0820 Department of Justice
Program Descriptions

11 - DIRECTORATE AND ADMINISTRATION

The Directorate and Administration Division of the Department of Justice consists of the Attorney General's Executive Office and the Division of Administrative Support. The Division maintains overall direction and administration while providing oversight and monitoring of the diverse programs and projects of the Department, including but not limited to, the Equal Employment Rights and Resolution Office and the Opinions Unit. The Opinions Unit performs the Attorney General's duty under Government Code Section 12519 to provide written opinions to designated public officials on questions of law relating to their respective offices. This unit drafts all formal opinions issued by the Attorney General, most of which are published. Additionally, the Division provides administrative support functions consisting of fiscal, personnel, and technical support activities for the entire department including specialized services such as legal secretarial support, litigation support, law library services, and word processing, essential to the operations of a law firm.

12 - DIVISION OF LEGAL SUPPORT AND TECHNOLOGY

The Division of Legal Support and Technology (DLST) encompasses a broad scope of programs and services that provide support to the Department's legal divisions. The DLST will be consolidated within the Directorate and Administration Division, effective July 1, 2008.

25 - EXECUTIVE PROGRAMS

The primary responsibility of the Division of Executive Programs is the establishment and maintenance of communications between the Department and the public, the news media, the Legislature, and law enforcement. The Division consists of the Legislative Unit, the Crime and Violence Prevention Center, the Office of Victim Services, the Public Inquiry Unit, the Office of Community and Consumer Affairs, Press, Communications, and Media, Protective Services and Special Liaisons, the Office of Native American Affairs, the Office of Training and Professional Development, and the Special Assistant Attorneys General.

The Crime and Violence Prevention Center, the Office of Victim Services, and the Office of Native American Affairs will be consolidated within the Criminal Law Division, effective July 1, 2008. The remainder of the Executive Programs Division will be consolidated within the Directorate and Administration Division at that time.

30 - CIVIL LAW

The Division of Civil Law represents the State of California and its officers, agencies, departments, boards and commissions, and employees in civil matters. It provides advice to these clients, defends cases brought against them, and prosecutes cases to vindicate state interests. Deputy Attorneys General in the Division of Civil Law have primary responsibility to manage and litigate cases in both state and federal courts at the trial level and on appeal, including appeals before the United States and California Supreme Courts. Deputies work in one of eight sections: Business and Tax; Correctional Law; Employment, Regulation and Administration; Government Law; Health, Education and Welfare; Health Quality Enforcement; Licensing; and Tort and Condemnation.

40 - CRIMINAL LAW

The Criminal Law Program represents the state in all criminal matters before the Appellate and Supreme courts. The Criminal Law Program also fulfills the Attorney General's responsibilities of assisting district attorneys in cases for which they are disqualified, conducts criminal investigations and prosecutions of those engaged in illegal activities where local resources are inadequate to perform these functions, and defends state and federal habeas corpus matters. Additional responsibilities include enforcing the Political Reform Act, advising the Governor on extradition matters, investigating and prosecuting Medi-Cal provider fraud, investigating and prosecuting the abuse or neglect of elder and dependent adults residing in health care facilities, and investigating, prosecuting, and coordinating litigation involving white-collar crime, high-tech/computer crime, and financial crimes against the elderly. The Criminal Law program also includes the Crime and Violence Prevention Center, the Office of Native American Affairs, and the Office of Victim Services.

45 - PUBLIC RIGHTS

The Public Rights Program protects and preserves the public interest by providing skilled legal services to all state agencies and Constitutional Officers. The Public Rights Program provides specialized services in the following areas: Civil Rights Enforcement; Charitable Trusts (including Registry of Charitable Trusts); Natural Resources; False Claims; Energy and Corporate Responsibility; Indian and Gaming Law; Environmental Law; Land Law; Consumer Law; Antitrust Law; and Tobacco Litigation Enforcement.

50 - LAW ENFORCEMENT

The Division of Law Enforcement is organized into seven elements: (1) the Bureau of Investigation, (2) the Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, (3) the Bureau of Forensic Services, (4) the Western States Information Network, (5) the Criminal Intelligence Bureau, (6) the Bureau of Firearms, and (7) the Bureau of Gambling Control.

The Bureau of Investigation conducts criminal investigations of statewide importance and provides investigative services to criminal justice agencies, public agencies and to the Department of Justice in criminal cases. The Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement combats the state's narcotic problem by providing leadership, coordination, and support to law enforcement through 9 regional offices and 39 multi-agency drug task forces, special operations units, drug diversion, gang suppression enforcement teams, clandestine laboratory teams, and crackdown teams.

The Bureau of Forensic Services provides evaluation and analysis of physical evidence including expert court testimony to state and local law enforcement agencies by operating 11 specialized laboratories serving 46 counties as well as a forensic training facility and a DNA laboratory that is compiling and maintaining a database of sex and violent offenders.

The Western States Information Network provides an automated database of suspected narcotic traffickers and other criminal elements for member agencies in Alaska, Hawaii, California, Oregon, and Washington.

The Criminal Intelligence Bureau provides timely collection, coordination, analysis, investigation, and dissemination of criminal intelligence regarding organized crime, street gangs, and terrorist activity to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

The Bureau of Firearms provides oversight, enforcement and regulation of firearms in California by conducting firearms eligibility reviews, administering: (1) the handgun safety certificate program, (2) a centralized list of firearms dealers, and (3) the gun show producer and assault weapon registration programs, conducting firearms dealer and manufacturer inspections, and investigating violations. The Bureau of Firearms also conducts investigations on armed and prohibited persons, in accordance with state and federal law, and administers the armed and prohibited persons database and the safe handgun and firearms safety device programs.

The Bureau of Gambling Control regulates legal gambling activities in California to ensure gambling is conducted honestly and is free from criminal and corruptive elements by investigating the qualifications of individuals who apply for state gambling licenses, monitoring the conduct of these licensees to ensure compliance with the Gambling Control Act. Its role also includes regulating Tribal Gaming by ensuring that the each Tribe is in compliance with all aspects of the gaming compact entered into between the Tribe and the State.

60 - CALIFORNIA JUSTICE INFORMATION SERVICES

The Division of California Justice Information Services provides criminal justice intelligence, information, and identification services to law enforcement, regulatory agencies, and the public. Four major functional areas carry out these primary services. The Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information maintains and administers the fingerprint identification system and the criminal history record system. The Bureau of Criminal Information and Analysis maintains and administers databases on persons, property, vehicles, and firearms. The Hawkins Data Center operates the Criminal Justice Information System and the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS). The Operation Support Bureau provides business resumption planning, project oversight to information technology projects, and assistance and training to users of criminal offender record information and CLETS, and oversight for the Electronic Recording Delivery Act.

65 - DIVISION OF GAMBLING CONTROL

The Division of Gambling Control was consolidated within the Division of Law Enforcement, effective July 1, 2007.

70 - FIREARMS DIVISION

The Firearms Division was consolidated within the Division of Law Enforcement, effective July 1, 2007.