The Origin, Development and Controversial Perception of The Federal Bureau of Investigations

The American Federal Bureau of Investigation, or the FBI began as a counterintelligence unit in July 1908. Counterintelligence describes activities taken to neutralize or exploit terrorist activities of another nation. The FBI was officially created U.S Attorney General Charles Bonaparte under the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt. Originally, the FBI was coined the Office of the Chief Examiner. In 1935 The Office of the Chief Examiner was renamed again the Bureau of Investigation and then the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The FBI branched off from the Department of Justice, which was created in 1870. The Department of Justice was mainly created to prevent anti judicial polices and enforce federal law. Most investigation involved cases of counterfeiting. When the FBI was developed, most cases decreased so that a separate agency, such as the FBI, could focus on counterintelligence issues such as radicalism. The first agents staffed were around 34, but increased to more than 300 by first World War. Following the decades after the creation of the FBI, the general public voiced many concerns about its abuse of power practices.

Criticisms of the FBI from the general public involved extensive journalism. Journalists had suspicions regarding disruptions in society involving government officials and wars overseas. They found that the FBI was abusing its authority by hiding important information from the public. For example, the effects of the Watergate scandal concluded that the FBI illegally protected President Nixon from being investigated. In summary, the Watergate Scandal was a political incident in the 1970s, during the administration of Richard Nixon. What occurred was a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington D.C at the Watergate office. What followed was several investigations, and then journalistic evidence presented found that the FBI covered up that someone from the Nixon administration concocted a plan for the break-in. In the end, and under heavy fire from Americans, Nixon chose to resign or face prison time for his involvement in this scandal.

Other critics from the public about the FBI were possible systematic racist practices. During the 1980s and early 1990s huge crack cocaine epidemic in black American neighborhoods. Many lives were lost due to addiction and violence with the appearance of the crack cocaine in these. Once again through dedicated journalists’ investigations, it was found that the FBI and CIA covered up large amounts of its own drug selling industries with Latin countries. Evidence found concluded that drugs that were bought, were solely sold through marginalized neighborhoods, such as the black community. Due to the FBI’s actions being leaked to the public, many distrust the government and its dealings with everyday citizens.

The FBI was originally created as a branch of government that protected America from invasion, traitors, and societal collapse. Over several decades however, the public found that an increasing number of illegal activity revolving around the FBI. Through journalistic research, the public found racism and economics came into play with FBI activity. Following this evidence, the public is somewhat weary of the FBI and any government adjacent today.