The FBI Essay Example For Students

The FBI Essay The FBITo uphold the law through the investigation of violations of federal riminallaw; to protect the U.S. from foreign intelligence and terrorist activities; toprovide leadership and law enforcement assistance to federal, state, local, andinternational agencies; and to perform these responsibilities in a manner thatis responsive to the needs of the public and is faithful to the constitution ofthe U.S.: this is the mission of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The agency now known as the Federal Bureau of Investigation was foundedin 1908 when the Attorney General appointed an unnamed force of Special Agentsto be the investigative force of the Department of Justice (DOJ). Before thattime, the DOJ had to borrow Agents from the U.S. Secret Service to investigateviolations of federal criminal laws within its jurisdiction. In 1909, theSpecial Agent Force was renamed the Bureau of Investigation, and after a seriesof name changes, it received its present official name in 1935. We will write a custom essay on The FBI specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now During the early period of the FBIs history, its agents investigatedviolations of mainly bankruptcy frauds, antitrust crime, and neutralityviolation. During World War One, the Bureau was given the responsibility ofinvestigating espionage, sabotage, sedition (resistance against lawfulauthority), and draft violations. The passage of the National Motor VehicleTheft Act in 1919 further broadened the Bureaus jurisdiction. After the passage of Prohibition in 1920, the gangster era began, bringingabout a whole new type of crime. Criminals engaged in kidnapping and bankrobbery, which were not federal crimes at that time. This changed in 1932 withthe passage of a federal kidnapping statute. In 1934, many other federalcriminal statutes were passed, and Congress gave Special Agents the authority tomake arrests and to carry firearms. The FBIs size and jurisdiction during the second World War increasedgreatly and included intelligence matters in South America. With the end of thatwar, and the arrival of the Atomic Age, the FBI began conducting backgroundsecurity investigations for the White House and other government agencies, aswell as probes into internal security matters for the executive branch of thegovernment. In the 1960s, civil rights and organized crime became major concerns of theFBI, and counterterrorism, drugs, financial crime, and violent crimes in the1970s. These are still the major concerns of the FBI, only now it is to agreater extent.. With all of this responsibility, it is logical to say that the FBI is afield-oriented organization. They have nine divisions and four offices at FBIHeadquarters in Washington, D.C. These divisions and offices provide directionand support services to 56 field offices and approximately 10,100 Special Agentsand 13,700 other employees. Each FBI field office is overseen by a SpecialAgent in Charge, except for those located in New York City and Washington, D.C. Due to their large size, those offices are each managed by an Assistant Directorin Charge. FBI field offices conduct their official business both directly from theirheadquarters and through approximately 400 satellite offices, known as residentagencies. The FBI also operates specialized field installations: two RegionalComputer Support Centers; one in Pocatello, Idaho, and one in Fort Monmouth, NewJersey and two Information technology Centers (ITCs); one at Butte, Montana,and one at Savannah, Georgia. The ITCs provide information services to supportfield investigative and administrative operations. Because they do have so much responsibility, their investigative authorityis the broadest of all federal law enforcement agencies. The FBI also stresseslong term, complex investigation, emphasize close relations and informationsharing with other federal, state, local, and foreign law enforcement andintelligence agencies. A significant number of FBI investigations are conductedwith other law enforcement agencies or as part of joint task forces. .u05e3c2e1e80f5b0ce54e1df4b6429985 , .u05e3c2e1e80f5b0ce54e1df4b6429985 .postImageUrl , .u05e3c2e1e80f5b0ce54e1df4b6429985 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u05e3c2e1e80f5b0ce54e1df4b6429985 , .u05e3c2e1e80f5b0ce54e1df4b6429985:hover , .u05e3c2e1e80f5b0ce54e1df4b6429985:visited , .u05e3c2e1e80f5b0ce54e1df4b6429985:active { border:0!important; } .u05e3c2e1e80f5b0ce54e1df4b6429985 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u05e3c2e1e80f5b0ce54e1df4b6429985 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u05e3c2e1e80f5b0ce54e1df4b6429985:active , .u05e3c2e1e80f5b0ce54e1df4b6429985:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u05e3c2e1e80f5b0ce54e1df4b6429985 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u05e3c2e1e80f5b0ce54e1df4b6429985 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u05e3c2e1e80f5b0ce54e1df4b6429985 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u05e3c2e1e80f5b0ce54e1df4b6429985 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u05e3c2e1e80f5b0ce54e1df4b6429985:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u05e3c2e1e80f5b0ce54e1df4b6429985 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u05e3c2e1e80f5b0ce54e1df4b6429985 .u05e3c2e1e80f5b0ce54e1df4b6429985-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u05e3c2e1e80f5b0ce54e1df4b6429985:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Nelson Mandela EssayAs part of this