Office of the Attorney General
Office of the Deputy Attorney General
Office of the Solicitor General
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives
Drug Enforcement Administration
Executive Office for Immigration Review
Executive Office for Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces
Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Office of Professional Responsibility
Office of the Associate Attorney General
Office of the Inspector General
Professional Responsibility Advisory Office
Community Oriented Policing Services
Environment & Natural Resources Division
Executive Office for U.S. Trustees
Foreign Claims Settlement Commission
Office on Violence Against Women
National Criminal Justice Reference Service
Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention
Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering & Tracking
Department of Justice ⌨: Mission: To enforce the law and defend the interests of the U.S. according to the law; to ensure public safety against threats foreign and domestic; to provide federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime; to seek just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior; and to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans.
Office of the Attorney General → Office of the Deputy Attorney General → Office of the Solicitor General
Office of the Deputy Attorney General: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives ♦ Criminal Division ♦ Drug Enforcement Administration ♦ Executive Office for Immigration Review ♦ Executive Office for Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces ♦ Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys ♦ Federal Bureau of Investigation ♦ Federal Bureau of Prisons ♦ Interpol Washington ♦ Justice Management Division ♦ National Security Division ♦ Office of Legal Counsel ♦ Office of Legal Policy ♦ Office of Legislative Affairs ♦ Office of Professional Responsibility ♦ Office of Public Affairs ♦ Office of the Associate Attorney General ♦ Office of the Inspector General ♦ Office of the Pardon Attorney ♦ Office of Tribal Justice ♦ Professional Responsibility Advisory Office ♦ U.S. Attorneys ♦ U.S. Marshals Service ♦ U.S. Parole Commission
Office of the Associate Attorney General: Antitrust Division ♦ Civil Division ♦ Civil Rights Division ♦ Community Oriented Policing Services ♦ Community Relations Service ♦ Environment & Natural Resources Division ♦ Executive Office for U.S. Trustees ♦ Foreign Claims Settlement Commission ♦ Office of Information Policy ♦ Office of Justice Programs ♦ Office on Violence Against Women ♦ Tax Division
Office of Justice Programs: Bureau of Justice Assistance ♦ Bureau of Justice Statistics ♦ National Criminal Justice Reference Service ♦ National Institute of Justice ♦ Office for Victims of Crime ♦ Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention ♦ Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering & Tracking
Topics: Asset Forfeiture Program ♦ Elder Justice Initiative ♦ Environmental Justice ♦ Hate Crimes ♦ Heroin & Opioid Awareness ♦ Human Trafficking ♦ Intellectual Property Task Force ♦ Lawful Access ♦ Office of Justice for Victims of Overseas Terrorism ♦ Open Government ♦ Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces ♦ Presidential Commission on Law Enforcement & the Administration of Justice ♦ Project Guardian ♦ Project Safe Childhood ♦ Project Safe Neighborhoods ♦ Task Force on Market Integrity & Consumer Fraud ♦ Tribal Justice & Safety
Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics (University of Albany)
Office of the Attorney General: The Judiciary Act of 1789 created the Office of the Attorney General which evolved over the years into the head of the Department of Justice and chief law enforcement officer of the Federal Government. The Attorney General represents the United States in legal matters generally and gives advice and opinions to the President and to the heads of the executive departments of the Government when so requested. In matters of exceptional gravity or importance the Attorney General appears in person before the Supreme Court. Since the 1870 Act that established the Department of Justice as an executive department of the government of the United States, the Attorney General has guided the world's largest law office and the central agency for enforcement of federal laws.
Office of the Deputy Attorney General: Advises and assists the Attorney General in formulating and implementing Departmental policies and programs and in providing overall supervision and direction to all organizational units of the Department. Authorized to exercise all the power and authority of the Attorney General, except where such power or authority is prohibited by law from delegation or has been delegated to another official. In the absence of the Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney General acts as the Attorney General.
