At present, OECE has 18 ECE units operating, the original seven, and 11 additional units in: Boston, Massachusetts; Houston, Texas; Detroit, Michigan; Atlanta, Georgia; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; San Francisco, California; Dallas, Texas; Birmingham, Alabama; Phoenix, Arizona; Memphis, Tennessee; and New

Orleans, Louisiana.

Selecting ECE Specialists: The staffing requirements of an ECE Unit is specified in the Attorney General Order. CRM is to employ the ECE Specialist

and the U.S. Attorney is to assign at least three AUSAs full time to the unit

for a minimum of 18 months.

Selecting an ECE Specialist is based upon the candidate's professional

experience and proficiency, interest and expertise in the specialized area

of white-collar crime, and personal attributes that could foster the develop

ment of professional working relationships among many agencies and groups.

Other factors in the selection process include:

the willingness of the

Specialist to assume a new role in and a new approach to investigations and prosecutions, including a willingness to perform functions not traditionally performed by a prosecutor; and the willingness of the Specialist to relocate

to another geographical area.

Finally, the appointment of the Specialist

was subject to the joint approval of the Assistant Attorney General, CRM,

and the relevant U.S. Attorney. Four of the first seven Specialists were

hired from CRM, two from the Antitrust Division and one from an OUSA.

Reporting System: Consistent with the Attorney General Order, a comprehensive reporting system has been developed and implemented. This system, designed to facilitate CRM's responsibilities in coordinating and monitoring the activities of the ECE units, has recently been adjusted and standardized to acquire more effectively information about unit activities. The required reports include specific information regarding investigative and litigative activities of the units. This information forms part of a national information base to develop trends and patterns in criminal activity and identify multi-district

cases so that OECE may ensure their proper coordination.

ECE Bulletin: A bi-monthly publication of the ECE Bulletin commenced in

October 1979.

In the survey of the seven ECE units, this publication generally

received positive reaction from the AUSAS and the Specialists. The Bulletin focuses on substantive legal developments in the area of white-collar crime, and has helped to establish a stronger network of communication among the units.

National ECE Conferences: OECE has sponsored two national conferences to date: November 1979 in Washington, D.C., and May 1980 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Among those attending the conferences were ECE Specialists, AUSAs, representatives of the OiGs, and other members of the law enforcement community. Conferences dealt with substantive legal questions and issues, and provided opportunities for round-table discussions of program problems and achievements. Most Specialists indicated that the conferences were an important part of the program's development. particular, th conferences provided an opportunity to share experiences, develop personal contacts, and strengthen the coordina

tion of inter-district matters.

Liaison with other Agencies and Organizations: OECE has established contact

with the investigative, program and regulatory agencies, the Executive Group to Combat Fraud, Waste and Abuse in Government, and the NDAA to explain program goals and operations and to establish working relationships that

will further effect an open, cooperative endeavor in combatting white-collar

crime.

As an example of DECE's liaison role, a Specialist was recently

involved in a joint case investigation by the FBI and an OIG field office.

As the case developed, differing disclosure regulations between the FBI and

the OIG threatened to damage the case as a result of pre-trial discovery motions made by the defense. The Specialist informed the OECE Director of

this problem, who apprised the Executive Group Staff Director of the situation.

Steps are now being taken to standardize and tighten the various OIG disclosure

regulations to avoid this potentially destructive problem in the future.

National and District Priorities: The national white-collar crime priorities form the parameters within which Federal investigators and prosecutors are to focus their efforts. The Attorney General issued these priorities in a

report entitled the National Priorities for the Investigation and Prosecution

of White-Collar Crime on September 9, 1980.

The priorities are the result

of an extensive survey undertaken by CRM to supplement existing information

with current and more comprehensive data on white-collar crime. The report was formulated on the basis of information provided by representatives of

the major Federal agencies and departments involved in the investigation

and prosecution of white-collar crime, including those ECE Specialists who

were then in place. In general, the priorities cover the broad areas of

fraud, corruption and certain regulatory violations, and are divided into seven categories reflecting broad groups of institutions and individuals victimized by white-collar crimes. The categories are:

Crimes against the government by public officials, including
Federal, State and local corruption;

tax fraud, procurement fraud, program related fraud, counter-
feiting and customs violations;
Crimes against business, including embezzlement and bank fraud,

insurance fraud, bankruptcy fraud, advance fee schemes and labor

racketeering;

Crimes against consumers, including defrauding of customers, antitrust

violations, energy pricing violations and related illegalities;
Crimes against investors, including securities and commodities

fraud and real estate swindles;

Crimes against employees, including life-endangering health and
safety violations and corruption by union officials, and

Crimes affecting the health and safety of the general public, including

the illegal discharge of toxic, hazardous, or carcinogenic waste.

From the framework of national priorities each U.S. Attorney, with the concur

rence of the Assistant Attorney General, CRM, is to select specific priorities that are particular to his Federal district. The district priorities will

be reviewed at least once a year.

Program Evaluation: The Attorney General's Order requires continued program evaluation, so that appropriate program adjustments can be made when deemed necessary. Although the program is not at a stage where formal evaluation is possible, review of the program and an informal assessment of its problems are reflected in the district annual reports, and also are undertaken by the Director and Deputy Director in their field visits.

FUTURE ACTIVITIES

To further implement program objectives, OECE plans to expand its role into

the following program areas:

ECE Units: Over the next year OECE, if given the resources requested in the FY 1981 budget, will complete ECE unit site selections and Specialist selec

tions, with an additonal 12 units targeted for:

New York, New York; Brooklyn,

New York; Newark, New Jersey; Washington, D.C.; Miami, Florida; San Diego,
California, Chicago, Illinois; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Wichita, Kansas;

Alexandria, Virginia; Baltimore, Maryland; and St. Louis/Kansas City, Missouri.*

Enhanced Analytical Capability: A major aspect of the program encompasses

gathering district-level information regarding the nature and magnitude of white-collar crime, compiling and analyzing the data in order to develop a national picture, and identifying trends within the scope of white-collar

crime activities.

The location within Missouri has not yet been determined.