Department <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> JusticeCivil Rights Divisi<strong>on</strong> – Criminal Secti<strong>on</strong>Witness Protecti<strong>on</strong> *REPRESENTED BY:T. March Bellby Lorna GrenadierVictim Witness CoordinatorCivil Rights Divisi<strong>on</strong>AVAILABILITY: DOMESTIC INTLUS Citizen LPRAdults X X XMinors X X X* The Federal Witness Security Program (WITSEC) affords protecti<strong>on</strong>s to testifyingwitnesses through <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> U.S. Marshal’s Service (USMS) and is available to qualifyingvictim/witnesses, regardless <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> citizenship or age. The services <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Program aim to protect awitness against dangers that may be related to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> witness's testim<strong>on</strong>y.WITSEC was authorized by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Witness Security Reform Act <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 1984 (as part <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>Organized Crime C<strong>on</strong>trol Act <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 1970) to provide protecti<strong>on</strong> and security by relocating a witnessin <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ficial proceedings involving organized crime or o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r serious <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>fenses, where it is likely thatan obstructi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> justice <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>fense could be directed against <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> witness. Victim/witnesses coveredby <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>Trafficking</strong> Victims Protecti<strong>on</strong> Act <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 2000 may be c<strong>on</strong>sidered for acceptance into <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>Witness Security Program if <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y are essential witnesses. In additi<strong>on</strong>, protective services mayalso be available to certain relatives and associates <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> protected witnesses.The WITSEC program is administered by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Department’s Office <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> EnforcementOperati<strong>on</strong>s (OEO) in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Criminal Divisi<strong>on</strong>. Government attorneys may seek this protecti<strong>on</strong> fora witness by applying directly to OEO. The applicati<strong>on</strong> requires informati<strong>on</strong> regarding <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>substance <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> witness’ testim<strong>on</strong>y, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> witness's cooperati<strong>on</strong>, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> threat to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> witness, and anyrisk <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> witness may pose if relocated to a new community. The Attorney General must obtainand evaluate all available informati<strong>on</strong> regarding <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> suitability <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a witness for inclusi<strong>on</strong> in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>Program, including threats against <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> witness, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> witness's criminal history, and apsychological evaluati<strong>on</strong> for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> witness and each adult member <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> household entering <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>Program. The Attorney General is also required to write an assessment <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> risk <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> witnessand his/her adult family members may present to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir new community. The assessment wouldinclude a review <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> witness’s criminal record, o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r protecti<strong>on</strong> alternatives which have beenc<strong>on</strong>sidered, and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> possibility <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> securing <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> testim<strong>on</strong>y from o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r sources. If <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> dangercreated by relocating <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> witness or adult family members to a new community exceeds <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> needto prosecute <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> case, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Attorney General is required to exclude <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> witness from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Program.48
Prior to entering WITSEC, witnesses must pay, or make arrangements to pay, allvalid debts; satisfy outstanding criminal and civil obligati<strong>on</strong>s; and provide appropriatechild custody and immigrati<strong>on</strong> documents, as necessary. In additi<strong>on</strong>, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Department hasdiscreti<strong>on</strong> to notify local law enforcement <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> presence <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> witness in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>community and his or her criminal history; to mandate random drug or alcohol testingand/or substance abuse counseling; and to set o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s believed to be in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> bestinterests <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Program.With respect to alien victim/witnesses in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> U.S., <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> government must provideevidence that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> witness is authorized to be in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> country. WITSEC for alien witnessesoutside <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> U.S. can <strong>on</strong>ly be sought <strong>on</strong>ce <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> witness is physically in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> U.S. Theinvestigative agency brings <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> witness to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> U.S. and provides shelter and safety until<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> witness is approved for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> program, which may take 60 days or l<strong>on</strong>ger. Participati<strong>on</strong>in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> program involves an assessment <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> nature and scope <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> threat, placement ina community where <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> witness can be assimilated, a psychological evaluati<strong>on</strong>, and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>assumpti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a new identity. To preserve <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir security, witnesses are restricted fromc<strong>on</strong>tacting any<strong>on</strong>e <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y previously knew. For this reas<strong>on</strong>, foreign witnesses have ei<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ropted out <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> program or violated its c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s, unwilling to give up <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> ability toreturn to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir homes or to visit or speak to relatives. With foreign-born witnesses, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>recan also be difficulty in finding suitable locati<strong>on</strong>s where <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y can blend into <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>community.Minors:An individual entering <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Program must have court-ordered custody <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a child inorder for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> child to enter <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Program. If <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> child's n<strong>on</strong>-Program natural parent hascourt-ordered visitati<strong>on</strong> rights with that child, that parent would have to agree (viaaffidavit), to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> child being relocated, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> child's name being changed, and modificati<strong>on</strong><str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> existing visitati<strong>on</strong> arrangements in accordance with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> USMS visitati<strong>on</strong>requirements, which allow twelve visits per year (usually <strong>on</strong>e per m<strong>on</strong>th). USMS willarrange for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se court-ordered visits and pay <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> travel costs associated with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> visits.If <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> n<strong>on</strong>-Program parent does not have court-ordered visitati<strong>on</strong> rights, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> parent needsto be notified, and must execute an affidavit c<strong>on</strong>firming notificati<strong>on</strong>, that his/her child isbeing relocated and receiving a name change. If <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> n<strong>on</strong>-Program parent isunapproachable (ei<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r a defendant in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> investigati<strong>on</strong> or dangerous), <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>n notificati<strong>on</strong>can be waived by OEO until after relocati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> child. If <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> n<strong>on</strong>-Program parent whohas court-ordered visitati<strong>on</strong> rights is unapproachable, as indicated above, a Federal courtorder must be obtained, which would allow <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> child to be relocated. However, if <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>n<strong>on</strong>-Program parent chooses to fight <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> order through <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> State courts and wins custody,<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> child will not be allowed to remain in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Program.49