Office of the Solicitor General: Supervises and conducts government litigation in the U.S. Supreme Court. Virtually all such litigation is channeled through the Office of the Solicitor General and is actively conducted by the Office. The U.S. is involved in approximately two-thirds of all the cases the U.S. Supreme Court decides on the merits each year. Determines the cases in which Supreme Court review will be sought by the government and the positions the government will take before the Court. The Office's staff attorneys, Deputy Solicitors General and Assistants to the Solicitor General, participate in preparing the petitions, briefs, and other papers filed by the government in the Supreme Court. Conducts the oral arguments before the Supreme Court. Those cases not argued by the Solicitor General personally are assigned either to an Assistant to the Solicitor General or to another government attorney. The vast majority of government cases are argued by the Solicitor General or one of the office attorneys. Reviews all cases decided adversely to the government in the lower courts to determine whether they should be appealed and, if so, what position should be taken. Determines whether the government will participate as an amicus curiae, or intervene, in cases in any appellate court.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives: Mission of ATF is to protect communities from violent criminals, criminal organizations, the illegal use and trafficking of firearms, the illegal use and storage of explosives, acts of arson and bombings, acts of terrorism, and the illegal diversion of alcohol and tobacco products.
The major functions of ATF are to:
Criminal Division: Develops, enforces, and supervises the application of all federal criminal laws except those specifically assigned to other divisions. The Division and the 93 U.S. Attorneys have the responsibility for overseeing criminal matters as well as certain civil litigation. Criminal Division attorneys prosecute many nationally significant cases. Formulates and implements criminal enforcement policy and provides advice and assistance on criminal matters. For example, the Division approves or monitors sensitive areas of law enforcement such as participation in the Witness Security Program and the use of electronic surveillance; advises the Attorney General, Congress, the Office of Management and Budget and the White House on matters of criminal law; provides legal advice and assistance to federal prosecutors and investigative agencies; and provides leadership for coordinating international as well as federal, state, and local law enforcement matters.
Drug Enforcement Administration: Mission of the DEA is to enforce the controlled substances laws and regulations of the U.S. and bring to the criminal and civil justice system of the U.S., or any other competent jurisdiction, those organizations and principal members of organizations, involved in the growing, manufacture, or distribution of controlled substances appearing in or destined for illicit traffic in the U.S.; and to recommend and support non-enforcement programs aimed at reducing the availability of illicit controlled substances on the domestic and international markets.
Executive Office for Immigration Review: Primary mission of EOIR is to adjudicate immigration cases by fairly, expeditiously, and uniformly interpreting and administering the Nation's immigration laws. Under delegated authority from the Attorney General, EOIR conducts immigration court proceedings, appellate reviews, and administrative hearings.
Executive Office for Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces: OCDETF is an independent component of the U.S. Department of Justice. OCDETF is the keystone of the Attorney General’s strategy to reduce the availability of illicit narcotics throughout the U.S. using a prosecutor-led, multi-agency approach to combat transnational organized crime. OCDETF agents and prosecutors nationwide handle complex investigations and prosecutions of the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, and other priority transnational criminal organizations that threaten the citizens of the U.S. OCDETF facilitates joint operations by focusing its partner agencies on priority targets, by managing and coordinating multi-agency efforts, and by leveraging intelligence across multiple investigative platforms.
Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys: EOUSA provides executive and administrative support for the 93 U.S. Attorneys located throughout the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Marianas Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U. S. Virgin Islands. Such support includes legal education, administrative oversight, technical support, and the creation of uniform policies, among other responsibilities. EOUSA was created on April 6, 1953, by Attorney General Order No. 8-53.
Federal Bureau of Investigation: Mission: To protect the American people and uphold the Constitution of the United States. Vision: Ahead of the threat through leadership, agility, and integration.
FBI Priorities:
Federal Bureau of Prisons: Established in 1930 to provide more progressive and humane care for federal inmates, to professionalize the prison service, and to ensure consistent and centralized administration of federal prisons. Protects public safety by ensuring that federal offenders serve their sentences of imprisonment in facilities that are safe, humane, cost-efficient, and appropriately secure, and provide reentry programming to ensure their successful return to the community.
