The Atf

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives

Our group decided on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives otherwise known as the ATF. We decided on this section of the law enforcement realm because of how little known this division is. The ATF is an intricate part of the governmental control of firearms, explosives, tobacco, and alcohol. The main functions of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is to conduct criminal investigations, watch over the firearms and explosives industries, and assist other law enforcement agencies. The ATF also looks over the taxation of alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and explosives. The ATF does their work to prevent terrorism, reduce violent crime, and protect the public.

The ATF is a predominant piece of the criminal justice puzzle. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conduct criminal investigations to put perpetrators behind bars. The ATF has a most wanted list that provides the names and descriptions of the criminals they are looking for. There are several criteria that a criminal has to fit in to be placed on the ATF's most wanted list. Those criteria include: seriousness of crime committed, past criminal record of the defendant, and potential for defendant to be a dangerous menace to society. As of right now on their most wanted list there are eight criminals and seven of them are still at large. The crimes on the list range from murder to weapon possession to drug trafficking. The ATF deals many degrees of criminal from small time drug dealers to murderers. The idea that the ATF has a broad range of topics it has to deal with is very interesting and makes the work for a person working for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives both exciting and very risky.

Another intricate part on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is the overlooking of the firearm and explosives industries. The ATF is responsible for making sure that all of the products that come out of those two industries are catalogued and correctly manufactured. If there were no governmental control on the firearms and explosive companies a black market would develop because of the lack of governmental oversight. If the ATF did not supervise the production of these products than there would be an overwhelming amount of weapons that could circulate the country and ultimately end up in the wrong hands. With a vast amount of weapons and explosives in the country it could lead to more crime and possibly domestic terrorism. The scrutiny of the firearm and explosives industries by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives keeps the United Stated of America from destroying itself. Because of their careful overlooking both of those industries continue to progress along healthy but not at the expense of American lives.

The ATF