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 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.

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, Regulation and Administration; 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 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 the 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; Corporate Fraud (including False Claims, 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 Bureaus: (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 Western States Information Network.

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 by operating 11 specialized laboratories serving 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 monitors 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. Outstanding technological support, innovative programs, investigative expertise and best practices in the collection and analysis of criminal intelligence are essential services offered by Bureau of Investigation and Intelligence 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 41 multi-agency drug and gang task forces, special operations units, drug diversion, gang suppression enforcement teams and clandestine laboratory teams.

The Western States Information Network (WSIN) is a multi-state, multi-jurisdictional support organization for law enforcement with emphasis on field collection of intelligence by member agencies and the furnishing of analytical services to all member law enforcement agencies. WSIN provides a continuum of intelligence related services ranging from data analysis, a secure intranet, user-friendly databases, officer-safety deconfliction, specialized surveillance equipment loans, training and investigative funds. WSIN is committed to providing the most secure, accurate and timely criminal intelligence and assistance to its member agencies to enhance the investigation, arrest, prosecution and conviction of criminal offenders.

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.