process, the FBI has divided its investigations into thefollowing programs:Applicant ProgramDepartment of Energy and Nuclear RegulatoryCommission ApplicantsDepartment of justice CandidatesFBI Special Agents and Support Applicantsand othersCivil Rights ProgramCivil Rights Act of 1964Discrimination in HousingEqual Credit Opportunity ActCounterterrorism ProgramHostage takingSabotageAttempted of Actual Bombingsand othersFinancial Crime ProgramBank Fraud and EmbezzlementEnvironmental CrimesFraud Against the Governmentand othersForeign Counterintelligence ProgramsEspionageForeign Counterintelligence MattersOrganized Crime/Drug ProgramDrug Matt ersMoney LaunderingOrganized Crime/Drug Enforcement Task Force Mattersand othersViolent Crimes and Major Offenders ProgramTheft of Government PropertyCrime Aboard AircraftKidnapping Extortionand othersThese programs cover most everything that the FBI investigates, and someindividual cases in a program often receives extensive investigative attentionbecause of their size, potential impact, or sensitivity. Because FBI Special Agents are responsible for handling so manydifferent things, they have to go through rigorous training in the followingareas: Academics, Firearms, Physical Training/Defense Tactics, and PracticalExercises. Within these four major areas are components like interviewingtechniques, communications, computer skills, and drug investigations. Altogether there are 15 components in the four areas I listed previously. Theyreceive all of this training at the FBI academy in Quantico, Virginia and mustcomplete 645 hours (15 weeks) of instruction before they graduate. The training in the academy is difficult, but those who have made itthere have already passed the first test. To qualify for training as an FBIAgent, you must be:1. a U.S. citizen2. between the ages of 23 and 37 when entering on duty;3. hold a bachelors degree obtained in an accredited four-year resident program at a college or university; and4. have three years full-time work experience, or fluency in a language for which the Bureau has a need for. After graduation from the FBI Academy, a new Special Agent is assignedto an FBI field office. This assignment is determined by the individualsspecial skills and the needs of the bureau. As part of their duties, SpecialAgents are required to relocate during their careers. Special Agents enterservice in Grade GS 10 on the federal governments General Schedule pay scale andcan advance to Grade 13 in field assignment. In our society today, one of the most important things to us is oursafety. Organizations like the FBI help protect us and investigate crimes tohelp prevent future ones. Their motto is Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity, andI think that each one of those words is justified when it comes to describingthe Federal Bureau of Investigation. When the duties of the FBI are stated inthe mission it says to perform these duties in a manner that is responsive tothe needs of the public and is faithful to the Constitution of the United States. . Law

Concrete Homes - Best Bet on a Windy Day

Concrete Homes - Best Bet on a Windy Day When hurricanes and typhoons howl, the greatest danger to people and property is flying debris. Carried at such intense velocity, a 2 x 4 piece of lumber will become a missile that can slice through walls. When an EF2 tornado moved through central Georgia in 2008, a board from an awning was ripped off, took flight across the street, and impaled itself deep into an adjacent solid concrete wall. FEMA tells us this is a common wind-related event and recommends the building of safe rooms. Researchers at the National Wind Institute of Texas Tech University in  Lubbock have determined that concrete walls are strong enough to withstand flying debris from hurricanes and tornadoes. According to their findings, homes made of concrete are much more storm-resistant than houses constructed of wood or even wood studs with steel plates. The ramifications of these research studies are changing the way we build. The Research Study The Debris Impact Facility at Texas Tech is well-known for its pneumatic cannon, a device capable of launching various materials of different sizes at different speeds. The cannon is in a laboratory, a controlled environment, To duplicate hurricane-like conditions in the laboratory, researchers shot wall sections with 15-pound 2 x 4 lumber missiles at up to 100 mph, simulating debris carried in a 250 mph wind. These conditions cover all but the most severe tornadoes. Hurricane wind speeds are less than the speeds modeled here. Missile tests designed to demonstrate damage from hurricanes use a 9-pound missile traveling about 34 mph. Researchers tested 4 x 4-foot sections of concrete block, several types of insulating concrete forms, steel studs, and wood studs to rate performance in high winds. The sections were finished as they would be in a completed home: drywall, fiberglass insulation, plywood sheathing, and exterior finishes of vinyl siding, clay brick, or stucco. All of the concrete wall systems survived the tests with no structural damage. Lightweight steel and wood stud walls, however, offered little or no resistance to the missile. The 2 x 4 ripped through them. Intertek, a commercial product and performance testing company, has also done research with their own canon at Architectural Testing Inc. They point out that the safety of a concrete home can be deceptive if the house is built with unreinforced concrete block, which offers some protections but not