Criminal Intelligence and Investigations Flashcards
6 cards from real FBI practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Criminal Intelligence and Investigations flashcards as text
What is a 'pattern of life' analysis in FBI criminal intelligence?
Answer: Mapping an individual's routine activities, behaviors, and associations over time to identify vulnerabilities or predict future actions
Pattern of life analysis tracks an individual's daily routines, communications, and movements to build a comprehensive picture for investigative or targeting purposes.
What is a 'predicate' in the context of opening an FBI investigation?
Answer: A factual basis indicating a crime may have been committed or a threat to national security may exist
FBI investigations must be predicated on articulable facts suggesting criminal activity or national security threats, preventing investigations based on protected activity.
In financial crime analysis, what is 'structuring' (also called 'smurfing')?
Answer: Breaking large cash transactions into smaller amounts to avoid mandatory bank reporting thresholds
Structuring is the illegal act of deliberately breaking up deposits to stay under the $10,000 Bank Secrecy Act reporting threshold.
What is a 'confidential informant' (CI) different from a 'cooperating witness' (CW) in FBI investigations?
Answer: A CI's identity remains protected and they are not publicly identified; a CW testifies in court and their identity becomes known
CIs operate covertly with identity protection while CWs agree to testify in court, accepting that their identities will be disclosed during prosecution.
What is 'geographic profiling' as an analytical tool in FBI criminal investigations?
Answer: Using crime location data to identify the most probable area where an offender lives or works
Geographic profiling uses the locations of linked crimes to mathematically predict the offender's likely base of operations.
What is 'proactive intelligence' in FBI criminal investigations?
Answer: Intelligence-driven investigative efforts that identify and disrupt criminal activity before a crime occurs
Proactive intelligence shifts the FBI from reactive law enforcement to anticipatory disruption of criminal enterprises before harm occurs.