Mr. HOOVER. Public Law 87-368, approved October 4, 1961, amended the Fugitive Felon Act and greatly broadened our jurisdiction to locate local fugitives who have fled across State lines-to avoid prosecution, or custody or confinement, or to avoid giving testimony by including under the act all State crimes punishable by death or which are felonies in the place from which the fugitive fled or which, in the case of New Jersey, are high misdemeanors.

Heretofore, the unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, custody, or confinement had to be in connection with certain types of crimesmurder, kidnaping, burglary, robbery, mayhem, rape, assault with a dangerous weapon, arson punishable as a felony, extortion accompanied by threats of violence, or attempts to commit any of these

crimes.

Under the Fugitive Felon Act we investigate cases only upon specific request for assistance from local law enforcement agencies. In each instance, the local authorities must agree to extradite the fugitive upon apprehension and, as a result, they must assume the costs involved in returning the fugitive to the place of prosecution. Since the local authorities must necessarily undertake the obligations of effecting extradition through State procedures, this limits the requests to the more aggravated cases.

As of January 1, 1962, a total of 967 new cases had been received under the broadened provisions of the act.

Our investigations under the Fugitive Felon Act are not aimed at proving or disproving the State or local crime with which the fugitive is charged the FBI seeks only to locate and apprehend the fugitive so that he can be returned to the jurisdiction in which he is wanted.

The murderers, robbers, burglars, rapists, and those who committed certain other major crimes have known for years that distance from the scene of their unlawful act is no safeguard from arrest. Now, because of the broadened provisions of the act, those who commit all other felonies are learning the same thing.

Special agents of the FBI are assigned in every major city in the United States and, unlike local and State law enforcement officers, they are not restricted by State lines. They can make arrests anywhere in the Nation. The strategic deployment of our investigative staff coupled with our efficient communications system can and often does mean that a fugitive fleeing from the scene of his crime is greeted at his destination by the FBI and placed under arrest.

Our cooperative assistance under the Fugitive Felon Act means much to local and State law enforcement authorities. For example, in New York a paroled forger left the State in late 1961. A local officer determined the fugitive had fled to Ohio. The New York authorities requested our assistance and a Federal warrant charging unlawful flight to avoid confinement for forgery was issued on November 13, 1961.

Inquiry in Ohio revealed the fugitive had left that State en route to Tennessee. Special agents in Tennessee were immediately notified and quickly located and arrested the fugitive. This man, who previously had served a prison sentence for rape, agreed to waive extradition.

Prior to the amendment of the Fugitive Felon Act, the New York authorities would have been faced with costly and unsatisfactory

alternatives. They could have detailed an officer to personally track down the fugitive through several States-although the officer would not have the power to make an arrest outside New York-or send detailed information to various State and local law enforcement agencies, seeking their aid in locating the fugitive.

As it was, all the New York authorities had to do was contact a special agent of the FBI, furnish him pertinent information including an indication that the fugitive had fled from the State, and ask for help. The special agent thereafter secured a Federal warrant authorized by a U.S. attorney and instructed the appropriate FBI offices to conduct the necessary investigation to locate the wanted man. In less than a month, the fugitive was in custody and New York authorities had been notified where he was being held. Their only expense in getting him back to New York was the necessary cost of transporting him from Tennessee.

"TEN MOST WANTED FUGITIVES" PROGRAM

Over the years, the FBI's 10 most wanted fugitives program has aided greatly in the location of badly wanted fugitives, local as well as Federal. Its success has been due to the splendid cooperation afforded the program by the various forms of public information media throughout the country, by local law enforcement groups and by private citizens.

Since its inception in 1950, a total of 162 badly wanted fugitives has been placed on the list. Of 151 fugitives located to date, 89 were solely by investigative efforts while an impressive 62 were as the direct result of information furnished by citizens who recognized the fugitives from wanted posters or publicity given by various news media.

FEDERAL PROBATION, PAROLE, AND CONDITIONAL-RELEASE VIOLATOR

FUGITIVES

Our jurisdiction has been broadened in regard to Federal probation, parole and conditional release violator fugitives. Prior to May 1961, the FBI located such fugitives only in cases where the original prosecution was in a case within FBI jurisdiction. Since that time, on the instructions of the Attorney General, we have undertaken the investigation of all such cases regardless of the original jurisdiction.

As of January 1, 1962, this expanded jurisdiction had resulted in the receipt of 541 new cases.

THEFT OF GOVERNMENT PROPERTY

Theft of Government property and related violations give rise to a large volume of work. A total of 633 convictions followed FBI investigations of theft, embezzlement, illegal possession or destruction of Government property in 1961, an increase of 103 over the previous year. Recoveries amounted to almost a half million dollars.

This chart which I present to the committee shows the growing number of convictions resulting from our investigations of these vio lations during the 1959-61 fiscal year period.

(The chart referred to follows:)

THEFT FROM INTERSTATE SHIPMENT

Mr. HOOVER. Our work concerned with thefts from interstate shipments continues to mount. These violations against shipments moving interstate include hijackings with the use of force and violence, larceny, embezzlement and pilferage.

During 1961, our investigations resulted in 778 convictions and in recoveries of $2,894,056.

This chart which I hand to the committee shows for the 1959-61 period the growing number of convictions and recoveries resulting from our investigative efforts to combat this type of crime.

(The chart referred to follows:)

Mr. HOOVER. Thieves who carry plunder interstate, the receivers of such stolen goods, confidence men who flee interstate after victimizing the unwary, and bad check passers whose worthless checks are a plague on the legitimate business of a community, often violate Federal laws under our jurisdiction.

Our investigations in this type of criminal activity resulted in an alltime high of 1,185 convictions during 1961. The growing number of convictions obtained is shown in this chart which I hand to the committee depicting the trend over the past 3 years.

(The matter referred to follows:)

Mr. HOOVER. In addition, during 1961 property valued at $3,754,094 was recovered and 590 fugitives were located.

Our jurisdiction in this type of violation was extended by Public Law 87-371, approved October 4, 1961. This legislation extended the coverage of the interstate transportation of stolen property statute to prohibit the transportation of fraudulent State tax stamps in interstate or foreign commerce.

ANTITRUST

The FBI, at the request of the Department of Justice, investigates alleged violations of the antitrust laws. These matters are usually of a complicated nature and the investigative activity often extends over a wide geographical area. In many instances the investigations will require simultaneous handling by numerous of our field offices throughout the Nation. As a result, these investigations often require the heavy assignment of manpower over prolonged periods.

Our work in the antitrust field has greatly increased. This is reflected in the growing investigative accomplishments resulting from our investigations. For example, convictions jumped from 79 in 1959 to 198 in 1961. During the same period, fines assessed rose from $782,500 to $2,641,000.

This chart which I present to the committee portrays the investigative results over the past 3 years and clearly reflects the mounting volume of work in this area.

(The chart referred to follows:)