Department of Justice Inspector General Names Official to Coordinate Review of Civil Rights & Civil Liberties Complaints

Recently, Glenn A. Fine, Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Justice, announced the appointment of an official to implement a provision of the recently enacted anti-terrorism law that provides a forum for individuals alleging that Department employees have violated their civil rights or civil liberties.

Section 1001 of the USA Patriot Act, signed into law by the President on October 26, 2001, directs the Inspector General (IG) to designate an official to review information and receive complaints alleging abuses of civil rights and civil liberties by Department of Justice employees. In addition, the IG is required to advertise through various media the responsibilities and functions of - and how to contact - this official.

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has created a special section in its Investigations Division to process these complaints. This section will identify the more serious civil rights and civil liberties allegations and assign them to one of 17 OIG Investigations Division field offices across the country for investigation. The OIG will refer other complaints to Department components for their review and handling. In addition, IG Fine said the OIG also may conduct audits, inspections, and special reviews to exam systemic issues related to Department practices implicated by the complaints received.

The OIG is recruiting to fill the position of Special Counsel to oversee and coordinate the OIG's response to the Patriot Act directive. In the interim, IG Fine has appointed Paul K. Martin, who serves as Counselor to the Inspector General, as the acting official mandated by the legislation.

Individuals who believe that their civil rights or civil liberties have been violated by a Department of Justice employee - such as an employee of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, or the United States Marshals Service - can e-mail the complaint to: [email protected], or fax the complaint to the OIG at (202) 616-9898, or write the OIG at:

Civil Rights & Civil Liberties Complaints
Office of the Inspector General
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20530

Finally, individuals also can call the OIG's toll-free Hotline at 1-800-869-4499 to hear information about how to send a complaint to the OIG.

The Office of the Inspector General has updated its website at http://www.usdoj.gov/oig to reflect its Section 1001 responsibilities.