking involving underage girls. The article “The Girls Next Door” describes a conventional midcentury home in Plainfield, New Jersey, that sat in a nice middle-class neighborhood. Unbeknownst to the neighbors, the house was part of a network of stash houses in the New York area where underage girls and young women from dozens of countries were trafficked and held captive. Acting on a tip, police raided the house in February 2002, expecting to find an underground brothel. Instead, they found four girls between the ages of 14 and 17, all Mexican nationals without documentation. However, they were not prostitutes; they were sex slaves. These girls did not work for profit or a paycheck. They were captives to the traffickers and keepers who controlled their every move. The police found a squalid, land-based equivalent of a 19th-century slave ship.

They encountered rancid, doorless bathrooms; bare, putrid mattresses; and a stash of penicillin, “morning after’’ pills, and an antiulcer medication that can induce abortion. The girls were pale, exhausted, and malnourished.19 Human sex trafficking warning signs include, among other indicators, streetwalkers and strip clubs. However, a jurisdiction’s lack of streetwalkers or strip clubs does not mean that it is immune to the problem of trafficking. Because human trafficking involves big money, if money can be made, sex slaves can be sold. Sex trafficking can happen anywhere, however unlikely a place. Investigators should be attuned to reading the signs of trafficking and looking closely for them. INVESTIGATION OF HUMAN SEX TRAFFICKING ICE aggressively targets the global criminal infrastructure, including the people, money, and materials that support human trafficking networks. The agency strives to prevent human trafficking in the United States by prosecuting the traffickers and rescuing and protecting the victims. However, most human trafficking cases start at the local level.

Strategies Local and state law enforcement officers may unknowingly encounter sex trafficking when they deal with homeless and runaway juveniles; criminal gang activity; crimes involving immigrant children who have no guardians; domestic violence calls; and investigations at truck stops, motels, massage parlors, spas, and strip clubs. To this end, the authors offer various suggestions and indicators to help patrol officers identify victims of sex trafficking, as well as tips for detectives who investigate these crimes. Patrol Officers Document suspicious calls and complaints on a police information report, even if the details seem trivial. Be aware of trafficking when responding to certain call types, such as reports of foot traffic in and out of a house. Consider situations that seem similar to drug complaints. Look closely at calls for assaults, domestic situations, verbal disputes, or thefts. These could involve a trafficking victim being abused and disciplined by a trafficker, a customer having a dispute with a victim, or a client who had money taken during a sex act. Locations, such as truck stops, strip clubs, massage parlors, and cheap motels, are havens for prostitutes forced into sex trafficking. Many massage parlors and strip clubs that engage in sex trafficking will have cramped living quarters where the victims are forced to stay.

When encountering prostitutes and other victims of trafficking, do not display judgment or talk down to them. Understand the violent nature in how they are forced into trafficking, which explains their lack of cooperation. Speak with them in a location completely safe and away from other people, including potential victims. Check for identification. Traffickers take the victims’ identification and, in cases of foreign nationals, their travel information. The lack of either item should raise concern. Detectives/Investigators Monitor Web sites that advertise for dating and hooking up. Most vice units are familiar with the common sites used by sex traffickers as a means of advertisement. Conduct surveillance at motels, truck stops, strip clubs, and massage parlors. Look to see if the girls arrive alone or with someone else. Girls being transported to these locations should raise concerns of trafficking. Upon an arrest, check cell phone records, motel receipts, computer printouts of advertisements, and tollbooth receipts. Look for phone calls from the jailed prostitute to the pimp. Check surveillance cameras at motels and toll facilities as evidence to indicate the trafficking of the victim. Obtain written statements from the customers; get them to work for you. Seek assistance from nongovernmental organizations involved in fighting sex trafficking.

Many of these entities have workers who will interview these victims on behalf of the police. After executing a search warrant, photograph everything. Remember that in court, a picture may be worth a thousand words: nothing else can more effectively describe a cramped living quarter a victim is forced to reside in. Look for advertisements in local newspapers, specifically the sports sections, that advertise massage parlors. These businesses should be checked out to ensure they are legitimate and not fronts for trafficking. Contact your local U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI field office, or ICE for assistance. Explore what federal resources exist to help address this problem. Other Considerations Patrol officers and investigators can look for many other human trafficking indicators as well.20 These certainly warrant closer attention.

General Indicators People who live on or near work premises Individuals with restricted or controlled communication and transportation Persons frequently moved by traffickers A living space with a large number of occupants People lacking private space, personal possessions, or financial records Someone with limited knowledge about how to get around in a community Physical Indicators Injuries from beatings or weapons Signs of torture (e.g., cigarette burns) Brands or scarring, indicating ownership Signs of malnourishment Someone else has possession of an individual’s legal/travel documents Existing debt issues Men come and go frequently CONCLUSION This form of cruel modern-day slavery occurs more often than many people might think. And, it is not just an international or a national problem—it also is a local one. It is big business, and it involves a lot of perpetrators and victims. Agencies at all levels must remain alert to this issue and address it vigilantly. Even local officers must understand the problem and know how to recognize it in their jurisdictions. Coordinated and aggressive efforts from all law enforcement organizations can put an end to these perpetrators’ operations and free the victims. Endnotes 1 (accessed July 19, 2010). 2 trafficking.html (accessed July 19, 2010).

3 (accessed July 19, 2010). 4 Ibid. 5 (accessed July 19, 2010). 6 Richard J. Estes and Neil Alan Weiner, Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico (University of Pennsylvania, Executive Summary, 2001). 7 Ibid. 8 (accessed July 19, 2010). 9 Estes and Weiner. 10 violence/types/human-trafficking.cfm (accessed July 19, 2010). 11 For additional information, see Nathalie De Fabrique, Stephen J. Romano, Gregory M. Vecchi, and Vincent B. Van Hasselt, “Understanding Stockholm Syndrome,” FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, July 2007, 10-15. 12 Trafficking Victims Protection Act, Pub. L. No. 106-386 (2000), codified at 22 U.S.C. § 7101, et seq. 13 Ibid. 14 U.S. CONST. amend.

XIII, § 1: “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” 15 U.S. Department of Justice, “U.S. Army Soldier Sentenced to Over 17 Years in Prison for Operating a Brothel from Millersville Apartment and to Drug Trafficking,” (accessed September 30, 2010). 16 (accessed September 30, 2010). 17 (accessed September 30, 2010). 18 (accessed July 19, 2010). 19 (accessed July 19, 2010). 20 (accessed July 19, 2010). 11.11.10

Question: For what does the I stand in the organisation FBI?
Answer: (FEDERAL BUREAU OF) INVESTIGATION