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Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT)

OPDAT
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OPDAT at a Glance

International Presence

  • Offices in approximately 40 Countries, serving bilateral assistance programs and regional capacity building missions
  • Approximately 65 Legal Advisors and International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Advisors supported by approximately 70 local staff

Core Competencies

  • Criminal procedure code reform
  • Criminal justice sector institutional improvement
  • Task force development
  • Capacity building of foreign prosecutors, investigators, and judges
  • Promoting the rule of law and compliance with human rights standards
  • Promoting judicial independence
  • Victim assistance and advocacy
  • Technical assistance and case-based mentoring in the following areas:
    • Counter-transnational organized crime, including gangs
    • Counterterrorism and counter terrorist financing
    • Anti-corruption
    • Anti-money laundering and asset forfeiture
    • Human smuggling and trafficking
    • Foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs)
    • Cybercrime and cybersecurity
    • Intellectual property rights
    • Counter-narcotics

About

Established in 1991, the Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) promotes the rule of law and regard for human rights by reforming foreign justice systems and supporting professional and accountable institutions consistent with international norms and standards. At the same time, OPDAT builds the capacity of our foreign partners to combat transnational crime and terrorism before those threats reach our shores.

Learn More

Leadership

Faye S. Ehrenstamm
Director

Erik Peterson
Principal Deputy Director

Andrew P. Segrest
Deputy Director

George Huber
Deputy Director

Jill Westmoreland Rose
Deputy Director & Counsel for Global Counterterrorism Programs


Contact

202-514-1323

OPDAT.Info@USDOJ.GOV

Established in 1991, the Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) promotes the rule of law and regard for human rights by reforming foreign justice systems and supporting professional and accountable institutions consistent with international norms and standards. At the same time, OPDAT builds the capacity of our foreign partners to combat transnational crime and terrorism before those threats reach our shores.

OPDAT deploys experienced prosecutors to U.S. embassies around the world to serve as long-term Resident Legal Advisors (RLAs), short-term Intermittent Legal Advisors (ILAs), and International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Advisors (ICHIPs) to enhance cooperation in transnational cases and to help partners fight crime in furtherance of U.S. national security.

Through case-based mentoring and expert legal advice, these DOJ Advisors work with their foreign counterparts to strengthen capabilities to investigate and prosecute transnational organized crime, terrorism, terrorism financing, corruption, money laundering, economic crimes, human smuggling and trafficking, narcotics trafficking, cyber-based fraud schemes, intellectual property violations, and malign activities that undermine the rule of law.

OPDAT’s programs are funded through interagency agreements between OPDAT and these United States Government partners:

  • U.S. Department of State
  • U.S. Department of Defense

OPDAT draws on USG and Department of Justice resources and expertise to develop foreign criminal justice sector institutions and enhance the administration of justice abroad. OPDAT programs are designed to strengthen the link between security sector assistance and tangible law enforcement and justice sector outcomes. Additionally, DOJ’s overseas operational and assistance engagements reinforce one another, consistent with U.S. national security objectives, so that the Department is able to use the full force of its authority and expertise to work with foreign governments in combating transnational crime, advancing security, and promoting human rights. Through OPDAT’s programs, partnerships are developed with foreign justice systems that in turn build capacity to achieve national security and justice priorities.

The majority of OPDAT’s programs are implemented in country by Resident Legal Advisors (RLAs), who are experienced U.S. prosecutors attached to U.S. embassies for at least one year, typically longer. With the assistance of their Foreign Service National staff, they assess host country criminal justice institutions and procedures; draft, review and comment on legislation and criminal enforcement policy; and provide technical assistance to host country officials at the Ministry of Justice, Prosecutor General’s Office, or to prosecutors, judges, and other justice sector personnel. OPDAT also deploys Intermittent Legal Advisors (ILAs), U.S. prosecutors who are on targeted assignments of less than a year.

Finally, OPDAT has developed a global network of International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Advisors (ICHIPs) to advise foreign counterparts on strengthening investigations, prosecutions, and cross-border cooperation against cyber and IP crimes. RLA, ILA, and ICHIP programs are overseen by Headquarters regional teams. At any given time, OPDAT has approximately 65 RLAs, ILAs, and ICHIPs serving in approximately 40 countries on bilateral and regional capacity building programs.

In addition to programs in the field, OPDAT headquarters staff plan and implement programs and workshops in countries without an RLA, ILA, or ICHIP presence.
These programs include the innovative Judicial Studies Institute, based in Puerto Rico, which builds judicial capacity throughout the Western Hemisphere; the Battlefield Evidence Initiative, which ensures that enemy material / battlefield evidence is available to prosecutors investigating and prosecuting foreign terrorist fighters; and the Global Anti-Corruption Rapid Response Fund, which provides technical assistance and/or case-based mentoring at short notice to foreign partners seeking to expand their capacity to investigate and prosecute corruption, kleptocracy, and related offenses, and to recover assets.

OPDAT focuses on long-term, comprehensive, and sustainable justice reform. It accomplishes this mission through the development of sound legislative frameworks and programming consistent with international standards and criminal justice instruments (e.g., UN Convention against Corruption). Programs are tailored to host country legal infrastructures as well as international norms and standards. OPDAT coordinates these efforts with the U.S. interagency and the international community.

OPDAT enjoys unique access to some of the most experienced criminal justice experts in the nation. The Department of Justice, with over 5,000 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and over 600 Criminal Division attorneys, provides a primary source of expertise. Depending upon the needs of the host country, OPDAT also coordinates with other Department of Justice components, including the National Security Division; Civil Rights Division; Environment and Natural Resources Division; Office of Justice Programs; National Advocacy Center; ATF; DEA; FBI; and U.S. Marshals Service. In addition, OPDAT can utilize the law enforcement expertise of other federal departments, such as Treasury and Homeland Security, as well as state and local prosecutors’ offices. OPDAT also coordinates with the private bar, state and federal judiciaries, and professional organizations. Finally, OPDAT works collaboratively with multilateral organizations, nongovernmental institutions, and international experts.