The Federal Bureau of Investigation

The most famous Federal Government Agency in the United States is the Federal Bureau of Investigation (the F.B.I.) with the headquarters in Washington. In 1908 when the F.B. I. was created it was a small group of special investigators.

As the organization grew its records and files expanded and criminal records and fingerprint collection was transferred from other authorities with approval of Congress. At present the F.B.I. consists of 11 different divisions. One of these divisions is the Identification Division which was founded in 1924 by Director Hoover. One of its arms was to provide a national collection of fingerprints. The collection is now the largest in the world.

The F.B.I. investigates all sorts of criminal activity, particularly cases of espionage, sabotage, treason, and matters pertaining to internal national security. The F.B.I. Identification Division keeps records of all political suspects and actual criminals.

There are two important sections of the ID: the Disaster Squad and the Fingerprint Section. The former assists with the identification of persons killed in major tragedies. The latter is divided into five main groups:

∙ Fingerprints of criminals and suspects of crimes

∙ Fingerprint received in connection with government services

∙Different applications

∙ Aliens

∙ Requests for personal identification

The F.B.I. supplies information for evidence and crime problems submitted by police throughout the country. Training schools for Special agents were set up in Washington to instruct them in modern crime detection methods. Courses include Federal law, accounting, and the science of fingerprinting, crime scene searches, interviews, photography, firearms and self-defense.

The F.B.I. has always closely cooperated with state and local police agencies. The authorities of the F.B.I. have always believed that effective law enforcement is possible only if scientific training, careful selection of personnel and cooperation between police agencies are established.

Exercise 1 . Write the words from which the following ones are formed.

Investigation……………………… approval………………………..

Organization …………………… security…………………………

Collection ……………………... suspect…………………………

Connection ……………………… criminal…………………………

Exercise 2 . Use the verbs in correct forms and translate the sentences.

1. The F.B.I. (to create) in 1908.

2. The identification Division of the F.B.I. (to found) in 1924.

3. One of the arms of the Division (to be) to provide national collection of fingerprints.

4. The Division (to keep) records on all political suspects and actual criminals.

5. The F.B.I. (to supply) information for evidence and crime problems throughout the country.

6. Training schools for Special Agents (to set up) in Washington.

Exercise 3 . Match the words and their Russian equivalents.

1. headquartersa) подозреваемые в преступлениях

2. authoritiesb)самооборона

3. criminal activity c) управление

4. self-defense d) власти

5. selection of personnel e) собрание отпечатков пальцев

6. suspects of crimes f) преступная деятельность

7. fingerprint collection j) подбор персонала

Exercise 4 . Answer the questions to the text.

1. What is the F.B.I?

2. When was it created?

3. How many divisions does it consist of?

4. When was ID founded?

5. What sections does the Fingerprint Division consist of?

6. How are Special agents trained?

7. How does the F.B.I. cooperate with other law enforcement agencies in the country?

Exercise 5. Translate from Russian into English.

1.Главное управление ФБР находится в Вашингтоне.

2. Первыми сотрудниками ФБР была небольшая группа специальных следователей.

3. Картотека отпечатков пальцев ФБР самая большая в мире.

4. Какие преступления расследует это агентство?

5. Оно ведет учет всех уголовных и политических преступников.

6. Специальное подразделение помогает при опознании жертв различных катастроф.