Interpol Washington: Serves as the designated representative to the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) on behalf of the Attorney General. INTERPOL Washington is the official U.S. point of contact in INTERPOL's worldwide, police-to-police communications and criminal intelligence network. Mission is to coordinate U.S. law enforcement actions and responses, ensuring that they are consistent with U.S. interests and law, as well as INTERPOL policies, procedures, and regulations.
Justice Management Division: JMD provides advice and assistance to senior management officials relating to basic Department policy for budget and financial management, personnel management and training, facilities, procurement, equal employment opportunity, information processing, records management, security, and all other matters pertaining to organization, management and administration.
National Security Division: Mission of the NSD is to carry out the Department’s highest priority: protect the U.S. from threats to our national security by pursuing justice through the law. The NSD's organizational structure is designed to ensure greater coordination and unity of purpose between prosecutors and law enforcement agencies, on the one hand, and intelligence attorneys and the Intelligence Community, on the other, thus strengthening the effectiveness of the federal government's national security efforts.
Office of Legal Counsel: Provides legal advice to the President and all executive branch agencies. Drafts legal opinions of the Attorney General and provides its own written opinions and other advice in response to requests from the Counsel to the President, the various agencies of the Executive Branch, and other components of the Department of Justice. Such requests typically deal with legal issues of particular complexity and importance or those about which two or more agencies are in disagreement. Responsible for reviewing and commenting on the constitutionality of pending legislation. Reviews all proposed orders of the Attorney General and regulations requiring the Attorney General’s approval.
Office of Legal Policy: Mission is to develop and implement the Department's significant policy initiatives, handle special projects that implicate the interests of multiple Department components, coordinate with other interested Department components and other Executive Branch agencies, and serve as the primary policy advisor to the Attorney General and the Deputy Attorney General; it also reviews and coordinates all regulations promulgated by the Department and all of its components, assists the Attorney General with responsibilities in recommending candidates for federal judgeships, and coordinates the judicial nomination and confirmation process with the White House and the Senate.
Office of Legislative Affairs: OLA has responsibility for the development and implementation of strategies to advance the Department's legislative initiatives and other interests relating to Congress. OLA also articulates the Department's position on legislation proposed by Congress, facilitates the appearance of Department witnesses at congressional hearings, and manages the interagency clearance process led by OMB. Additionally, OLA coordinates the Department's responses to congressional committee oversight requests and other inquiries from individual Members and congressional staff. OLA also participates in the Senate confirmation process for federal judges and Department nominees, such as Assistant Attorneys General and United States Attorneys.
Office of Professional Responsibility: OPR’s primary mission is to ensure that Department attorneys perform their duties in accordance with the highest professional standards. In addition, through investigations of FBI whistleblower retaliation complaints, OPR seeks to ensure that current, former, and prospective FBI employees are protected from reprisal when they report what they reasonably believe to be misconduct.
Office of Public Affairs: Principal point of contact for the DOJ with the news media. Responsible for ensuring that the public is informed about the Department's activities and about the priorities and policies of the Attorney General and the President with regard to law enforcement and legal affairs. Advises the Attorney General and other Department officials on all aspects of media relations and communications issues. Coordinates the public affairs units of all Department component organizations.
Office of the Associate Attorney General: Advises and assists the Attorney General and the Deputy Attorney General in formulating and implementing Departmental policies and programs pertaining to a broad range of civil justice, federal and local law enforcement, and public safety matters. Oversees the following DOJ components: Antitrust Division, Civil Division, Civil Rights Division, Environment and Natural Resources Division, Tax Division, Office of Justice Programs, Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), Community Relations Service, Office on Violence Against Women, Office of Information Policy, Executive Office for U.S. Trustees, Foreign Claims Settlement Commission, and the Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative.
Office of the Inspector General: OIG is a statutorily created independent entity whose mission is to detect and deter waste, fraud, abuse, and misconduct in DOJ programs and personnel, and to promote economy and efficiency in those programs. Investigates alleged violations of criminal and civil laws by DOJ employees and also audits and inspects DOJ programs. The Inspector General, who is appointed by the President subject to Senate confirmation, reports to the Attorney General and Congress.
