Introduction

The Department of Justice


As the Nation's chief law enforcement officer, the Attorney General enforces the Federal laws and ensures the fair and efficient administration of the Federal justice system. In carrying out this mission, the Attorney General directs the activities of the more than 101,000 attorneys, law enforcement professionals, and other employees of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). This Annual Report summarizes the major accomplishments of the Department during 1995.

The responsibilities of the Department are wide-ranging. They include: detecting, apprehending, prosecuting, and incarcerating criminal offenders; upholding the civil rights of all Americans; enforcing laws to protect the environment; ensuring healthy competition of business in our free enterprise system; safeguarding the consumer from fraudulent activity; carrying out the immigration laws of the United States; and representing the American people in all legal matters involving the United States government. As shown on the organization chart on page 4, these responsibilities are discharged by the components of the Department. Among these components are the major law enforcement agencies (the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the United States Marshals Service (USMS), the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), and the Bureau of Prisons (BOP)), and the litigating components (the legal divisions and the United States Attorneys).

Although the Department is headquartered in Washington, D.C., most of its work takes place outside of Washington. As a result, most of its employees are located in any of roughly 2,000 installations of the Department around the country (ranging from a one or two person border station to a large Division Office in a major city) or in one of its nearly 100 overseas offices.

Overall, the Department of Justice had a budget of $13.8 billion in 1995, a 27 percent increase over last year's budget of $10.9 billion. The increase was largely due to the Department receiving targeted increases to expand detention facilities; combat violent crime; control the illegal immigration of individuals into the United States; and foster community policing efforts.

Highlights of 1995 Accomplishments

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