An Insight into the Bureau of Alcohol free essay sample

Following Its formation, the TAFT changed Its name to encompass its responsibilities, ending anally as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives after President George W. Bush signed the Homeland Security Act of 2002 in regards to the 9/1 1 attacks. This act also shifted the TAFT from the Treasury department to the Justice department and gave the organization Jurisdiction over all explosive related occurrences. The name of the organization makes it obvious that it is comprised of three divisions: alcohol and tobacco, firearms, and explosives. The TAFT oversees almost all of the actions that coincide with their dullness. Its responsibilities Include: he Investigation and prevention of federal offenses Involving the unlawful use, manufacture, and possession of firearms and explosives, acts of arson and bombings, and illegal trafficking of alcohol and tobacco products. Additionally, with licensing, the TAFT regulates: the sales, possession, and transportation of firearms, ammunition, and explosives in interstate commerce (TAFT, 1). We will write a custom essay sample on An Insight into the Bureau of Alcohol or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page From all of its duties we can see that the organization has a significant impact on the united States economy.Whether It Is the regulation of the sales and distribution of tobacco, alcohol and firearms, or the retention from harm we can see the economy alter In response to the actions of this organization. Critics argue both ways concerning the Tufts actions. The TAFT has made some decisions that have benefited the economy, while at the same time they have made some that have stirred controversy. All three of the Tufts divisions are influential in united States economic affairs. The first of which is the alcohol and tobacco division.This divisions main focus Is to prevent illicit activity dealing with alcohol and tobacco. This Dillon Is seen to have the most noticeable Impact on the economy due to the magnitude of the distribution of tobacco and alcohol within the united States. The second division focuses entirely on firearms in hopes of reducing the amount of crime that involve the use of a firearm. The firearm division is very busy, with the rising number of gun-related deaths in the United States, the division must solve a number a complex problems.The third and final division deals with arson and explosives. This Dillon enforces the Federal laws and regulations regarding explosives and arson. Together these dullness work to prevent terrorism, educe violent crime, and protect our Nation. Just as with the firearm division, this division is seeing an increased level of activity due to the rising issue of terrorism occurring within the United States. Following the attacks of 9/1 1 the masses became more aware of the dangers that a terrorist can inflict upon a nation.The TAFT now has the responsibility of helping to provide a safer future for many (TAFT, 1). And eliminate criminal and terrorist organizations by identifying, investigating and arresting offenders who traffic in contraband cigarettes and illegal liquor. In order to o this they conduct financial investigations to seize and deny access to assets and funds utilized by criminal enterprises and terrorist organizations. By stopping the flow of illegal alcohol and tobacco the TAFT significantly reduces tax revenue losses to the United States.The alcohol and tobacco division also influences the economy by preventing criminal encroachment of the legitimate alcohol and tobacco industries by organizations trafficking in counterfeit or contraband cigarettes and illegal liquor. This creates more business for the alcohol and tobacco industries of the United States. The bureau also assists local, state, and other Federal law enforcement and tax agencies to make sure that the trafficking of illegal alcohol and tobacco is thoroughly monitored on all levels of government (TAFT, 1).The bureau has also decreased tax revenue loss to the United States by regulating online cigarette sales. The passing of the Jenkins Act has played a crucial part in the monitoring of online cigarette sales. The Jenkins Act requires any person who sells and ships cigarettes across a state line to a buyer, other than a licensed distri butor, o report the sale to the buyers state tobacco tax administrator. The act establishes misdemeanors penalties for violation. Compliance with this federal law by cigarette sellers enables states to collect cigarette excise taxes from consumers.However, some state and federal officials are concerned that as internet cigarette sales continue to grow, particularly as states cigarette taxes increase, so will the amount of lost state tax revenue due to noncompliance with the Jenkins Act (Wisped, 6). The second division of the bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives eels with firearms. The Bureau is responsible for regulating firearm commerce in the United States. The TAFT also recognizes the role that firearms play in violent crimes and pursues an integrated regulatory and enforcement strategy.Enforcement strategies focus on armed violent offenders and career criminals, narcotics traffickers, Marco-terrorists, violent gangs, and domestic and international arms traffickers (TAFT, 1). One of the main actions of the TAFT right now is concentrating its energies on prosecuting previously convicted felons who have been discovered with weapons (Tract, 4). By cutting down on the international flow of illegal weapons into the United States, the TAFT creates legal business for people who cannot illegally obtain a firearm, but have premises for conducting business or collecting firearms, by issuing Federal Firearms Licenses.The Bureau issues these Federal Firearms Licenses (FL) to sellers, and conducts firearms licensee inspections. A Federal Firearms License is a license that enables an individual or a company to engage in a business pertaining to the manufacture of firearms and ammunition or the interstate and intrastate sale of firearms. The business to be conducted under the license can not be prohibited by State or local law in the place where the licensed premise is located (Wisped, 6). Application fees also apply for a Federal Firearms License. Basic fees range fro m $30 for a collectors license to $250 for a manufacturers license of firearms. Application fees for destructive devices can be up to $3,000, which is surely beneficial to the economy (Wisped, 6). Additional fees also apply for renewal of any Federal Firearms License. The third division of the TAFT focuses on arson and Federal laws and