Office of the Pardon Attorney: Assists in the exercise of the executive clemency power granted to the President by Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution. The President’s clemency power extends only to federal criminal offenses. Executive clemency may take several forms, including pardon, commutation of sentence, remission of fine or restitution, or reprieve. All requests for executive clemency for federal offenses are directed to the Pardon Attorney for review, investigation, and preparation of the Department’s recommendation to the President.
Office of Tribal Justice: Mission of OTJ is to provide a principal point of contact within the DOJ to listen to the concerns of Indian Tribes and to communicate the Department's policies to the Tribes and the public; to promote internal uniformity of DOJ policies and litigation positions relating to Indian county; and to coordinate with other Federal agencies and with State and local governments on their initiatives in Indian country.
Professional Responsibility Advisory Office: Mission of the PRAO is to provide prompt, consistent advice to Department attorneys and Assistant U.S. Attorneys with respect to professional responsibility and choice-of-law issues.
Major Functions:
U.S. Attorneys: Charged with ensuring “that the laws be faithfully executed,” the 93 U.S. Attorneys work to enforce federal laws throughout the country. The President appoints a U.S. Attorney to each of the 94 federal districts (Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands are separate districts but share a U.S. Attorney). The U.S. Attorney is the chief federal law enforcement officer in their district and is also involved in civil litigation where the U.S. is a party.
U.S. Marshals Service: The Marshals Service is the enforcement arm of the federal courts, involved in virtually every federal law enforcement initiative. The duties of the U.S. Marshals Service include protecting the federal judiciary, apprehending federal fugitives, managing and selling seized assets acquired by criminals through illegal activities, housing and transporting federal prisoners and operating the Witness Security Program.
U.S. Parole Commission: Mission is to promote public safety and strive for justice and fairness in the exercise of its authority to release and revoke offenders under its jurisdiction. Vision is to build an organization that balances justice through fair and equal treatment with dignity and respect for offenders, staff, and the community.
Antitrust Division: Mission is to promote economic competition through enforcing and providing guidance on antitrust laws and principles. The goal of the antitrust laws is to protect economic freedom and opportunity by promoting free and fair competition in the marketplace. Also acts as an advocate for competition, seeking to promote competition in sectors of the economy that are or may be subject to government regulation.
Civil Division: Represents the U.S., its departments and agencies, Members of Congress, Cabinet Officers, and other federal employees in any civil or criminal matter within its scope of responsibility. Responsibilities include ensuring the Federal Government speaks with one voice in its view of the law; preserving the intent of Congress; advancing the credibility of the government before the courts; and protecting the public fisc (the U.S. Treasury).
Civil Rights Division: Works to uphold the civil and constitutional rights of all Americans, particularly some of the most vulnerable members of our society. Enforces federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, disability, religion, familial status and national origin.
Community Oriented Policing Services: COPS Office is the component of the DOJ responsible for advancing the practice of community policing by the nation's state, local, territorial, and tribal law enforcement agencies through information and grant resources. Community policing begins with a commitment to building trust and mutual respect between police and communities. It is critical to public safety, ensuring that all stakeholders work together to address our nation's crime challenges. When police and communities collaborate, they more effectively address underlying issues, change negative behavioral patterns, and allocate resources.
Community Relations Service: CRS serves as “America’s Peacemaker” for communities facing conflict based on actual or perceived race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, or disability. CRS works toward its mission by providing facilitated dialogue, mediation, training, and consultation to assist these communities to come together, develop solutions to the conflict, and enhance their capacity to independently prevent and resolve future conflict.
Environment & Natural Resources Division: Core litigating component of the DOJ. Mission is to enforce the Nation’s civil and criminal environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and hazardous waste laws. Mission also involves the protection of the Nation’s natural resources and handling cases relating to tribal rights and resources. The Division’s efforts result in significant public health and other direct benefits to the American people through the reduction of pollution across the Nation and the protection of important natural resources.
