Karol V. Mason Sworn-In as Assistant Attorney General for
the Office of Justice Programs

Attorney General Eric Holder today welcomed Karol V. Mason as the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs (OJP). As head of OJP, she oversees an annual budget of more than $2 billion dedicated to supporting state, local and tribal criminal justice agencies; an array of juvenile justice programs; a wide range of research, evaluation and statistical efforts; and comprehensive services for crime victims.

 “I’m delighted to welcome Karol Mason back to the Justice Department, this time as Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs,” said Attorney General Eric Holder. “Karol’s leadership has already been instrumental in bringing about fundamental improvements to the department. I also want to thank Mary Lou Leary for her leadership of the Office of Justice Programs and I’m thrilled to be working with both Karol and Mary Lou, and look forward to all that they and their colleagues will accomplish, as we continue to advance OJP’s important mission.” 

From 2009-2012 Mason served at the Justice Department as Deputy Associate Attorney General with oversight responsibility for the Tax Division, the Office of Justice Programs, the Office on Violence Against Women and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. During this time, Mason headed a cross-department initiative to address criminal justice issues in New Orleans, led Attorney General Holder’s Defending Childhood Initiative and helped create its Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence, forming partnerships on this issue with the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services. Mason was responsible for the implementation of the Combined Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) which consolidates all of the Justice Department’s tribal grants under a single solicitation. Mason was awarded the  Distinguished Service Award for outstanding service to the Department of Justice by Attorney General Eric Holder in 2011.

Prior to her federal government service, Karol Mason was a partner at the Atlanta law firm of Alston & Bird where she focused on public and project finance, chaired the firm’s public finance group, served on its management committee and provided counsel in the area of government investigations.

Karol Mason received her J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School, where she was note editor for the University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform. She received her A.B. from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she was a member of the board of trustees from 2001 to 2009.