Federal law
The Bill of Rights, which is the first 10 Amendments of the Constitution, and the Constitution as a whole do two very important things: They set out the rights of citizens and also limit the authority of government. The Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments to the Constitution, in particular, limit the authority of government in the lives of U.S. citizens. The authority of government/law enforcement is additionally limited in court decisions interpreting Constitutional protections, such as Miranda v. Arizona. Jurisdiction and the statute of limitations further limit the reach of law enforcement.
A variety of statutes have been enacted to fight organized crime at the federal level, such as RICO, which is a part of the Crime Control Act of 1970. Other statutes are designed to “follow the money,” such as the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970 and the Money Laundering Control Act of 1986, in order to obtain needed evidence against organized crime groups. There are many and various other federal laws that have been enacted to fight organized crime or enacted for another purpose but are being used to combat organized crime, such as the Patriot Act.
Answer the following questions:
.What is an example of a federal law that combats organized crime?
.How does this law apply to domestic or international organized crime groups?
.Has this law been codified into the state laws in your state? In what way?
.How may we improve major federal laws and strategies to combat organized crime? Explain your answer.
Essay 4 (175 to 350 words)
There is no national police force in the United States. However, there are multiple federal agencies that act to combat various types of criminal activity, including organized crime. These agencies fall under the larger umbrella of government departments. For example, the FBI operates under the Department of Justice, and Customs and Border Protection operates under the Department of Homeland Security.
Choose one federal agency that interests you, and discuss the history of this organization. Answer the following questions:
.What are the major functions and goals of this agency?
.How does this agency operate in the fight against organized crime?
.What training, experience, or education must one have to become a part of this agency?
.Would you ever consider joining this agency? Why or why not?
