U.S. Department
of Justice
Sections/Offices
Appellate Section (APP)
The Appellate Section prepares draft briefs and certiorari petitions for the Solicitor General for filing in the U.S. Supreme Court; makes recommendations to the Solicitor General as to whether further review is warranted on adverse decisions in the district courts and courts of appeals; and prepares briefs and argues cases in the courts of appeals. The section also prepares and argues motions in significant district court cases.
Capital Case Section (CCS)
The Capital Case Section has the mission of promoting consistency and fairness in the application of the death penalty throughout the United States and ensuring that federal prosecutors in districts throughout the country who are prosecuting capital cases have access to expertise and available resources. In addition to providing analysis and support in the preliminary capital review process, the section’s attorneys provide legal, procedural, and technical assistance to United States Attorneys in capital investigations and prosecutions.
Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS)
The Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section prosecutes violations of federal law related to producing, distributing, receiving, or possessing child pornography, transporting women or children interstate for the purpose of engaging in criminal sexual activity, traveling interstate or internationally to sexually abuse children, and international parental kidnapping. This section has jurisdiction to prosecute cases of child abuse on federal and Indian lands. CEOS also actively enforces federal laws against transporting obscene materials in interstate or foreign commerce.
Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS)
The Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) is responsible for implementing the Department's national strategies in combating computer and intellectual property crimes worldwide. The Computer Crime Initiative is a comprehensive program designed to combat electronic penetrations, data thefts, and cyberattacks on critical information systems. CCIPS prevents, investigates, and prosecutes computer crimes by working with other government agencies, the private sector, academic institutions, and foreign counterparts. Section attorneys work to improve the domestic and international infrastructure-legal, technological, and operational-to pursue network criminals most effectively. The Section's enforcement responsibilities against intellectual property crimes are similarly multi-faceted.
Fraud Section (FRD)
The Fraud Section investigates and prosecutes complex white collar crime cases throughout the country. The Fraud Section is uniquely qualified to act in that capacity, based on its vast experience with sophisticated fraud schemes; its expertise in managing complex and multi-district litigation; and its ability to deploy resources effectively to address law enforcement priorities and respond to geographically shifting crime problems. These capabilities are an essential complement to the efforts of the United States Attorneys' Offices to combat white-collar crime. The section also plays a critical role in the development of Department policy.
Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP)
The Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) primarily investigates and prosecutes cases against human rights violators and other international criminals. HRSP investigates and prosecutes human rights violators for genocide, torture, war crimes, recruitment or use of child soldiers, female genital mutilation, and for immigration and naturalization fraud arising out of efforts to hide their involvement in such crimes. HRSP also prosecutes perpetrators of other international violent crimes, particularly those involving the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act (MEJA) or occurring within the Special Maritime & Territorial Jurisdiction of the United States (SMTJ). Finally, HRSP prosecutes members of international criminal networks who seek to evade our immigration laws, such as by smuggling persons into the United States. In addition to its prosecutorial activities, HRSP is actively engaged in policy work, both domestically and internationally.
International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP)
The International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program Section works with foreign governments to develop professional and transparent law enforcement institutions that protect human rights, combat corruption, and reduce the threat of transnational crime and terrorism. The section supports both national security and foreign policy objectives.
Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS)
The Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section provides centralized management for the Department's asset recovery program to ensure its integrity and maximize its law enforcement potential, while also providing managerial direction to the Department's components in prosecuting money laundering. The section initiates, coordinates, and reviews legislative and policy proposals impacting on the asset forfeiture program and money laundering enforcement agencies.
Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS)
The Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s mission is to reduce the supply of illegal drugs in the United States by investigating and prosecuting priority national and international drug trafficking groups and by providing sound legal, strategic and policy guidance in support of that end.
Office of Administration (ADM)
The Office of Administration furthers the Criminal Division's mission by providing operational support in the areas of Finance, Procurement, Information Technology, Litigation Support, Human Resources, Budget Planning & Analysis, International Operations Support, Records, Correspondence, Building Maintenance and Security to the Division's employees in Washington, DC, field locations throughout the United States, and in approximately 60 countries around the world.
Office of Enforcement Operations (OEO)
The Office of Enforcement Operations provides investigative and prosecutorial support, legal advice, and statutorily required review and approval in almost 40 distinct subject areas. The section oversees the use of the most sophisticated investigative tools at the federal government’s disposal, including electronic surveillance, the Federal Witness Security Program, media subpoenas, and witness immunity requests.
Office of International Affairs (OIA)
The Office of International Affairs provides advice and assistance on international criminal matters to the Attorney General and other senior Department of Justice officials, the Criminal Division and the Department's other legal divisions, the U.S. Attorneys offices, and state and local prosecutors. The section coordinates the extradition or other legal rendition of international fugitives and all international evidence gathering.
Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT)
The Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training seeks to develop and administer technical assistance designed to enhance the capabilities of foreign justice sector institutions and their law enforcement personnel, so they can effectively partner with the Department of Justice in combating terrorism, trafficking in persons, organized crime, corruption, and financial crimes.
Office of Policy and Legislation (OPL)
The Office of Policy and Legislation works with the Criminal Division and the Department’s other legal divisions to develop, review, and evaluate national crime, sentencing, and corrections policy and legislation. The section develops legislative proposals, legal memoranda, and Congressional testimony. The section prepares comments on pending legislation and other legislative matters affecting the federal criminal justice system; and represents the Department before the U.S. Sentencing Commission on sentencing-related issues, and before the Judicial Conference's Advisory Committees on Criminal Rules and Evidence regarding the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure and the Federal Rules of Evidence.
Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS)
The Violent Crime and Racketeering Section is a specialized group of prosecutors charged with developing and implementing strategies to disrupt and dismantle the most significant regional, national and international gangs and organized crime groups.
Public Integrity Section (PIN)
The Public Integrity Section oversees the federal effort to combat corruption through the prosecution of elected and appointed public officials at all levels of government. The section has exclusive jurisdiction over allegations of criminal misconduct on the part of federal judges and also monitors the investigation and prosecution of election and conflict of interest crimes. Section attorneys prosecute selected cases against federal, state, and local officials, and are available as a source of advice and expertise to other prosecutors and investigators.
