CRIMJ 159History of the FBI

3 credits · Criminal Justice · Penn State

Chronological survey of the History of the FBI since its founding in 1908, focused on the evolution of Federal law enforcement, bureaucracy, the increasing power of the Executive branch, the targeting of various minority groups, civil rights and civil liberties issues, and the growth of a national security role for the federal government over time. In its long history the FBI has intersected with a wide variety of groups and issues, and this reality will further expose students to the histories of African Americans, gays and lesbians, women's groups, Latinos, Native Americans, war protesters, students, various political dissenters, immigrants, targeting of morality, obscenity, and labor organizing. Because the FBI is responsive to both the political and policy interests of presidents and the influences of American society, students will come to appreciate the influences that politics has on bureaucracy and law enforcement, as well as the different social, political, economic, and cultural influences that each historical time period have exerted on the FBI to help shape its priorities and structure.