Federal Bureau of Investigation: History

The F.B.I. (as well as all other law enforcement agencies in the United States) faces an inescapable paradox: repress criminal behavior but do not violate the civil liberties of citizens in the process. In tracing the evolution of the F.B.I., one finds that the bureau has done both: it has worked to protect freedom but at times it has violated freedom. Ultimately, a knowledgeable citizenry that can distinguish between the protection of freedom and the unjust violation of freedom may be an important prerequisite for ensuring the fair exercise of discretion among those charged with enforcing the law. This entry has provided a step toward such an understanding.