Department of Justice

The Department of Justice repre­sents the U.S. government in legal matters and courts of law, and ren­ders legal advice and opinions upon request to the president and to the heads of the executive departments. The Justice Department is headed by the attorney general of the United States, the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government. Its Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the principle law enforcement body for federal crimes, and its Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) administers immigra­tion laws. A major agency within the department is the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which en­forces narcotics and controlled sub­stances laws, and tracks down major illicit drug trafficking organizations. The Justice Department also gives aid to local police forces. In addition, the department directs U.S. district attorneys and marshals throughout the country, supervises federal pris­ons and other penal institutions, and investigates and reports to the presi­dent on petitions for paroles and par­dons. The Justice Department is also linked to 1NTERPOL, the Inter­national Criminal Police Organi­zation, charged with promoting mutual assistance between law en­forcement agencies in 176 member countries.