PARTICULAR ATTENTION IS GIVEN IN THE GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE REVIEW OF BANK ROBBERY INVESTIGATIONS TO THE NATURE OF BANK ROBBERY CRIME, INVESTIGATIVE EFFORTS OF THE POLICE AND THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI), AND PROSECUTIVE PRACTICES AT THE LOCAL AND FEDERAL LEVEL. INFORMATION DERIVED FROM FBI HEADQUARTERS AND SEVEN FIELD OFFICES IN JURISDICTIONS REPRESENTING 27 PERCENT OF THE COUNTRY'S TOTAL BANK ROBBERIES DURING FISCAL YEAR 1977 INDICATES THE FOLLOWING: (1) THE NATURE OF BANK ROBBERY CRIME DOES NOT WARRANT THE EXISTING FEDERAL INVESTIGATIVE EFFORT; (2) THE STRAIGHTFORWARD NATURE OF BANK ROBBERY INVESTIGATIONS DOES NOT REQUIRE THE EXISTING LEVEL OF FBI INVOLVEMENT; AND (3) MORE BANK ROBBERY PROSECUTIONS ARE POSSIBLE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. NEARLY 65 PERCENT OF THE 237 IDENTIFIED ROBBERS INVOLVED IN THE SAMPLE HAD BEEN CONVICTED OF CRIMES PREVIOUSLY, PRIMARILY ROBBERY, BURGLARY, AND DRUG OFFENSES. ABOUT 9 PERCENT HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY CONVICTED FOR BANK ROBBERY, AND 31 PERCENT HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN FOUR OR MORE BANK ROBBERIES. ONLY 9 OF 191 SOLVED CASES WERE FACILITATED BY INTER-STATE INVESTIGATION. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DIRECT THE FBI TO ESTABLISH AND CARRY OUT A PLAN TO MINIMIZE THE FEDERAL INVESTIGATIVE INVOLVEMENT IN BANK ROBBERIES. THE PLAN SHOULD PROVIDE THAT, AFTER A REASONABLE TRANSITION PERIOD, THE FBI'S INVOLVEMENT IN BANK ROBBERIES GENERALLY BE LIMITED TO ASSISTING THE POLICE BY SERVING AS A CLEARINGHOUSE FOR LINKING BANK ROBBERIES IN VARIOUS JURISDICTIONS AND BY AIDING IN INTER-STATE INVESTIGATIONS OF BANK ROBBERIES. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ALSO SHOULD ESTABLISH PROSECUTIVE GUIDELINES FOR BANK ROBBERIES TO MINIMIZE FEDERAL PROSECUTION EXCEPT IN CASES WHERE FEDERAL PROCEDURES FACILITATE PROSECUTION. (DEP)