Why do you have to have an accounting degree...

[matthewperry]

Why do you have to have an accounting degree to get in the FBI? What purpose does accounting have in law enforcement? I hope it is not something dumb that I am seriously overlooking. Please don't flame if it is!

 

[j0lly]

Probably because FBI work is just as repetitive as Accounting.

 

[matthewperry]

LMAO!! But for real...anybody?!?!

 

[kikokam]

wow maybe i should go into acctg then... then i can be in the FBI and a CPA and do my own taxes so i don't get rip off when tax returns come!

 

[LethalWolfe]

<< Why do you have to have an accounting degree to get in the FBI? What purpose does accounting have in law enforcement?

<<


So the FBI can follow the money trail criminals leave behind. For example, lets say the FBI takes down part of the mob. The FBI accountants then go thru all the mob's records and/or the records of business they believe to be mob owned. They can also use financial<sp?> records to track movement, spending habbits and bank accounts. Any time you use a credit/debit card or pay by check you've left a footprint somewhere.
The FBI also handles all cases of counterfit money making in the US. If it is a big operation they'll need specialists to track down how the counterfiters got the 100's or 1000's of fake bills into circulation.

Forensic Pathologists study dead bodies (usually the victims) for clues, and Forensic Accountants study finnancial records and money movement for clues.

Lethal

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

yeah, i posted this last night which might be another reason:

i also imagine law and accountants because they already have the skills needed to do the majority of the work (or perhaps there is a low number of these folks, or there are cases needing these skills). well i mean that it's easier to teach a lawyer/accountant different skills needed for the job, but harder to teach someone who already has those skills (law enforcement for an example) how to do law/accounting. does that make sense?

like it's easier to teach an engineer how to write technical manuals than it would be to take someone who is good at writing and teach them engineering.

 

[Looney]

Probably because FBI work is just as repetitive as Accounting

Actually, i think this is partly right. Going through boxes and boxes of documents can be extremely repetitive, so they want people with experience in it who can handle it and detect minute details that might be important.

But you don't NEED an accounting degree... other degrees with get you into other fields. Psychology will get you into a field working with people... medical and you'll be doing autopsies... criminal and you'll probably work in the field... a CS will probably get you working in the computer division, etc, etc.


The FBI also handles all cases of counterfit money making in the US

You sure about that? I'm pretty sure the Secret Service handles that.

 

[Michael]

I'm confused. I don't think that you need an accounting degree only. It helps if you're doing fraud investigation.

Michael

 

[vi edit]

I would think that it also shows attention to detail as well, on top of the actual learned accounting skills.

 

[LethalWolfe]

<<



The FBI also handles all cases of counterfit money making in the US

You sure about that? I'm pretty sure the Secret Service handles that. >>



Yup, my bad. The Secret Service handles that.



Lethal

 

[Jfur]

<< Probably because FBI work is just as repetitive as Accounting. >>



j0lly is not joking.