FBI FBI Investigation Procedures and Techniques 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the FBI's primary case management system used to track investigations and evidence?
- CODIS
- Sentinel (Correct answer)
- NCIC
- ViCAP
Correct answer: Sentinel
Sentinel is the FBI's web-based case management system that replaced the legacy ACS system, allowing agents to manage cases, documents, and evidence electronically.
Question 2: In an FBI undercover operation, what is an 'undercover employee' (UCE)?
- A civilian informant paid by the FBI
- An FBI special agent who assumes a covert identity to gather evidence (Correct answer)
- A foreign asset providing intelligence
- A cooperating witness who wears a wire
Correct answer: An FBI special agent who assumes a covert identity to gather evidence
An undercover employee (UCE) is an FBI special agent who operates under a fictitious identity to gather evidence, infiltrate criminal organizations, or build cases.
Question 3: What is the purpose of the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Units (BAU)?
- Training new agents in behavioral psychology
- Providing criminal investigative analysis and profiling support to law enforcement (Correct answer)
- Managing undercover agent selection
- Evaluating agent performance reviews
Correct answer: Providing criminal investigative analysis and profiling support to law enforcement
The FBI's BAU provides criminal investigative analysis, threat assessment, and criminal profiling support to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
Question 4: When the FBI opens a preliminary investigation, how long may it remain open before requiring supervisory approval to continue?
- 30 days
- 6 months (Correct answer)
- 1 year
- 2 years
Correct answer: 6 months
Under the Attorney General's Guidelines, FBI preliminary investigations may remain open for up to six months before requiring supervisory review and approval to continue as a full investigation.
Question 5: What is a 'confidential human source' (CHS) in FBI terminology?
- An anonymous tip line caller
- A person who provides information to the FBI while concealing their identity from subjects (Correct answer)
- An encrypted FBI database
- A classified FBI laboratory analysis
Correct answer: A person who provides information to the FBI while concealing their identity from subjects
A confidential human source is a person who provides information to the FBI and whose identity is protected, often an informant with access to criminal networks or organizations.
Question 6: What is 'parallel construction' as it relates to FBI investigations?
- Building simultaneous cases in multiple jurisdictions
- Recreating an investigative trail using legally obtained evidence to avoid revealing classified sources (Correct answer)
- Conducting two undercover operations simultaneously
- Interviewing witnesses in parallel to prevent collusion
Correct answer: Recreating an investigative trail using legally obtained evidence to avoid revealing classified sources
Parallel construction is the practice of rebuilding a legal evidentiary trail to avoid disclosing the classified origin of a lead, particularly from signals intelligence.
FBI FBI Investigation Procedures and Techniques 1
What is the FBI's primary case management system used to track investigations and evidence?