Lyndsey Serino Ms.

Erin Workman ENC 1101 November 14, 2013 Feature Article Audience: Americans interested in learning about the basics of the FBI

Whats the Scoop on the FBI? Think you have what it takes to be an FBI special agent? Think again! Weve got the inside scoop on special agents and past cases along with how our FBI has evolved into the elaborate system it is today.

FBI: From past to present A long time ago, in 1908 to be exact, a man by the name of Charles Bonaparte had the groundbreaking idea to form the FBI during Teddy Roosevelts presidency. The FBI was a lot different back in the day than it is today. They didnt have as much freedom. They had to fight crime without guns or weapons and could not make arrests, unless given special permission. Imagine how hard it was to catch the bad guys! Made up of former detectives and Secret Charles Bonapart 1908 Service men, the early FBI worked alongside the department of justice. It only dealt with large-scale crime like smuggling

opium, interstate transportation of women for immoral purposes, and interstate transportation of stolen motor vehicles. They did not investigate any federal crimes. Even today the FBI doesnt investigate federal crimes that are either postal (mail robbery, mail fraud, etc.) or Treasury (counterfeiting, tax evasion, etc.) related violations. In 2013 the FBI works all over the world! Its main headquarter remains in Washington D.C. Around 35,902 people work for the FBI, 13,785 of those people being special agents. Our FBI today focuses on national security, protecting our country from threats and crime. It is

driven by intelligence. The FBI handles cases that are too extreme for local authorities to deal with on their own. Soon you will read about some of the special cases the FBI has dealt with. It is a national security and law enforcement organization and will bring justice to those who break the law.

FBI Headquarters, Washington D.C.

Inside Look: Special Agents Obtaining a job for the FBI is not going to be a walk in the park! There are many qualifications you must meet to be a special agent before even being considered. For starters, you have to be between the ages of 23 and 37. Thats not a big window! You must be a U.S. or Northern Mariana Islands citizen and you must possess a drivers license. I hope you studied hard in school! To be a special agent youre going to need a four-year degree from a national or regional college known by the U.S. Secretary of Education. You need three years You must have a college degree to be considered for a special agent of work experience under your belt as well, relating to the special topic you will be training in. Perfect vision and hearing at 25-45

decibels is also a requirement. Not only do you need brains to be considered for the special agent position but also in top shape! Were talking physically fit to the max! Sprints, push ups, and sit ups are just some of the tests youll have to endure to see if youre fit to be an FBI Special Agent. If you had what it takes to

Push-ups are part of the physical training process in order to become a special agent.

work your way past those tests, then youre on your way to a 20-week

training camp in Virginia. Here you will learn gun control and perform more physical tests. But be warned: You may be dropped at any time. If you make it through, there are five Entry Programs you can be hired under: accounting, computer science/information technology, language, law, and diversified. After qualifying for one of the programs you are placed into

Gun control is taught at the 20-week training camp in Virginia

another category based on Critical Skills. Finally, you must be willing to pack your bags and move to any place the FBI may need you if youre hired.

Famous Cases: The FBI has dealt with numerous spine-chilling and heartbreaking cases including bank robberies, terrorist attacks and cyber crime. The most deadly terrorist attack in our nations history was 9/11. This investigation was the largest in FBI history. Over 3000 lives were tragically lost. The focus was not only on discovering the 19 hijackers but also Manhattan, N.Y. September 11, 2001

searching to prevent future attacks from occurring. This attack led the FBI to be more predictive and even more driven by intelligence. Weve all heard of the infamous Bonnie and Clyde. But did you know that special agents were involved in catching these two culprits? Bonnie and Clyde were believed to have committed 13 murders, robberies, kidnappings, burglaries, and grand theft auto. Many of these murders were police officers. After a life full of crime together, the wicked couple finally met their end by officers hiding in bushes and was killed immediately.

Bonnie and Clydes Wanted poster

Pearl Harbor Spy was another important case in FBI history. Otto Kuehn was a German national living in Hawaii. The Bureau had been suspicious of his interest in the U.S. military but sadly not suspicious enough. He sent codes to the Japanese to give them a heads up of when our boats were in the harbor. His actions led to the fateful attack in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Kuehn confessed the next day and was arrested. This story is an important reminder Otto Kuehn, the man behind the Pearl Harbor attack

of espionage damage and why intelligence is a necessity in the FBI.

Our FBI has come a long way since it was created. Our special agents have come a long way too. They are using past cases to change how they work to prevent similar cases from happening in the future. The FBI is always evolving to better protect our nation and its citizens. Still think you have the guts to be an FBI special agent?

Resources: www.fbi.gov