Legal Definitions - Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is a law enforcement agency and national security service of the United States government. It is part of the Department of Justice and reports to the Director of National Intelligence. The FBI investigates a wide range of federal crimes, including:

• Public corruption
• Terrorism
• Cybercrime
• Civil rights violations
• Drug trafficking
• Sex trafficking
• White-collar crime

The FBI also conducts counterintelligence to prevent espionage. It is led by a national director and is organized into several functional branches:

• Intelligence Branch
• National Security Branch
• Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch
• Science and Technology Branch
• Information and Technology Branch
• Human Resources Branch

For example, if someone is suspected of trafficking drugs across state lines, the FBI may investigate the case. They may use surveillance, undercover agents, and other tactics to gather evidence and build a case against the suspect. The FBI also works to prevent terrorist attacks by monitoring potential threats and sharing intelligence with other law enforcement agencies.