Federal Agents: The Growth of Federal Law Enforcement in America

by Jeff Bumgarner

Overview

With the War on Terror in full swing, the government's involvement in and influence over law enforcement has changed and, in some cases, expanded. While police forces remain under the jurisdiction of the cities and states they patrol, federal agencies have taken on a wider role in combating and prosecuting crime. Agencies such as the FBI, the DEA, the ATF, and now the Department of Homeland Security have wide and varied responsibilities and powers in combating both terrorism and other crimes. But this wasn't always the case. This timely book examines the history of American federal law enforcement as well as its current state in all of its forms.

The complex system of agencies, agents, and laws that make up our federal law enforcement program have a long and varied history. Bumgarner looks at the issue of federal police powers and explores how the U.S. Supreme Court and lower courts have interpreted the constitutional limits on those powers. He introduces the reader to the many agencies that make up the federal law enforcement community and the jurisdiction and responsibilities of each, as well as the role federal public policy plays in the criminal justice system. Finally, he reviews emerging trends in federal law enforcement, including the expanding domestic effort against terrorism. Readers of this insightful book will unfailingly come away with a better understanding of the history and inner workings of federal law enforcement.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780275989538
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	08/30/2006
Edition description:	1ST
Pages:	248
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.62(d)

About the Author

Jeffrey B. Bumgarner is Associate Professor of Criminal Justice, Texas Christian University. He is the author of Profiling and Criminal Justice in America and the forthcoming To Protect and Serve: An Introduction to Law Enforcement.

Editorial Reviews

In this aptly titled book, Bumgarner comprehensively surveys the numerous federal law enforcement agencies, recounting the reasons and timing of their creation and their specialized responsibilities….Undergraduate collections.” —Choice

“Writing for general readers and students in criminal justice, Bumgarner examines the history of American federal law enforcement and the complex system of agencies, agents, and laws that make up the current federal law enforcement program. He introduces the jurisdiction and responsibilities of each agency of the federal law enforcement community, and looks at the role that federal public policy plays in the criminal justice system. Discussion of emerging trends focuses on the expanding domestic effort against terrorism. About 70 pages of appendices offer a chronology, an outline of majority and dissenting opinions from the landmark case U.S. v. Lopez, and lists of chapters of the federal criminal code, agencies, and the table of contents of the USA Patriot Act.” —Reference & Research Book News

“[P]rovides a welcome survey to the myriad of federal agencies that currently operate. Since 9/11 and the structuring of DHS, such a guide is needed….Readers here find a concise guide to the major agencies, supplemented by discussion of current issues that go across jurisdictions.” —Security Newsletter

From the Publisher