regulations regarding arson and explosives. They use many methods to regulate arson and explosives in the United States. One such method the TAFT uses is a canine unit. The bureaus explosives detection canine unit has been conditioned to detect explosives, explosives residue, and post blast evidence.They can also detect firearms and ammunition hidden in containers and vehicles, on persons and buried underground (TAFT, 1). With the assistance of support systems such as the National Response Team, Explosives Technology Branch, TAFT Laboratories, Certified Explosives Specialists, and the TAFT Firearms Branch and Tracing Center, the TAFT canine program is producing a viable tool to assist law enforcement with their war on violent crime. Another method used by the explosives division of the TAFT is the Bomb Arson Tracking System, or BATS. The purpose of BATS is to develop a comprehensive incident based information sharing system.For the first time, law enforcement agencies and investigators of national arson and explosives related incidents were able to share real-time information in a nationally secure system. BATS is solely dedicated to fire and post-blast incidents and also offers members of the Bomb Squad community the ability to see real-time data about improvised explosive and incendiary devices that are used throughout the country (TAFT, 1). These methods not only protect the public and reduce viol ent crime, but they contribute to a stable economy. A threat to the public can also be a threat to the economy, as we have seen in the past. The World Trade Center disaster in 2001, not only claimed many American lives, but also devastated the American economy. The destruction of the World Trade Centers made some companies cease to exist. This occurrence created a large number of problems concerning the trade flow. By preventing other similar acts the TAFT looks over the welfare of the American public and the American economy. One TAFT attribute that deserves special recognition is its system of laboratories. This idea of TAFT laboratories dates back to the development of the TAFT itself in 1886.The labs provide an extensive amount of support for the divisions. It is made up of 100 professionals working in four laboratories in three cities. Each lab provides an extensive amount of services. Theses services include: alcohol and tobacco, arson, explosives, trace evidence comparisons, questioned document examination, fingerprint examination, firearm and toolmaker examination, fire research laboratory, automated ballistic identification, national response team, training, research and customer service. Many groundbreaking events have occurred in these labs.Two of them include when: in 1975 an ink dating technique was developed to detect fraudulent written documents, and in 1998 when the TAFT deployed their first mobile laboratory, which was designed to allow examination of evidence at the scene of a fire or explosion. In the fiscal year of 2006 the laboratories have: analyzed 64 samples related to alcohol and tobacco diversion, processed 3086 forensic cases, spent 171 days providing expert testimony in the courts, spent 242 days at crime scenes , and spent 371 days providing training to Federal, State and local investigators and examiners (TAFT, 1).Without the support of these laboratories, the TAFT would not be able to provide the level of service that it does today. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has done an exemplary Job with supporting the economy by minimizing crime. Throughout their existence they have shut down a very large firearm distributor, Elitists Gun Shop, after linking many of the sales to acts of violence. The TAFT traced about 2,300 firearms to Elitists between March 1, 2002, and March 7, 2007. Of those guns, 127 were linked to murder investigations, and 517 were part of inquiries into drug-related crimes.More than 90 percent of the guns were recovered in Louisiana (Hunter, 2). This seizure effected many aspects of the economy. A large amount of money was taken out of circulation, and criminal activity was decreased in many ways. Another example of the Tufts efforts in minimizing crime can be seen when they seized thousands of warheads for shoulder-fired anti-tank missiles and numerous high explosives in Roswell, NM, at David Haddam defense contracting company (New York Times, 3). This is a huge minimization of weapons off the streets. These warheads may have been the tools in some plot involving terrorism. They may have been used to blow up major buildings that keep the United States government running efficiently. There are many ways that these warheads could have damaged the United States economy, but with hem in government control due to the actions of the TAFT, no one has to worry. There are however, ways people see the TAFT as abusing the general welfare of the public by using ruthless action. Many people state that TAFT officials lie in court in order to either seize property, or put gun owners/distributors in Jail (WEEPING, 5). The most famous incident that spurred controversy regarding the TAFT is what is known as the Waco Siege. On February 28, 1993, the TAFT attempted to execute a search warrant at the Branch Deviant ranch at Mount Carmela, a property located nine miles east- reheats of Waco, Texas. An exchange of gunfire resulted in the deaths of four agents and six Davidson. After the initial raid, the TAFT came under heavy criticism for proceeding with their actions, despite being aware that the Davidson knew of the offensive and of the months-long surveillance of Mount Carmela.Some critics ask why the TAFT agents disregarded a direct invitation given months before the initial assault, in which a leader of the facility, David Shores spoke with the agents by phone and asked that they come talk with him about their concerns. Additionally, there is introverts over what the exact content of the original search warrants were (Wisped, 6). The researchers believe that the TAFT is a vital component in the pro tection and function ability of the United States economy. They see criticism pointed at the TAFT as minute in comparison to the good that the organization does. Alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and explosives must all be monitored and dealt with because they are items that the masses deal with each day. If strict regulations and investigations were not carried out in regards to these issues much violence and economic instability would be present. The TAFT continues to grow in a direct relationship with technology. The better the technology that the TAFT has at its disposable, the more efficient their research and investigations will become.