0820 Department of Justice
Program Descriptions

11 - DIRECTORATE AND ADMINISTRATION

The Directorate and Administration Division 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, the Office of Program Review and Audits, and the Opinions Unit. The Equal Employment Rights and Resolution Office establishes and implements statewide policies and provides an oversight role by ensuring all employees and job applicants are treated equally and provided the ability to work in a non-discriminatory environment. The Office of Program Review and Audits assists the Attorney General in mitigating identified Departmental risks by providing factual information and recommended solutions, policies and procedures. 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. 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, and law library services essential to the operations of the Department of Justice.

20 - LEGAL SERVICES

Legal Services is organized into three elements: (1) Civil Law, (2) Criminal Law, and (3) Public Rights.

Civil Law represents the State of California and its officers, agencies, departments, boards, 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 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 and Administrative Mandates; Government Law; Health, Education and Welfare; Health Quality Enforcement; Licensing; or Tort and Condemnation.

Criminal Law represents the state in criminal matters before the Appellate and Supreme courts. Criminal Law also fulfills the Attorney General's responsibilities of assisting district attorneys in cases for which they are recused, conducts criminal investigations and prosecutes 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.

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

50 - LAW ENFORCEMENT

The Division of Law Enforcement is organized into six elements: (1) Bureau of Firearms, (2) Bureau of Forensic Services, (3) Bureau of Gambling Control, (4) Bureau of Investigation and Intelligence, (5) Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, and (6) the Office of the Director.

The Bureau of Firearms provides oversight, enforcement, education and regulation of California's firearms/dangerous weapon laws by conducting firearms eligibility background checks and administering over thirty different state-mandated firearms-related programs. The Bureau conducts firearms dealer and manufacturer inspections and provides training as needed. Special Agents conduct investigations on armed and prohibited persons and other investigations resulting in the seizure of weapons. Agents also conduct firearms investigations to prevent illegal gun trafficking at in-state and out-of-state gun shows in accordance with state and federal law.

The Bureau of Forensic Services provides evaluation and analysis of physical evidence including expert court testimony to state and local law enforcement agencies, district attorneys, and courts, by operating 11 specialized laboratories that serve 47 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 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 and monitoring the conduct of these licensees to ensure compliance with the Gambling Control Act. Further, it conducts criminal investigations in, on or about tribal casinos and cardrooms. Its role also includes regulating tribal gaming by ensuring that each tribe is in compliance with all aspects of the gaming compact entered into between the tribe and the state.

The Bureau of Investigation and Intelligence provides expert investigative and intelligence services to the Office of the Attorney General and allied California law enforcement agencies. Innovative programs, investigative expertise, and best practices in the collection, analysis, and dissemination of criminal intelligence are essential services provided by the Bureau's regional offices, field offices, intelligence centers and task forces.

The Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement combats the state's narcotic and violent crime problem by providing leadership, coordination, and support to law enforcement through 9 regional offices and multi-agency drug and gang task forces, special operations units, drug diversion teams and clandestine laboratory teams.

The Office of the Director (OD) enhances public safety through training, technical, intelligence and administrative support to the investigative, regulatory and forensic components of the DLE and other criminal justice agencies. OD serves as the policy-making and oversight body for its five operational bureaus.

60 - CALIFORNIA JUSTICE INFORMATION SERVICES

The Division of California Justice Information Services (DCJIS) 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. 1) The Bureau of Criminal Identification & Investigative Services consolidates the identification, investigative, and field services functions, providing information and technical assistance on manual and automated systems including the fingerprint identification system and the violent crime information system. 2) The Bureau of Criminal Information and Analysis consolidates the functions related to the authorization, release, and use of criminal offender record information for law enforcement investigatory and regulatory purposes. 3) The Hawkins Data Center operates the Criminal Justice Information System and the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System, and 4) the Operations Support Program provides business resumption planning and administrative support and oversight.