Executive Division
The Executive Division of the United States Attorney's Office comprises the senior management team, the Training Unit, the Public Affairs Unit, the Law Enforcement Coordination/Community Outreach Section, and the Victim-Witness Assistance Unit. The senior management team includes the United States Attorney, the First Assistant United States Attorney, two Executive Assistant United States Attorneys, and two Special Counsel to the United States Attorney. Working closely with the leaders of the Administrative, Appellate, Asset Forfeiture, Civil, and Criminal divisions, the senior management team oversees and supports the litigation, operations, and administration, and public affairs and community outreach components of the entire district.
The Training Unit within the Executive Division provides professional development opportunities for employees of the United States Attorney's Office. To carry out its mission, the Training Unit sponsors frequent in-house training events that educate Assistant United States Attorneys on a wide variety of substantive and procedural legal issues and provide Assistant United States Attorneys with practical advice on the application of the law to their cases. In addition, the Training Unit sponsors in-house training events for support staff on issues that specifically relate to their duties; ensures employee compliance with mandatory Department of Justice training directives; coordinates and facilitates employee attendance at outside training events, including courses offered by the Department of Justice National Advocacy Center; and provides in-house reference banks and resource materials for both attorneys and support staff.
The Public Affairs Unit’s goals are to inform the public, deter crime, and encourage reporting of criminal acts. The United States Attorney’s Office balances the constitutional requirements of free press against the competing interests that may be adversely affected by publicity. Those interests include the right to a fair trial, the privacy and security of victims and witnesses, grand jury protections, and the need to conduct confidential investigations into allegations of criminal acts. To achieve these goals, the Public Affairs Unit regularly communicates with the news media about the work of the United States Attorney’s Office and its partner law enforcement agencies, without jeopardizing investigations and prosecutions, violating individual rights, compromising individuals’ safety, and protecting the nation’s security.
The Law Enforcement Coordination and Community Outreach Section's mission is to reduce violent crime in the Southern District of Florida through a three-prong approach which includes law enforcement, prevention, and reentry programs. The dynamic range of program strategies is based on maintaining an open dialog and building partnerships with community service providers, faith-based organizations, school districts, local law enforcement agencies, government agencies, and, most importantly, residents to address the needs and concerns of vulnerable populations in South Florida.
The Victim-Witness Assistance Unit represents the interests of the government, and of the victims and witnesses of crime. The United States Attorney's Office provides support to victims and witnesses throughout the prosecution of a criminal matter. Among other services, the Victim-Witness Assistance Unit notifies victims of case events, directs them to the services they need to assist them in recovering, and assists victims and witnesses with travel accommodations. In addition, the Victim-Witness Assistance Unit helps victims and witnesses understand the criminal justice process.