The CIA and FBI: Top Secret

The CIA and FBI: Top Secret — page 3
CHAPTER TWO THE BUREAU The FBI is the nation’s oldest intelligence agency Its primary objectives are to protect American citizens and uphold the laws of the United States Specifically the FBI seeks to prevent terrorist attacks protect against foreign spies and stop dangerous computer hacking The FBI is also charged with upholding civil rights and investigating both violent and white collar crime To perform these and other objectives it has to collect vast amounts of information both here in the United States and overseas Unlike the CIA the FBI also has the job of law enforcement Once a crime is detected FBI agents have the power to make arrests and prosecute accused criminals Before the creation of the Bureau of Investigation government investigations were performed by Secret Service agents or private companies such as the Pinkerton’s detective agency 6