Executive Office for U.S. Trustees: Component of DOJ that seeks to promote the efficiency and protect the integrity of the Federal bankruptcy system. To further the public interest in the just, speedy and economical resolution of cases filed under the Bankruptcy Code, the Program monitors the conduct of bankruptcy parties and private estate trustees, oversees related administrative functions, and acts to ensure compliance with applicable laws and procedures. It also identifies and helps investigate bankruptcy fraud and abuse in coordination with U.S. Attorneys, the FBI, and other law enforcement agencies.
Foreign Claims Settlement Commission: FCSC is a quasi-judicial, independent agency within DOJ which adjudicates claims of U.S. nationals against foreign governments, under specific jurisdiction conferred by Congress, pursuant to international claims settlement agreements, or at the request of the Secretary of State. Funds for payment of the Commission's awards are derived from congressional appropriations, international claims settlements, or liquidation of foreign assets in the United States by the Departments of Justice and the Treasury.
Office of Information Policy: Mission of OIP is to encourage and oversee agency compliance with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). OIP is responsible for developing government-wide policy guidance on all aspects of FOIA administration. OIP also provides legal counsel and training to agency personnel. To assist agencies in understanding the many substantive and procedural requirements of the FOIA, OIP publishes the United States Department of Justice Guide to the Freedom of Information Act, which is a comprehensive legal treatise addressing all aspects of the FOIA. OIP also provides a range of resources to agencies to guide them in their administration of the Act.
Office of Justice Programs: Provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. Its six program offices support state and local crime-fighting efforts, fund thousands of victim service programs, help communities manage sex offenders, address the needs of youth in the system and children in danger, and provide vital research and data.
Programs: Bureau of Justice Assistance ♦ Bureau of Justice Statistics ♦ National Criminal Justice Reference Service ♦ National Institute of Justice ♦ Office for Victims of Crime ♦ Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention ♦ Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering & Tracking
Office on Violence Against Women: OVW provides federal leadership in developing the national capacity to reduce violence against women and administer justice for and strengthen services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
Tax Division: Mission is to enforce the nation's tax laws fully, fairly, and consistently, through both criminal and civil litigation, in order to promote voluntary compliance with the tax laws, maintain public confidence in the integrity of the tax system, and promote the sound development of the law.
Bureau of Justice Assistance: BJA helps to make American communities safer by strengthening the nation's criminal justice system: Its grants, training and technical assistance, and policy development services provide state, local, and tribal governments with the cutting edge tools and best practices they need to reduce violent and drug-related crime, support law enforcement, and combat victimization.
Bureau of Justice Statistics: Mission of BJS is to collect, analyze, publish, and disseminate information on crime, criminal offenders, victims of crime, and the operation of justice systems at all levels of government. These data are critical to federal, state, and local policymakers in combating crime and ensuring that justice is both efficient and evenhanded.
National Criminal Justice Reference Service: Established in 1972, the NCJRS is a federally funded resource offering justice and drug-related information to support research, policy, and program development worldwide. NCJRS services and resources are available to anyone interested in crime, victim assistance, and public safety including policymakers, practitioners, researchers, educators, community leaders, and the general public.
National Institute of Justice: NIJ focuses on research, development, and evaluation of crime control and justice issues. Provides objective, independent, evidence-based knowledge and tools to meet the challenge of criminal justice, particularly at local and state levels. Funds research, development, and technology assistance. Also assesses programs, policies, and technologies. Publicizes the research it conducts and the evaluation findings through conferences, reports, and the media.
Office for Victims of Crime: OVC is committed to enhancing the Nation’s capacity to assist crime victims and to providing leadership in changing attitudes, policies, and practices to promote justice and healing for all victims of crime.
Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention: OJJDP works to prevent juvenile delinquency, improve the juvenile justice system, and protect children. OJJDP accomplishes its mission by supporting states, local communities, and tribal jurisdictions in their efforts to develop and implement effective programs for juveniles. The Office strives to strengthen the juvenile justice system's efforts to protect public safety, hold justice-involved youth appropriately accountable, and provide services that address the needs of youth and their families.
Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering & Tracking: SMART was authorized by the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. The SMART Office assists with implementation of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act and provides assistance to criminal justice professionals across the entire spectrum of sex offender management activities needed to ensure public safety.