total. Recommendations Reinforced concrete homes have proven their wind-resistance in the field during tornadoes, hurricanes, and typhoons. In Urbana, Illinois, a home constructed with insulating concrete forms (ICFs) withstood a 1996 tornado with minimal damage. In the Liberty City area of Miami, several concrete form homes survived Hurricane Andrew in 1992. In both cases, neighboring homes were destroyed. In the fall of 2012, Hurricane Sandy blew apart the older wood construction homes on the New Jersey coast, leaving alone the newer townhouses built with insulating concrete forms. Monolithic domes, which are made of concrete and rebar in one piece, have proven especially strong. The sturdy concrete construction combined with the dome shape make these innovative homes nearly impervious to tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes. Many people cannot get over the look of these homes, however, although some brave (and wealthy) homeowners are experimenting with more modern designs. One such futuristic design has a hydraulic lift to actually move the structure below the ground before a tornado strikes. Researchers at Texas Tech University recommend that houses in tornado-prone areas build in-residence shelters of either concrete or  heavy gauge sheet-metal. Unlike hurricanes, tornadoes come with little warning, and reinforced interior rooms can offer more safety than an exterior storm shelter. Other advice researchers offer is to design your home with a hip roof instead of a gable roof, and everyone should use  hurricane straps to keep the roof on and the timbers straight. Concrete and Climate Change - More Research To make concrete, you need cement, and its well-known that the manufacturing of cement releases great amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere during the heating process. The building trade is one of the largest contributors to climate change, and cement makers and the people who purchase their product are some of the largest contributors to what we know to be greenhouse gas pollution. Research on new production methods will no doubt be met with resistance from a very conservative industry, but at some point consumers and governments will make new processes affordable and necessary. One company trying to find solutions is Calera Corporation of California. They have focused on recycling CO2 emissions into the production of a calcium carbonate cement. Their process uses the chemistry found in nature - what formed the White Cliffs of Dover and the shells of marine organisms? Researcher David Stone accidentally discovered an iron carbonate-based concrete when he was a graduate student at the University of Arizona. IronKast Technologies, LLC is in the process of commercializing Ferock and Ferrocrete, made from steel dust and recycled glass. Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) known as Ductal ® has been used successfully by Frank Gehry in the Louis Vuitton Foundation Museum in Paris and by architects Herzog de Meuron in the Pà ©rez Art Museum Miami (PAMM). The strong, thin concrete is expensive, but its a good idea to watch what the Pritzker Laureate architects are using, as they are often the first experimenters. Universities and government entities continue to be the incubators for new materials, researching and engineering composites with different properties and better solutions. And its not just concrete  - the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory has invented a glass substitute, a transparent, tough-as-armor ceramic called spinel (MgAl2O4). Researchers at MITs Concrete Sustainability Hub are also concentrating their attention on cement and its microtexture  - as well as the cost-effectiveness of these new and expensive products. Why You Might Want to Hire an Architect Building a home to withstand natures fury is not a simple task. The process is neither a construction nor design problem alone. Custom builders can specialize in insulated concrete rorms (ICF), and even give their end-products safe-sounding names like Tornado Guard, but architects can design beautiful buildings with evidence-based material specifications for builders to use. Two questions to ask if you are not working with an architect are 1. Does the construction company have architects on staff? and 2. Has the company financially sponsored any of the research testing? The professional field of architecture is more than sketches and floor plans. Texas Tech University even offers a Ph.D. in Wind Science and Engineering. Sources Inline photo link of Georgia tornado by Mike Moore/FEMA PhotoStorm Shelter Research and Storm Shelter FAQs, National Wind Institute, Texas Tech University [accessed November 20, 2017]A summary report on Debris Impact Testing at Texas Tech University, Prepared by Wind Science and Engineering Research Center, June 2003, PDF at https://www.depts.ttu.edu/nwi/research/DebrisImpact/Reports/DIF_reports.pdf [accessed November 20, 2017]Guidance for Wind Resistant Residential Design, Construction Mitigation, Larry J. Tanner, P.E., NWI Research Assistant Professor, Debris Impact Facility, National Wind Institute, Texas Tech University, PDF at depts.ttu.edu/nwi/research/DebrisImpact/Reports/GuidanceforWindResistantResidentialDesign.pdf [accessed November 20, 2017]Hurricane-Proof Construction Methods Can Prevent the Destruction of Communities,  Zach Mortice, Redshift by AutoDesk, November 9, 2017, https://www.autodesk.com/redshift/hurricane-proof-construction-methods-can-save-buildings-communi ties/ [accessed November 20, 2017]