Goodlatte: Witness Security Program Gives Cloak of Anonymity to Sex Offenders
March 11, 2015
Washington, D.C. – The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General today issued a scathing report identifying significant concerns with the Department’s handling of sex offenders in the Witness Security Program and the threat they pose after being terminated from the program.
As of July 2014, the Inspector General found that a total of 58 sex offenders at one point were in the Witness Security Program, including 10 individuals who were convicted of sex offenses prior to admittance to the program, 10 individuals who were convicted of a sex offense while in the program, and 38 individuals who were convicted of a sex offense after being terminated from the program. The report notes that many local law enforcement agencies were not notified when sex offenders in the Witness Security Program were relocated to their communities and some were not registered as sex offenders.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) blasted the Department of Justice’s mismanagement of the Witness Security Program in the statement below.
Chairman Goodlatte: “It’s outrageous that the Department of Justice has allowed known sex offenders to participate in the federal witness protection program and has failed to implement procedures to ensure that they don’t commit additional crimes. Under this program, sex offenders are given a new identity and placed in a new community, but often the Justice Department fails to register these criminals as sex offenders and does not notify local law enforcement agencies about the criminals that have been dropped off in their towns. By giving these sex offenders a cloak of anonymity, there is no way that local law enforcement agencies and citizens can take precautions when a convicted sex offender moves to their neighborhood.
“Unfortunately, this is not the first instance of gross mismanagement at the witness protection program. The House Judiciary Committee has examined similar problems with this program’s treatment of known terrorists, and will continue its aggressive oversight to ensure that the Department of Justice implements strong measures to ensure that the American people are protected from criminals. We must take every step to ensure convicted sex offenders do not roam free in our communities only to prey upon children and others.”
Background: Created in 1971, the Witness Security Program is designed to protect witnesses and their dependents that are in danger as a result of their agreement to testify for the government in a variety of cases, such as organized crime, drug trafficking, violent gang, and terrorism cases. Participants in this program are relocated to an area believed to be safe from those who may want to harm them; provided a new identity, and afforded financial subsistence, occupational training, and other means necessary from them to acclimate to their new location.
In addition to today’s report, the Office of the Inspector General has found problems with the Witness Security Program in the past. In May 2013, it issued a report on DOJ’s systemic mismanagement in the handling of known or suspected terrorists admitted into the federal Witness Security Program. The Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations Subcommittee held a hearing on this subject shortly thereafter.
In addition to today’s report, the Office of the Inspector General has found problems with the Witness Security Program in the past. In May 2013, it issued a report on DOJ’s systemic mismanagement in the handling of known or suspected terrorists admitted into the federal Witness Security Program. The Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations Subcommittee held a hearing on this subject shortly thereafter.