Annual Report Of The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program

In response to a congressional request, GAO determined: (1) the validity of certain accomplishments the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) claimed, such as the number of offenders convicted, sentences imposed, criminal fines assessed, and non-drug assets seized and/or forfeited; (2) compliance with an OCDETF guideline requiring U.S. Attorney approval for pleas to less than the most serious charges; and (3) whether task force attorneys are seeking enhanced drug penalties for offenders with prior federal felony drug convictions. GAO found that OCDETF reported that: (1) it convicted 1,408 offenders, but GAO identified 1,528 convictions; (2) about 80 percent of the 1,408 convicted offenders were sentenced to various prison terms; (3) it assessed $9,624,000 in criminal fines, whereas GAO identified $9,607,000; and (4) the value of asset seizures totalled $157.6 million and forfeitures amounted to $52 million. GAO also found that: (1) 16 districts did not follow the OCDETF guideline concerning plea agreements; (2) 16 districts obtained oral approval from the U.S Attorney; (3) 13 districts obtained oral or written approval from the U.S. attorney or some other official in the U.S. Attorney's office; and (4) 2 districts did not provide information. In addition, GAO reported that: (1) of 1,450 offenders convicted of drug offenses, 64 had prior felony drug convictions; (2) prosecutors sought the enhanced penalty for 27 of the 64 offenders; and (3) during the summer of 1987, the administrative staff will consider the issue of whether a prosecutor's decision not to seek an enhanced penalty should be subject to the approval of the U.S. Attorney.

This volume presents five documents from the President's Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice: the chapter containing the findings and recommendations relating to the organized crime problems facing the United States and four background papers submitted by outside consultants. The analyses in the Commission report chapter focused on the types and locations of organized crime, the corruption of law enforcement and political systems, the membership and organization of criminal cartels, efforts to control organized crime, and a proposed national strategy against organized crime. Recommendations related to methods of proving criminal violations, investigation and prosecution units, citizens crime commissions, and noncriminal controls such as regulations and media coverage. The four consultants' reports examined the functions and structure of criminal syndicates, corruption of public officials in one jurisdiction, evidence collection in organized crime, and the economic analysis of organized crime.