United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a federal executive department of the United States government tasked with the enforcement of federal law and administration of justice in the United States. It is equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries. The department is headed by the U.S. attorney general, who reports directly to the president of the United States and is a member of the president's Cabinet. The current attorney general is Merrick Garland, who has served since March 2021.
Some of the key events about United States Department of Justice
- 1870Established to handle all federal law enforcement and criminal justice matters
- 1908The DOJ's Bureau of Investigation (predecessor to the FBI) was created without Congressional approval, raising concerns about executive overreach.
- 1909Created the Bureau of Investigation, predecessor to the FBI
- 1919The DOJ conducted the controversial Palmer Raids, arresting and deporting thousands of suspected radicals and anarchists without due process.
- 1942The DOJ supported the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, violating their civil rights.
- 1950The DOJ established a "Sex Deviates" program to purge LGBTQ+ individuals from government employment.
- 1956The DOJ's COINTELPRO program was initiated, illegally surveilling and disrupting domestic political organizations.
- 1957Created the Civil Rights Division to enforce federal civil rights laws
- 1968Established the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration to provide federal funding for state and local law enforcement
- 1970Enacted the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act to combat organized crime
- 1971The DOJ attempted to prevent the publication of the Pentagon Papers, infringing on press freedom.
- 1973The DOJ was implicated in the Watergate scandal, with several officials involved in the cover-up.
- 1984Passed the Victims of Crime Act to provide support and resources for crime victims
- 1990Implemented the Americans with Disabilities Act to prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities
- 1993The DOJ's handling of the Waco siege resulted in the deaths of 76 Branch Davidians, including children.
- 1994Passed the Violence Against Women Act to improve criminal justice responses to domestic violence and sexual assault
- 2001Created the Office of Privacy and Civil Liberties to protect individual rights in the post-9/11 era
- 2002The DOJ issued memos justifying the use of enhanced interrogation techniques, later criticized as torture.
- 2009Expanded hate crime protections with the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act
- 2013The DOJ was revealed to have secretly obtained phone records of Associated Press journalists, compromising press freedom.
Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.
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