Investigation: To develop an inventory of current or past white-collar crime investigations to establish an information base and locate duplications of effort; To establish priorities in an effort to focus investigative atten tion on significant district problems and characterize the types of cases the OUSA will prosecute; To coordinate and consolidate the various investigative agencies' To establish liaison between the investigative agencies and the the attention of the OUSA early in the investigative process; and To provide seminars and conferences for investigative agencies to present information on specific subjects, e.g., investigative auditing, exchange ideas concerning new investigative techniques, and increase each agency's awareness of the other's roles and expertise in the effort against white-collar crime. Prosecution: To inventory current or past white-collar crime cases to gain an understanding of white-collar crime in the district, establish an information base, and locate duplications of effort or cases which would be better consolidated; (3) (4) To establish district priorities to identify unit cases and focus investigative/prosecutive efforts on priority cases, and place significant cases with experienced prosecutors; To coordinate the investigative agencies and the OUSA early in an To provide conferences and seminars, or documentation for the AUSAS Detection: O To establish an information base from which white-collar crime patterns and trends can be identified; To establish district priorities, within the framework of national To disseminate information to those persons in a position to Prevention: To create an awareness of the extent and nature of white-collar crime in the business community and in the general public, thus reducing the opportunity for the commission of such crimes; To enhance the capabilities of the general public, business To enhance the government's ability to investigate and prosecute To obtain more appropriate sanctions, thereby deterring other To identify and correct program or operational weaknesses or deficiencies in agencies or businesses, making it more difficult for potential offenders to execute fraudulent schemes. Sentence Enhancement: To increase the prosecutor's awareness of the importance of sentencing, and the prosecutor's role in sentencing; and To improve the prosecutor's sentencing skills and techniques. This program consists of both a national and local aspect; its various objectives being implemented on a continuum at the appropriate time and level. To date, national efforts have been directed to selecting unit sites and Specialists, developing lines of communication within the program and establishing liaison with participating agencies and organizations, while the efforts by the units have concentrated on enhancing investigative and prosecutive capabilities. This is to be expected, since enhanced capabilities in detection, prevention and obtainment of appropriate sanctions result, to some extent, from better investigations and prosecutions. In subsequent chapters a more detailed description of the program's organization and structure and its efforts in meeting program goals is presented. Achievements at both the national and district levels are noted and issues affecting the program's continued success are discussed. CHAPTER II NATIONAL PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITIES AND OPERATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC CRIME ENFORCEMENT NATIONAL PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITIES AND ORGANIZATION In establishing the ECE program, Attorney General Order 817-79 provided for the creation of OECE within CRM to administer the provisions of the Order. Located in Washington, D.C., OECE is the headquarters of the program, responsible for overall program implementation and administration. Presently, it is staffed by a Director, a Deputy Director (as of July 1, 1980), an Information Specialist and a secretary. The Director currently carries major responsibility for establishing new ECE units, staffing each unit with a Specialist, providing supervision and guidance in implementing the program at the unit level, training, maintaining liaison with prosecution, enforcement, program and other agencies' headquarters personnel, analyzing white-collar crime information, and preparing program reports. The burden of these responsibilities has been eased somewhat with the addition of the Deputy Director. Within the current organization structure of CRM, OECE forms a bridge between the Fraud Section and the Public Integrity Section of CRM (See Appendix VI). This initial arrangement was partially the result of budgetary considerations and the notion that OECE had its major, practical responsibilities in the areas of fraud and public corruption. This arrangement does, however, create an ambiguous reporting responsibility for the Director of OECE. Although the Office is planned as a separate decision unit for purposes of the FY 1982 budget, this will not in itself clarify the line reporting relationship of OECE within CRM. Therefore, the need for CRM management to clarify OECE's reporting responsibilities continues to exist. |