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DOCUMENT RESUME
07162 - [82427469]
Bank Robbery: The Federal Law Eforcr.ent Bole Shiould Be
Reduced. GGD-78-87; B-179296. August 18# 1978. 35 pp. + appendix
(4 pp.).
Report to the Congress; by Blmer B. Sth. ., comptroller General.
Issue Area: Lew Enforcement and Crime Prevention (500).
Ccntact: General Government Div.
Budget Function: Law Bmforcement and Justice (750).
Organization Concerned: Department of Justice; Fed4rt.: aureau of
In vestigation.
Congressiona Relevance: Rouse Committee on the Judiciary;
Senate Co4itte, on the Judiciary; Congress.
Authority: 18 U-.C. 2113.
The Federal role in baA robberie.- is a result of
legislatcsn providing Funishmert for roLbkrics of finan!ial
institutions op#erating ui ter Federal law or with Feleral
insurance. 2he legislation was one of a series of antigangster
bills 4irected at crises perpetrated by organixed groups of
oangsters who move across Stat. lines in committing crimes.
However, Federal law enforceent policy calls for restr :tive
application of Federal resources in areai of concurrent
jurisdiction. Findings./Conclusions: In spite of this policy,
the practices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and
U.S. attorneys relating to bank robberies hdve resulted in a
subordinate role for local authorities. In fiscal year 1977, the
FBI appliad 8.59 of its investigative resources to investigating
forcible crimes against financial Institutions. 2his -ffort was
not warranted because bank robberies are not aubstantally
different from robberies of other commercial establishments,
bank rcbbers did not generally use sophisticated m-thods of
operation and few operated beyond the borders of one State, and
gang oFeratione were minimal. Solutions to tank robberies
indicated that bost were accomplished with techniques that could
have been performed by local --.lice, and few involved interstate
Investigations. The FBI does havy an advantage in investigating
multiple bank robberies committed by a single robber. U.S.
attorneys prosecute most bank robbers. The Department of
Justice, in 1975, sought to reduce the Federal role by
encouraging deferment cf pzosecutions to local authorities whin
appropriate. However, U.S. attorneys have ccntinced tc prosecute
the majcr ;roportion cf bank robbers and most have not reduced
the Federal role. A reduced Federal role would permit more
attention to other priorities. Recommendations: The Attorney
General should direct the FBI to ertablish and carry cut a plan
which would provide that, after a reasonable transition period,
the FBI's involvement in bank rokberies would generally be
limited to assisting police by serving as a clearinghouse for
linking bank robberies in various jurisdictions and aiding in
interstate investigaticns of bank robberies. Be should also](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.gao/gaobaayag0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)