Tuesday, July 30, 2013

FBI Books For Those Interested In Law Enforcement

By Lela Perkins


Several publications exist which provide an insight into the workings of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. FBI books not only delve into the way crimes are solved by the agency, they also details some of the abuses of power that have been documented in the past. Some are written by ex-agents, who have a specific story to tell about a particular crime or investigation.

Ask anyone around the world and you'll probably find most people have heard of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It has an historic role in America's past when it comes to solving some of the most notorious crimes. This has helped make it an organization that many Americans are proud of. On the other hand, the Bureau does have in its past a history of investigating what it calls domestic enemies. People that, as Tim Weiner details in his book "A History of the FBI", held political beliefs that leaned towards left-wing socialism.

Unfortunately, the Bureau has been linked to civil rights violations in the past. During times of social unrest in the 1960s, the Bureau launched COINTELPRO - short for counter intelligence program - a series of covert intelligence projects aimed at domestic political organisations. Allegedly, there were attempts to discredit people like Martin Luther King.

Aside from the usual historical books about the agency itself, there are many publications that focus on the success the FBI has achieved in trying to combat organised crime and gangsters. It isn't surprising, as gangsters played a vital role in society when the organization was first formed. Their influence stretched far and wide, and attempts were made by Bureau agents to stop that influence. Their success has been documented in the movies as well as books, especially in films like Bonnie and Clyde.

Anyone wishing to get a balanced account of what the agency is like might be better off reading as many different books as they can. It is very hard to find one book that provides a balanced view of such a polarizing entity. Writers have the age old problem of being accused of being too cynical if they criticize, and too forgiving of past sins if they do not.

Of course, fictional titles also include the FBI prominently in their stories. Many of these include detective thrillers that have the agency in a more supportive role for the main characters. Some actually have the agent as the main character. The authors usually provide fairly realistic accounts of life inside the agency. This is mainly down to the levels of research it's possible to do these days with ex-agents, who liaise with authors to make the story more realistic.

The agency itself has a website on which it publishes certain information. Though there are no actual books for sale, you can find out who are the most wanted, check out case stories of busted felons, and report a crime online.

Anyone thinking of using FBI books to find out more about the bureau have plenty of information out there. It's worth bearing in mind that no single book is likely to provide the balance you may be looking for when doing your research. If you read more than one book you're more likely to get a balanced view of one of America's most controversial organizations.




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