Federal Bureau of Investigation - Budget, Mission and Priorities

Budget, Mission and Priorities

In the fiscal year 2011, the agency's total budget was approximately $7.9 billion.

The FBI's main goal is to protect and defend the United States, to uphold and enforce the criminal laws of the United States, and to provide leadership and criminal justice services to federal, state, municipal, and international agencies and partners.

Currently, the FBI's top investigative priorities are:

1. Protect the United States from terrorist attacks (see counter-terrorism);
2. Protect the United States against foreign intelligence operations and espionage (see counter-intelligence);
3. Protect the United States against cyber-based attacks and high-technology crimes (see cyber-warfare);
4. Combat public corruption at all levels;
5. Protect civil rights;
6. Combat transnational/national criminal organizations and enterprises (see organized crime);
7. Combat major white-collar crime;
8. Combat significant violent crime.

In August 2007, the top categories of lead criminal charges resulting from FBI investigations were:

1. Bank robbery and incidental crimes (107 charges)
2. Drugs (104 charges)
3. Attempt and conspiracy (81 charges)
4. Material involving sexual exploitation of minors (53 charges)
5. Mail fraud – frauds and swindles (51 charges)
6. Bank fraud (31 charges)
7. Prohibition of illegal gambling businesses (22 charges)
8. Fraud by wire, radio, or television (20 charges)
9. Hobbs Act (Robbery and extortion affecting interstate commerce) (17 charges)
10. Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO)-prohibited activities (17 charges)