About This Quiz
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the most powerful government agency in the United States, inspires both awe and fear. Test your own sleuthing power with the FBI quiz.Along with abbreviating the law agency's official name, "FBI" also stands for its motto: Fidelity, Bravery and Integrity.
Although the FBI is part of the U.S. Department of Justice, which is headed by the attorney general, it is the job of the inspector general to oversee the organization.
In 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt directed the attorney general to create a small bureau of detectives to investigate crimes. At that time, the agency was named the Bureau of Investigation. It officially became known as the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 1935.
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After Hoover was appointed director of the FBI in 1924, he reshaped its structure by enacting a number of changes. Among these were the creation of a training academy, the establishment of a most wanted list that featured sought-after fugitives, and the enforcement of stricter standards for hiring new agents.
After the Sept. 11 attacks, the FBI made counterterrorism its top priority. The Bureau now tracks known terrorists and cooperates with other agencies to gather information. Unlike other government agencies, which were folded into the Department of Homeland Security after Sept. 11, the FBI continues to operate within the Department of Justice.
The Criminal Justice Information Services Division (CJIS) is the largest division of the FBI. It is responsible for the collection, analysis and comparison of crime scene data.
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The Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) is the largest database of its kind in the world. It contains the fingerprints of more than 47 million subjects.
Nominated by President George W. Bush in 2001, Robert S. Mueller III will be the FBI director until 2011 -- serving a total of 10 years.
In order to apply to become an FBI agent, you must be between the ages of 23 and 39. You must also hold American citizenship, have a clean record and hold a four-year degree.
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Getting accepted into the FBI is a difficult process; only 10 percent of all applicants are approved. Accepted agents attend the FBI Academy on the U.S. Marine Corps Base in Quantico, Va. The academy even has a mock town, called Hogans Alley, which they use for training.